Quote:
Originally Posted by Jake
You can repot the plant in spring using a loam based compost or decent
houseplant compost, not just any old multi-purpose! (Is that official
enough?).
Thinking about Vicky's plant, the compost needs to be kept moist at
all times though over watering is just as bad, especially in winter
when you should water sparingly. The leaves should be misted regularly
throughout the year. During the summer it should be kept semi-shaded
but needs bright light through the winter.
I had one but it went brown and died - that's how I learned about its
need for a humid atmosphere. I was told the best way to grow one was
in a pot standing on a pebble tray that is kept filled with water (the
pot containing the plant is held above the water by the pebbles).
|
that's very interesting. My experience is as follows:
general purpose good quality peat-free compost is fine, and they're not fussy about whether or when they're repotted.
They can tolerate very low light levels.
Keeping moist is not vital. If they really want water (or, rather, they wanted watering a few days ago) they'll tell you by letting all their leaves go limp so that they look like a dead octopus. They tolerate normal central heated dryness levels, but you need to dust the leaves every now and then.
They're very susceptible to snail attack, so it's not a good idea to stand them outside in the summer.
One thing they shouldn't do is die back completely. There should always be green leaves!
__________________
getstats - A society in which our lives and choices are enriched by an understanding of statistics. Go to
www.getstats.org.uk for more information