Tillandsia tips getting dry

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NunoCampos
Beiträge: 17
Registriert: Freitag, 16 Januar 2009, 2:41

Tillandsia tips getting dry

Beitrag von NunoCampos »

Dear friends,

I've noticed that some of my Tillandsias, specially T. Schiedeana major and T. Bulbosa, are getting there tips a bit dry and braky. The leaves don't seem very curly but I would assume that they need more water.

As I'm quite new to Tillandsias I will leave you here my water schedule to see if i'm doing any mistakes: once every 2 weeks I deep them in good water for an entire night - 8 hours ( I read this at Tropical Flora (U.S.)) and every 3 days I sprinkle them. Lately my humidity has been under 50% during the day and around 70% at night( I have them in a little covered balcony). I also have a fan blowing during the day each half an hour just to avoid steady air.
My window is southeast oriented and gets sun from 10am until 11.30pm. My Tillandsia are never in contact with direct sun but it is a very bright place.

Any tips would be much appreciated. Thank you very much in advance.

Kind Regards,
Nuno Campos
Ali Baba
Beiträge: 9
Registriert: Freitag, 23 Januar 2009, 19:39

Beitrag von Ali Baba »

Tillandsias are CAM plants, so they open their stomata at night to allow uptake of CO2 at night which helps prevent water loss. If they are damp or wet at night they will not open their stomata and hence wont grow properly. I water or spray mine in the morning so that they have dried out by sunset.
Most of mine are fairly cold hardy types, which seem to survive the entire winter in my greenhouse (kept at 3C) without any extra watering, I guess they are just soaking up the naturally high humidity at that time of year. If you are keeping them warmer you will probably need to water them more often, perhaps once a week.
In the summer I just hang them up outside under a tree and they seem to grow much better (even in our horrible UK climate!), and I seldom have to water them, although if we get a prolonged wet spell I will bring them in so that they can have a proper wet/ dry cycle.
Hope that helps
Ali
NunoCampos
Beiträge: 17
Registriert: Freitag, 16 Januar 2009, 2:41

Beitrag von NunoCampos »

Thanks Ali,

I only do that submerging thing once every 15 days and early in the morning they are out of the water so they can dry properly. I do spray them every 3 days also early in the morning.

Right now I'm spraying them every two days and the fan is not blowing as often. Lets see if it helps...

Once again thanks for your help.

Kind Regards,
Nuno
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gonzer
Beiträge: 118
Registriert: Donnerstag, 4 Mai 2006, 1:26

Beitrag von gonzer »

Nuno,
A complete water immersion for 8-12 hours is not necessary unless your plants have gone for a long period of time without any means of water. Some of the drier loving species such as shiedeana will actually suffer from this practice. When a plant is overly dry (desicated) the leaves will curl inward on themselves and the plant will take on a shrunken look. A regular misting schedule, weather permitting, will ensure your plants overall health without the need for the 8 hour water baths.
NunoCampos
Beiträge: 17
Registriert: Freitag, 16 Januar 2009, 2:41

Beitrag von NunoCampos »

Hi Gonzer,

Sorry for the late reply.

I do agree with you but the place where I keep my plants is always around 40% humidity which is quite low. Right now, when it gets super hot I do spray them every second day and sometimes every day and each 15 days they have a nice bath of around 5-6 hours. With this schedule I've managed to stop the curling and drying tips.

The T. schiedeana was actually the plant that was suffering more. Maybe because it comes from dryer zones that when the sun goes down tend to be very humid, which is not the case at my place.

As this weather is going crazy, last weeks we've had cool weather again so they were sprayed each 3 days and no bath. They seem to be fine.

Thanks for you help.

Kind Regards,
Nuno
mod
Beiträge: 16
Registriert: Montag, 25 August 2008, 20:09

Beitrag von mod »

Ali Baba hat geschrieben: Most of mine are fairly cold hardy types, which seem to survive the entire winter in my greenhouse (kept at 3C)
Ali
Hi Ali ,Which species have you :?: and in your opinion which are the 'hardiest' :?:
Ali Baba
Beiträge: 9
Registriert: Freitag, 23 Januar 2009, 19:39

Beitrag von Ali Baba »

Hi Mod
I am currently growing aeranthos, a couple of forms of bergeri, latifolia, crocata, usneoides, tectorum, diaguitensis and ionantha. All of the first 5 have grown happily for a few years in a greenhouse kept at 3-4 C minimum in the winter. I know growers who keep the first 2 outdoors in the UK all year round. They need shelter from winter rain to do well though I think (dont quote me though I havent tried it! :D ). Bergeri I think is the most tolerant of frost from what I have read, others with more experience can no doubt advise you.
Ionantha seems less tolerant of cold, certainly mine is definitely not as happy as it was on a sunny window sill, and I nearly lost it last winter, but it is perking up now and hopefully will do better higher up in the greenhouse where it gets a bit of extra warmth, diaguitensis I have only had for a few months, time will tell!
Cheers
Ali
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