Re: Tannins

From: Miguel de Salas (mm_de@postoffice.utas.edu.au)
Date: Tue Nov 28 2000 - 15:30:55 PST


Date: Wed, 29 Nov 2000 10:30:55 +1100
From: Miguel de Salas <mm_de@postoffice.utas.edu.au>
To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com
Message-Id: <aabcdefg3426$foo@default>
Subject: Re: Tannins

At 02:34 PM 28-11-2000 -0800, you wrote:
>
> As far as I can tell this is a so called 'urban legend'. Yes, you are
>right about these being the plants which tend to loose their intense
>coloration in cultivation, but I don't think it is due to just a lack of
>tannins in the soil. I think these plants need a long time to become
>established. Or more specifically the soil has to be of the correct mixture
>and the plants then need time to be established in it. I have often seen
>spectacular CP's growing in soil that appears to have a lot of clay in it.
>However, in cultivation I have be unable to find a similar soil that works.
> Some people have reported that "peat tea" does help the color and vigor
>of their plants, but I wonder if they tried doing the same pot flushing with
>water that didn't have the extra tannins as a comparison. I suspect that
>their plants would have also responded well to this--mine do. In culture,
>most people water via flooded trays and the pots take in water from their
>bottoms. In the wild, most CP's grow in conditions more similar to
>hydroponic systems that the flooded tray method.

You don't need to make peat tea. The main source of tannins in a bog is the
peat, and it will also leach them in pots or mini bogs. Any plants grown in
a peat based mix will have access to ample tannins.

Miguel de Salas
mailto:mm_de@postoffice.utas.edu.au

 School of Plant Science,
 University of Tasmania,
 GPO Box 252-55, Hobart,
 Tasmania, Australia, 7001.



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