Re: Top-heavy Jade plant

Susan Setzler wrote: 
It isn't only that the pot falls over, the plant can fall over pulling
the small root ball out of the soil.

susan
This perhaps actually a natural problem as quite a few plants in the wild do seem to mange with astonishingly small root systems. Proteas are apparently a prime example of this, but I can see it applying equally to those succulents which occupy a similar eco niche. Let me explain..

It seems it may be an adaptation to growing in rocky ground where the plant may be more or less confined to quite a small soil pocket. What these wild plants seem to do is to try and get at least the odd root firmly into a crevice or under a heavy stone, which serves to anchor them quite securely. I know I have often seen it recommended for outside growing that one finish off the planting for such subjects by putting some heavy stones over the root area so they can get the support they need. For Proteas is specially important in the windy sites where many of them prefer to grow naturally. I had one ( a King Protea, P.cynaroides) which I grew on a high stony bank which faced straight into the prevailing (very strong) wind. When it was planted I put three very large stones over its root area. Though it eventually became a very large bush and suffered a few major storms it survived for over 40 years (some sort of record I believe) before simply dying of old age. At one time half the bush actually shattered above ground level and fell away, but there was never the slightest sign of the roots being disturbed and it eventually grew back as big as before.

Though not really germaine to this discussion people may be interested to know that this bush was probably so hale and hearty because it lived it all its life on the most spartan of diets. I never fed it at all beyond a little compost at planting, and only under the most severe of drought conditions did it ever receive even a drink of water, but it grew enormous, always looked healthy until its last year and flowered with the utmost profusion, producing up to fifty huge blooms each season. Proteas seem happiest and longest lived when growing on the "smell of an oily rag".

I am not sure if this idea of using stones for support could be modified in some way for plants growing in pots. Perhaps your ingenuity will suggest a way.

Moira

--
Tony & Moira Ryan,
Wainuiomata, North Island, NZ.     Pictures of our garden at:-
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/cherie1/Garden/TonyandMoira/index.htm
NEW PICTURES ADDED 4/Feb/2004

Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index