Date: Thu, 03 Dec 98 14:28 EST From: dave evans <T442119@RUTADMIN.RUTGERS.EDU> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg3825$foo@default> Subject: Re: Re: RE: Fertilize or not to fertilize
Dear Philip,
> Do you feel that your Pings need fertilizer because you're growing them in a
> non-native environment? (You're in New Jersey, right?) I trust your
> judgement,...
Yes, and thank's for the vote of confidence!
> yet as someone else has already pointed out no one fertilizes
> these plants in the wild and they survive there. I'm just trying to
> reconcile those two facts.
Well, you have to keep in mind that in the wild, others plants
are constantly rotting; animals continue to defecate whereever they
please, and so I feel that in these conditions that we don't allow
in our pots do add nutrients and nitrogen back into the soil, giving
all plants a boost compared to those in cultivation. Once the roots
of plants in pots absorb all the nutrient from the soil in their
small containers, the growers are going to have to add some as a
replacement. However, some nutrients are used in such small amounts
that they might not be used up by the time the soil has gone sour and
has to be replaced.
Also, there is no one to trim off the dead leaves of CP's in the
wild. These leaves are filled with insect carasses minus most of
the *disgestable* protein. Of course, as these leaves fall to the
ground around the plants, they will continue to decay releasing
more nutrients which the leaves are unable to absorb, but now the
roots can.
> BTW I like your idea of charring pine needles before adding them to the
> soil. I might try it next time I repot plants.
I was wondering if anyone has noticed whether some types of pine needle
work better than others at keeping this green slime off the soils?
Dave Evans
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