Re: Typhonodorum lindleyanum

From: "Julius Boos" ju-bo at email.msn.com> on 2000.07.04 at 22:24:37(4978) Dear Jack, i`ll take a stab at trying to give you some info. on this wonderful plany which I have seen grown and used to grow myself here in W.P.B. Florida. What you describe should be fine for growing Typhonodorum sucessfully, and you may not have to use such a huge pot, 15 or 20 gal. pots should be just fine! Be careful with your choice of 'soil', as some highly organic mixes quickly rot when put under water, the plant dies, and when the dead plant is removed from the pot, the soild smells like a dead dog!! The late Dr. Monroe birdsey grew his in a pot of mainly coarse sand with some peat moss mixed in, he stood the pots in fish ponds, and the fishes waste fertilized the plants. I believe he aslo used to bury a couple of those solid, hard fertilizer 'balls' about the size of a marshmellow in the soil mix. IF you manage to produce a monster (I`ve seen them to 6', with a 9" dia 'trunk'!!!!) after several years of growth, then you may consider a slightly larger pot! Your idea of starting them indoors in spring is a good one, and protection from cool/cold winds would be a 'must' even in your summer.. The warm water would be great, and a few cool nights would not hurt them in the least if they are in warm water! They will withstand 60 degs F. for a while, but NO cool/cold winds with it! Warm water temps. wibe a big plus! Hope that this helps. Cheers, Julius +More ju-bo@msn.com >I have ordered, and just received, a smattering of past issues of Aroideana. Now I have many questions. I will try to contain myself, and just post a few.... In Vol 10, No 4 (Dec 1987) I found a interesting article by Dorothy Shaw entitled "Germination of T. lindleyanum at Brisbane, Australia". I have a larger pond that I have used to grown Victoria water lilies. It is heated with a gas swimming pool heater, and backed up with an array of solar collectors. While it can get cool here in Portland Oregon (Zone 8 in the Pacific Northwest part of the US), I can grow all of the tropical water lilies that I want with my set up. But I do need to start some plants indoors, then move them to the pond early in the season to produce seed. Might it be possible to start T. lindleyanum indoors, then move it outside in the spring? Any guesses as to the low temperature range for this plant? Do you think it might stay alive if the air temperature dropped into the low 70's F to high 60's F for a few nights in the summer? I use 50 gallon and 200 gallon pots to grow Victorias. Perhaps a 50 gallon pot of soil will do for this plant? At some point I hope to build a greenhouse, but it is looking like it will be 2 years out before I have it glassed in. I had planned on a *small* indoor pond. But after seeing this giant, I am thinking about expanding the greenhouse pond. Advice appreciated jack in Portland Oregon<

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