Re: Re: Killing Platycerium an Essay

Aloha - I have never posted...but have to tell you all that I have become
totally paranoid about my Platyceriums due to the latest chats.  Mine are
mounted on large trees, in the shade and have been growing happily these
past  8 months...sending out new shields, new fronds new whatevers while
enjoying the 160" of rain per year.  When it doesn't rain I squirt them
with a spray of water from the hose.  From time to time I throw banana
peels behind their shields and they grow and grow and grow. 

It rains all over them often...nearly every night.

They are still alive and thriving.

What am I doing wrong?

Cheers, Carol - just a fern-fan and budding fern-addict.

>From: "philip crabb" >Reply-To: ferns@hort.net >To: ferns@hort.net
>Subject: [ferns] Re: Killing Platycerium an Essay >Date: Sun, 25 Aug
2002 22:53:21 -0500 > >Hi Fern-netters, > >My experience is quite the
opposite. I am not an expert, but I, >too, have the friends, who shall
remain nameless, who are. I've >never lost a Platycerium to rot, but only
to my greed at trying to >harvest a pup when it was too small; and I once
let a P. andinum get >too dry and lost it. I have 250 plants and I
submerge them until >they're soaked every week. > >It's not, in my
experience, how wet a staghorn gets, or what parts >get wet, it's how
fast it dries out. My plants dry in 3 to 4 days. >Knowing your plant,
your moss, the thickness of moss pad, the >tightness of your mount, your
environment, and your drying time is >critical. > >I've worked to develop
the environment that supports this growing >style, and my results are
very satisfying. I grow only 12 of the >species (so far), and many
cultivars, and none of the plants is so >huge that I cannot do the
soaking. But the day is coming soon, so >arrangements will be made. We've
got livestock tanks, and block and >tackle, so I don't anticipate a
problem. The great cost is in time, >in my case time spent quite
enjoyably, as a hobby should be. > >The hazard of this method, as has
been pointed out, is the >possibility of passing pests and diseases from
plant to plant. > >I fully recognize that this method will not work in
many, and >possibly most, growing situations. > >Happy growing, Philip
Crabb > > > >
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