Date: Thu, 14 Aug 1997 10:58:02 -0700 From: Wim Leys <wim.leys@lin.vlaanderen.be> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg3106$foo@default> Subject: RE: Dormancy in the dark? Clay pots?
> > Also, I noticed in a book that I was reading that
> > clay pots for CPs were a bad idea since they tend to
> > accumulate minerals through evaporation.
> > Does anyone have an opinion regarding this?
>
> I can't answer your question about mineral buildup because don't use
> claty pots. I prefer black plastic pots for four reasons --
>
> 1) My CPs sit in at least an inch of water. If I used clay pots I think
> the portion that is constantly submerged would rapidly disintergrate.
> This is just speculation on my part.
Clay pots desintegrate the most rapid during frosty periods, the
expansion of the ice breaks the clay. Good quality pots will last many
years in frost free places.
> 2) Black plastic heats up in the sun which keeps my plants' soil warmer,
> esp. during winter. May not be a good idea if you're growing
> Darlingtonia or you live in a climate that's already very hot.
Be carefull with this heating up the plant's soil, after some point the
plants just tolerate it, a few degrees higher is harmfull.
I grow Darlingtonia's in black plastic pots, next to Sarracenia's, for 7
years. The last weeks, the weather in Belgium has become very warm (30 C
(86 F) and more). The max. temperature in my greenhouse (yesterday) was
49 C (120 F) but it has been 47 C (117 F) for about two weeks. These
kind of temeratures my plants experince each year for a while. They
tolerate it. The pitchers age more rapidly during such extremely hot
periods. The tables in which the plants stand allways contain a few cm
of water.
> 3) Black plastic holds water better. Water will evaporate through clay
> pots (as you mentioned). This would seem counterproductive for CPs that
> you're trying to keep wet.
Clay pots have a porous structure. The clay will evaporate water,
keeping the soil cooler (good) and increases the humidity (good). It
also allows the exchange of gasses (oxigen in, carbon dioxide out) from
and to the soil (good). The importance of allowing oxigen to reach the
roots of CP's has been discoussed some time ago on this list.
> pots (as you mentioned). This would seem counterproductive for CPs that
> you're trying to keep wet.
If the pots stand in a few cm of water or are watered a few times per
day, this should be no problem
> 4) Black plastic looks so attractive! :)
That is the sole and only reason why I too prefer plastic pots :) ,
apart from beeing cheeper, easier to clean, lighter and flexible. If I
would transplant my plants in clay pots, I would need between 1.5 and 2
times the space they occupy now. The tables on witch they stand would
not have to befortified as fewer pots could be placed per table. The
fact that plastic pots can be bend, allows me to cheat a bit. That way I
can stote about 100 plants more.
The most beautifull CP collections I have seen to day, allways had their
plants growing in big clay pots. All my plants grow in plastic pots
:(
The buildup of salts only becomes a problem when water is constantly
added to plants in a closed tray system. The water evaporates and a low
amount of salts stays behind. After some months the salt buildup will be
visible. Even though all my plants do grow in plastic pots, I now have a
salt buildup "problem" (I saw the first gigns of it 3 weeks ago : a
little white crust on the soil of VFT's). So this weekend I will pour
enough water in the tables for the pots to become submerged. I'll wait
half a day for the salts to dissolve, and than throw away the water
using a water hose. This will be repeated 2 to 3 times.
(Sorry Phil for this reply, apart from the fact that I mostly use
plastic pots, I do think clay pots are better (but more expensive,
heavier, need more space, break easier, ...))
Drosphylum lusitanicum has grown for one year in plastic pots. They all
died during their first winter, while the plants that grew in clay pots
survived. Next spring I will sow it again (thanks laurent for the seeds
!), ... in clay pots.
Hope this helps
Kind regards
Wim
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