Some in-situ photos

[Stone]

These pics are great! Especially the first one of the second pot. ( thanks eggshells) As Oz mentioned, bare roots over bare rock. This can only occure if when the roots are growing, the surface of the rock would have to be constantly wet. Otherwise it could never happen. A big clue for the culture of these rock growers.

I think it is one of the reasons some of us are seeing improved performance when we sit the pot in a tray of water and keep things very wet right through the summer. I have put all (well most) of my brachypetalums and some others in rock and water trays and I have noticed some of them which have been stagnant for months wake up and start moving.

I made the mistake of listening to all the conventional wisdom of the old books " use an open mix and let them dry before watering'' One of my books says ''Paphs have lazy roots and you should not water them until absolutely necessary'' ''Whatever you do don't sit them in water!!''

Look at espice's bellatulum again. Have a look at the rockwool guy on Tanaka's site. These things need to be wet!

All you need is a couple of mm of water under the pot.
Thoughts?

 

[cnycharles]

I think if they have the right temperature (warmer likely than most of us give), adequate air movement and good humidity and never burn the roots they can take up the water. If it's too cool or not enough air you get rots and if you burn roots once they rot. If you don't check the plant or roots, they may just keep growing and taking up water. Keeping solid air moving that is warm moves water through the plant


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[Ozpaph]

Mike, Im doing exactly the same thing.
Im also trying Ryans method of potting a few in clay balls with sphagnum topping; in cut off plastic 'drink' bottles with holes 2cm up from the bottom. His plants have great roots which may be submerged for a day or so at a time.

As an anecdote, over winter, I had a sanderianum and stonei growing in a mini 'hothouse' over warm water with near 100% humidity (water dripping off the bottom of the pots). To my surprise roots were growing out of the bottom of the pots come spring!

 

[NYEric]

these do not do well sitting in very wet media!

 

[gonewild]

As Oz mentioned, bare roots over bare rock. This can only occure if when the roots are growing, the surface of the rock would have to be constantly wet. Otherwise it could never happen. A big clue for the culture of these rock growers.

The rock surface looks pretty dry to me. And there appear to be roots growing in air. So perhaps rather than wet rocks the environment is very humid, especially at night.

 

[Stone]

The rock surface looks pretty dry to me

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Its the dry season and the roots would be dormant but yes I'm sure humidity would still be good

 

[Stone]

Mike, Im doing exactly the same thing.
Im also trying Ryans method of potting a few in clay balls with sphagnum topping; in cut off plastic 'drink' bottles with holes 2cm up from the bottom. His plants have great roots which may be submerged for a day or so at a time.

My seedling brachys are all in one large tray. I drilled a few small holes about 2mm from the bottom and every 3 days or so I flood the whole with rain water. The bottom of the pots do not dry at all and top watering is not needed. (except to feed now and then) so far so good........

As an anecdote, over winter, I had a sanderianum and stonei growing in a mini 'hothouse' over warm water with near 100% humidity (water dripping off the bottom of the pots). To my surprise roots were growing out of the bottom of the pots come spring!

That's a good result!

 

[Stone]

these do not do well sitting in very wet media!

Don't tell me you killed one of these gems?????
When you say very wet media, do you mean bark? Coz I think wet stones are quite different. I never have much luck with keeping bark very wet.

 

[gonewild]

My seedling brachys are all in one large tray. I drilled a few small holes about 2mm from the bottom and every 3 days or so I flood the whole with rain water. The bottom of the pots do not dry at all and top watering is not needed. (except to feed now and then) so far so good........

How is this different from Simi Hydro culture?

 

[gonewild]

Its the dry season and the roots would be dormant but yes I'm sure humidity would still be good

I don't think the roots go dormant. The plants continue to grow during the dry season but maybe at a slower rate. The point is that the rock face and roots don't have to be constantly wet.

 

[Ozpaph]

Maybe the person whoo took the photos could tell us how wet/damp/dry the rock and roots were?

 

[eggshells]

The rain has stopped now but the plants still get water through condensation at night. The moisture in the air is still high so it condense on the rocks at night because the rocks absorbs some heat during the day. Then it drys again in the noon - late afternoon then cycle starts again.

 

[NYEric]

When you say very wet media, do you mean bark? Coz I think wet stones are quite different. I never have much luck with keeping bark very wet.

Mixed media, bark, tree fern fiber, sphagnum, aliflor, ...We can keep any media wet, unfortunately.

 

[Stone]

How is this different from Simi Hydro culture?

It's not really. I just let the water evaporate away before topping up.

 

[Stone]

I don't think the roots go dormant. The plants continue to grow during the dry season but maybe at a slower rate. The point is that the rock face and roots don't have to be constantly wet.

Here I must disagree. The white growing root tips of these temperate species seal off during the cold season and the plant goes into a fairly hard dormancy. They would survive on daily fog and the odd shower. Even in the niveum habitat which is tropical but very sesonal, Fowlie described the roots as being ''dust dry'' during the dry season.
No doubt this does not happen in Indonesia, NG etc.

 

[gonewild]

Here I must disagree. The white growing root tips of these temperate species seal off during the cold season and the plant goes into a fairly hard dormancy. They would survive on daily fog and the odd shower. Even in the niveum habitat which is tropical but very sesonal, Fowlie described the roots as being ''dust dry'' during the dry season.
No doubt this does not happen in Indonesia, NG etc.

I was thinking about the species in the thread which I understand comes from Laos. I don't think Laos has a cold season that would cause dormancy.

 

[Leo_5313]

Thanks for sharing the pics!