Date: Thu, 13 Feb 1997 18:20:29 -0500 (EST) From: Perry Malouf <pmalouf@access.digex.net> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg593$foo@default> Subject: Re: Neps and sphagnum / repotting
Len Trigg wrote:
> From what I've read, nep roots are very delicate, and fairly small.
Yeah, I'd say that's accurate. VERY accurate, especially when
being specific about the growing portions (root tips).
> When the time comes to repot a nep that's been potted in straight
> sphagnum, how much of the old sphagnum should be removed?
It depends on why you're repotting. If the old media has gone bad,
then you should remove all of it if possible. I had to do this
recently with some small plants. Nepenthes don't like slimy
gook choking the plant crown. I rinsed the root ball, then used
a toothpick to pick away the clinging (and rotting) sphagnum
from the plant crown, progressing downward toward the root tips.
Patience is required for this operation, in order to minimize
root damage. Despite the best precautions, though, some
roots break.
In order to minimize the frequency of this tedious chore,
I now use a much more airy potting mix. It's long fiber
sphagnum with 50% perlite (by volume) mixed in. If the
sphagnum starts to go bad, the perlite is there to keep
things from degenerating into an anaerobic goo.
Also, I tend to let my pots dry out a little between waterings.
This does wonders for the life of the potting mix. By "dry out
a little" I mean: I don't water until the sphagnum at the top
of the pot starts to look a little dry (not bone dry). This works
for pots up to 8". Remember that large pots don't dry out
as quickly, near the roots.
With some luck, I'll be repotting more because the plants are
outgrowing the pots, and less because the potting medium
is going bad :-)
Regards,
Perry Malouf
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Tue Jan 02 2001 - 17:30:59 PST