>To some specifics questions (to David and all other indoor VFT growers)
>
>When you say "dryier" do you mean keeping them just barely moist?
When preparing my plants for winter I chop off the roots and leaves, spray
with Benomyl fungicide and place them in a poly bag which is then placed in
the refridgerator for 4 months. As I have my plants growing on a reverse
schedule, I put them in the fridge at the begining of summer and do not
subject them to shorter photo periods before hand. So far I not experienced
any problems and the bulbs grow and flower after repotting in the fall. I
live in the Arizona desert and in an effort to keep electric bills low we
don't use the A\C during the day and the house warms up while I'm at work.
Hence the reversed growing schedule with dormancy occurring during Summer
when the house is at it's hottest. This is also why I use the fridge to
induce dormancy. I keep the plants in a vegitive state duing the winter
when aquarium temps stay lower (85F-75F).
>What growing media do you use?
I have used pure live sphagnum with good results but I now use a peat/silica
sand mix in a 60/40 ratio. I like this mix better as it drains better.
>What is your humidity like? Many homes are near deserts, %RH wise, during the
>winter.
I adjust the aquarium cover to maintain 50-70% humidity. It tends to
drop during the day as temps rise and goes back up at night when the
lights are off.
>What temperature? Steady or does it drop at night (when lights are off)?
Summer: 100F-85F
Winter: 85F-70F
>What kind of lights do you use? How far from the foliage?
SLS25's. These are florescent lights that are sold as replacements for
incandesant lights. It uses 25 watts and puts out the equivilent of a 100
watt incandesant. I hang six of these over a 10 gallon aquarium so that the
plants are 6"-8" under the bulbs. Plant are receiving 9,000 lumens spread
over the growing area.
>
>How many years have you kept a plant using your techniques?
2 years so far with no problems (except spider mites).
>His last question regarding induction of dormancy, temperature or
>photoperiodically induced is important.
I really don't know. Temperture seems to work for me.
John Walker