[Aroid-l] ?? Water-loving Anthurium species

From: Devin Biggs <dbiggs at xantusidesign.net> on 2009.09.30 at 07:54:23(20095) Thanks Adam, Those are good points. I have also found that certain emergent aquatics fail in oxygen-poor substrates. I have had good luck using fired clay "kitty litter" gravels as substrate alternatives having a more coarse and open grain structure. A few plants that I grow, such as certain Spathiphyllum, and Colocasia taros, seem to require even more oxygen and free water diffusion around their roots. For these I have used those round Hydroton clay pellets, also with good results An innovation that I learned about from aquarium hobbyists is "mineralized topsoil". This material is simple garden soil subjected to repeated wetting and drying cycles in the warm sunshine, with the effect that all of its organic content becomes mineralized. The presumed advantage of this treatment is that it will not begin to rot and spoil plant roots in wet, anoxic conditions as regular soil would. The nutrients are also more freely available to the plant roots. I have tried this material a few times in combination with clay gravels and I also observed good results. Cheers, Devin +More _______________________________________________ Aroid-L mailing list Aroid-L@www.gizmoworks.com http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/listinfo/aroid-l

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