[sfcallen]

What are some things I need to know about growing HC emersed? Here is my plan. I have a couple of nursery trays with humidity domes. I plan to use the small nursery pack pots. I think I will try several different substrates to see what I can use to get the best growth. I plan to use soilmaster, some "Q pellets", SMS mixed with peat, and some potting soil in different cups. I am going to start with the tray flooded and just the leaves barely emerged and let them harden off. Right now I have a small patch of HC growing at the surface of a tank that is starting to go emerged. This is going to be my starter patch. I am going to use tank water and maybe a little miracle grow misted on the plants. The tray will be in an east-facing window and I am going to use a 55 watt pc 9325k bulb over it. Any suggestion or problems with the setup I am thinking of using?

 

[Mr.ThomasWalls]

I think it will work fine,but I worry about the misting miricale grow. Might burn leaves. Plant the plugs in 1/8th inch divits that have a little water in them. Then use the soil as the water line. Works for me when I grow H.C.
Also you can just lay them on top of potting soil that is water logged spray them in and let it grow. Expect about 4 weeks before the massive growth explosion for emersion trasition

 

[fredyk]

Here's another thought. I find it grows pretty easy in a HOB filter, with enought light, of course. this is a 2.5 gal with HOB filter
http://www.gwapa.org/forum/uploads/pict0315_large_web_view_303.jpg

 

[bharada]

I have my emersed cultures planted in ADA AquaSoil, but only because I had some handy. Otherwise I would have planted it in regular potting soil. You want to keep the soil/substrate moist, but not too wet. Standing water above the substrate will cause mold and algae to grow.

I have two cultures going. One is in a 5.5g aquarium set in a shaded, south-facing window. It gets a few hours of late afternoon direct sunlight. It has a glass cover over it, but the cover is kept opened to keep the tank from cooking. I mist it several times a day.

The second culture is in a covered, 72-plug seedling tray I picked up at Wal-Mart. It too is filled with AquaSoil and misted several times a day to keep everything damp. But it's in a north-facing window so isn't growing as fast as the other.

The water I mist the plants with has liquid Miracle Grow mixed in at the daily-watering dosage.

I didn't do any transitional phase, just planted the stems straight out of the aquarium. But I misted the leaves heavily in the beginning.

 

[sfcallen]

Sounds like I may not need to use the PC lighting above it. The window I plan to put it in front receives some really good light for about 8 hours a day. Thanks for good advice all. I should get it setup next week. I will post some pictures of the setup when I get it done.

 

[mrbelvedere]

But why not use the extra light? It will certainly help. I'd keep the water line slightly below the soil surface.

 

[bharada]

But why not use the extra light? It will certainly help.

For me the answer is my $320/mo PG&E bill. I don't need any more lights on. :icon_lol:

 

[sfcallen]

I have two flats. So I think I will try one lighted and the other with just the sunlight. I guess that heat may be an issue.

 

[ianiwane]

If it is placed in direct sunlight, you need to keep the dome off the tray. It will heat up too much and kill your HC.

 

[mrbelvedere]

For me the answer is my $320/mo PG&E bill. I don't need any more lights on. :icon_lol:

That's a good reason. Is your state affected by the 40% energy cost hike?

 

[bharada]

That's a good reason. Is your state affected by the 40% energy cost hike?

California is affected by every cost hike known to man. I knew we were totally screwed up here when our gasoline prices got to be higher than what my dad was paying in Hawaii.

 

[guitardude9187]

fred, quick question what did the HC attached to on the HOB

 

[sfcallen]

Starting off with only one 9 pot container, the flat will hold 4 of them. This one has Q-pellets for substrate. A little bit of HC and a Crypt for starters. Going to see how this tray does, then try a tray with SMS and peat.

 

[ragn4rok]

It doesn't need for you to keep the humidity high when you try to emersed HC. Just don't grow them in direct sunlight and they'll do fine. The planting media that I used is normal garden soil or paddies soil media (Indonesian: "Lumpur sawah"). If you use the garden soil, keep it wet until become muddy, and just plant the HC. :smile:

200x40(cm) emersed HC setup

8 (20 x 30 (cm)) emersed HC trays

Their inflorescences

 

[sfcallen]

Very nice! In the top picture are they floating on the water surface or is there soil in there?

 

[mr.sandman]

:icon_eek: :bounce:
That's a lot of HC!!!!
How much HC did you start of with in the beginning?

 

[ragn4rok]

I have written my own HC culture journal on My HC culture journal

 

[sfcallen]

Right now it is too cold at night for an outdoor culture.

 

[bharada]

Here's the 5.5g tank sitting in my home office window. At the bottom of the pic you can see the glass cover I keep over the tank, but pushed over so that there's a 2" opening. For the most part the daytime temps here have been in the mid 70°s. I mist it with a diluted Miracle Gro solution 3-4x a day.

Top view of the growth after nearly a month...

My other culture, which doesn't get any direct sun (north facing window), is still alive, but growing much slower. And the new growth is not as brightly colored.

 

[sfcallen]

I have been misting mine pretty often with the diluted miracle grow also. I have the cover on it also but, with a gap for air circulation. Yours looks to be growing pretty good.