RE: [Aroid-l] warm pots/water for aquatic aroids

**&* B* <j*@msn.com>**

From : 	John Banta <bantaalva@earthlink.net>

Reply-To : 	Discussion of aroids <aroid-l@gizmoworks.com>
Sent : 	Tuesday, February 13, 2007 3:19 AM
To : 	aroid-l@gizmoworks.com
Subject : 	[Aroid-l] warm pots for aquatic aroids

Dear JB,

Thanks for this information, it surely will be of help to some aquatic plant

growers, though a five gallon pot might be a tad large for most plants

needing the warmth.

I`m not certain if Enid has written a short article up on what I am about to

describe, either for Aroideana or the IAS Newsletter, but if not she should

(hint hint, Enid!).

My friends Enid and Sam, of Natural Selection Exotics

www.NSExotics.com<

have developed what I consider the most simple and yet effective method to

keep her potted aquatics not only growing during our cold/cool season, but

also flowering reproducing freely!

Her system consists of a large, square plastic 'concrete mixing trough',

abour 4' X 4', or maybe it was 5 'X 5' by 12" deep (any other suitably sized

container would do). These are available at any large hardware store. To

this she adds an underwater aquarium water heater, and one of those small

underwater devices that pumps/circulates water in many marine fish tanks you

see at a fish store. She puts water in the container so that it stands

about 4"-5" deep, sets the larger 3gal. and 1 gal. potted plants in it

(Urospatha and Cyrtosperma sps, etc.), the smaller 4" and 6" pots are put on

a suitable base (a brick, etc.), to bring them to the correct height, and

then she plugs in the two devices, aiming the flow of now suitably warmed

water across the heater and around the pots in the container! When I saw

her set-up, it was COLD outside, but the water was WARM, and ALL her

aquatics were in fantastic condition, HEALTHY roots had grown out the

drain-holes of the pots and into the surrounding water, blooms and

developing seed-heads everywhere! The warm water rising also seemd to keep

the leaves looking great, and since the container was in a greenhouse, there

was no wind to affect them.

Well done, Enid!

Good Growing to all,

Julius

For those of us who attempt to grow some of the aquatic aroids which are

generally very cold sensitive there is some interesting news. There is a

heated pot called "Thermoplanter" now available. It's a 5 gallon pot that

has an electrical heater in the bottom. It is made specifically for use

immersed in water. Made for waterlilies actually. For details check the

web, www.thermoplanter.<<

_

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