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Old 20-07-2003, 03:52 PM
Wendy
 
Posts: n/a
Default Honey / Sugar fertilizer

Xref: kermit rec.gardens.orchids:47403

Your post is very interesting Alan & to Peter, didn't see your post again?
Alan, you mention the moss growing with plants.
My mentor grows all his Paphs & Phrags with moss growing on the top of the
mix. (they bloom!)
I tried this & my moss just turns an orangy brown, any ideas?
Thanks,
Cheers Wendy
"TQPL" wrote in message
...
Hi Peter,

Since you have been doing the experiments I reckon
_you_ have the one up on most people.
It is a subject I have a keen interest in too.

A number of years ago the RHS Orchid Review
published an article about South American studies
where it was found that epiphytic orchids are
constantly drenched with a dilute solution of
simple sugars from the leachate of other plants
especially the mosses, liverworts, and ferns
growing on the trees. The levels of sugars and
nutrients was considered significant as a
nutritional souce. It seems everytime there is a
rain shower these simple sugars are released
during the natural breakdown of cell wall and
decay of plants, they flow down the tree trunks
feeding the orchids with sugars. I can imagine
some bromeliads might be significant in South
America as the sugary flowers decay and go into
solution.

It is also well known that often protocorms are to
be found growing in this moss forest. Here they
have a ready sugar supply.

Interstingly it is mainly simple sugars such as
fructose.

Some people believe it might be a reason for the
jungle vigor of collected plants ..namely their
sugar diet amoung other factors.

I used to work with an orchid grower John Banks of
Zygopetalum John Banks fame who grew orchid
commercially all his life. He and a number of our
customers believe that a bit of moss or liverwort
did no harm and may indeed have been beneficial on
the top of the pot. Could this be a sugar source
or realease mechanism for other growth regulators?
I have observed how well sometimes pots of
rockwool grown orchids grow with a colony of moss
on the top...maybe similar mechanisms are at play?

My interest was trying to identify possible growth
regulators or dormancy breakers of seed naturally
found in the moss substrate colonised by
germinating seed, however the route to moss
leachate research in the field dried up when I
last tried a few years back.

Keep up the good work
Best regards
Alan L Winthrop.

www.tissuequickplantlabs.com




"Boystrup Pb, ann,..."
wrote in message
e...
Hi, here a newbie speaking
I don't agree with the rest of you. Peter