>From: "Dell Sherk" <dells@voicenet.com> >Reply-To: Pacific Bulb Society <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org> >To: "'Pacific Bulb Society'" <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org> >Subject: RE: [pbs] Hippeastrum Cybister Potting Mix >Date: Sat, 28 May 2005 15:35:13 -0400 > >I have been growing my cybister seedlings very much on the dry side in a >very gritty mix with silty soil. They are dormant for three quarters of the >year, and, after three or more years, are still very small. After this >discussion, I think I will repot them into another sharply draining medium, >keep them active for longer, and feed them more. At present, they grow in a >communal long-tom pot. Did I miss anything? >I am also wondering about growing H. calyptratum, which is said to be >epiphytic like H. cybister isn't, I guess. > >Dell > Hi: Aulicum, calyptratum, Pamianthe and Worsleya are better grown on a mound of porous mix in a big tray. Calytratum IS an epiphytic in the wild and although the atmosphere is humid to allow the roots to survive in the air this also means that they receive an important air circulation around. As for vermiculite it is deceiving: after several waterings the little chunks start crumbling down and turn to an unhealthy dust that retains dangerous amounts of water. Coarse perlite and coarse pumice are a lot better. As for cybister, soils in the wild are alkaline and rich in microelements with little organic matter, typical of a desertic region. If the mix is well drained there is no danger of watering regularly while the plants are active during the warm season. More important is that they are not watered at all while dormant. Regards _________________________________________________________________ Charla con tus amigos en línea mediante MSN Messenger: http://messenger.latam.msn.com/