Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2000 16:03:12 +0100 From: Paul Temple <paultemple@ecologycal.demon.co.uk> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg2840$foo@default> Subject: Re: mexican pings
John
First secret with Pings is to realise that with regard to cultivation
(and propogation too), they are probably best though of as similar to
succulent plants.
With very few exceptions, all mexican pings do best if kept rather dry
in winter. P. gypsicola needs almost no watering unless it looks
stressed. This works if kept cool. Too much heat and it will need a
little water, which will then stress it and induce rotting unless you
extend the day with artificial light. About 12C is a good temperature.
Most of the rest are really good if you wait until the soil is dry
before watering them (from below). Give enough that all the water is
absorbed into the soil within a day, no standing water for more than
that time. At 12C you should then have at least a week before you need
water again, but do so when soil is dry again. In fact, I'd recommend
about 2 weeks between watering as long as plants retain their fresh
green leaf colour.
Buried plants (e.g. P. heterophylla) with no rosette above the surface
can be kept drier, but may have the occassional slight watering to
dampen the soil.
P. acuminata will happily accept being kept wet all year and will flower
if wet. However, I believe it prefers the same rest as the rest.
For all, keep the day length short, no more than 7 hours (i.e. do not
use artificial lights for more than 7 hours and use them only when it is
daytime outside).
If you do all of this, all mature plants should flower next
spring/summer. Lack of flowers is a sure sign of stress during the
previous winter.
If you keep plants wet all winter, you will have to maintain higher
temperatures and increase the light intensity beyond that available from
natural British winter sun. If not, you will stress the plants. Though
by chance they may live, winter stress will often cause fatalities that
can be detected early when the plants change colour. I can't explain
the difference easily. My best attempt is that instead of a strong
healthy green and a nice firm feeing when touched, the leaves begin to
look cooked (difference between fresh and cooked leaf spinach) and are
very soft to the touch. If this happens, you have a problem and need to
change the conditions immediately.
Finally, if anyone worries about dry plants in winter, remenber that
most Pings lose their roots in winter and they just dry up (having
almost no role in water absorption) eventually leaving just wiry
remnants and a relatively loose plant. New fleshy white roots are
produced in Spring (when watering can start), holding the plant to the
soil.
This "occassional water" method is actually best continued all year.
The only difference is that you water more often in the growing season.
Thus, like succulents, Pings seem to enjoy lots of water when growing
but do not do so well if kept wet, as perhaps all books used to
recommend.
Hope this helps. Aask specific questions if more needed.
Regards
Paul
(Now back to look after the other seedling still in hospital, though
still OK, just small!)
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