Re: Weeds.

John Taylor (rphjt@minyos.xx.rmit.EDU.AU)
Sat, 14 Jan 1995 21:48:20 +1100

>> Next time sterilize the media beforehand
>
>Once I tried sterilizing peat before sowing CP-seeds on it hoping to have
>less problems with algae or mold. The opposite was true! Never before have
>I observed such a quick growth of these. I suppose that boiling breaks
>down the peat, probably by opening still closed cells within the remainder
>of Sphagnum. Keeping this substrate under non sterile conditions after
>boiling as e.g. your propagating case makes it a good medium for these.
>Have other people observed similar things?

I have tried boiling water to prevent algae growth in both pots and once for
aquatic Utrics - didn't work either! I've had some serious outbreaks on algae
on sphagnum too. Often the best way is to put up with moss smothering the
plants as this seems to keep the algae at bay... The only time I had bad
mould growth (in the peat) was after boiling water sterilization for Nepenthes
seed germination - this particular tray was kept indoors under "Gladwrap" with
bottom heat, so it was ideal conditions for it (but not the Nepenthes...)

I've also had quite a few ferns (at least a couple of types) and a
mystery plant which resembles heath is currently growing in one of the
Sarracenia pots. I consider these bonuses - but they only seem to
thrive when they share my CP pots :-(

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| John Taylor [Catweasel] | Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology |
| rphjt@minyos.xx.rmit.oz.au | Department of Applied Physics |
| | Melbourne, Victoria, AUSTRALIA |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+