Lace plant dormancy
 

Hi gang,

Hey what's the best/recommended way to get a lace plant through it's
dormancy period. Can I just leave it in the tank, and let it resprout
or does it have to come out and get stuck in the fridge. It's been
dormant for awhile but it's still nice and firm, the last time I gave
it a squeeze.
TIA for any and all tips

Joe

Joseph Ferenchik Chicago Area wrote in message . ..
Hi gang,

Hey what's the best/recommended way to get a lace plant through it's
dormancy period. Can I just leave it in the tank, and let it resprout
or does it have to come out and get stuck in the fridge. It's been
dormant for awhile but it's still nice and firm, the last time I gave
it a squeeze.
TIA for any and all tips

Joe

If you keep the water cooler(say 20C or less) there is no dormant
period and use less light(eg 2w/gal of normal FL's).
Otherwise they are fairly under demanding plants.

Regards,
Tom Barr

"Joseph Ferenchik" Chicago Area wrote in message
...

Hi gang,

Hey what's the best/recommended way to get a lace plant through it's
dormancy period. Can I just leave it in the tank, and let it resprout
or does it have to come out and get stuck in the fridge. It's been
dormant for awhile but it's still nice and firm, the last time I gave
it a squeeze.
TIA for any and all tips

I've read recommendations of leaving the plant in a tank at 18-20 C
for two months. Alternatively, remove the bulb, sit it in a bit of medium
gravel in a bowl, and keep it in a dark and cool (18-20 C) place for
two months, keeping the gravel moist the entire time.

Cheers,

Michi.

Thanks for the replies folks, but I guess I should have been more
descriptive. It's already entered a dormancy period, and has been
there for a couple of months. My tanks temp is between 72-80F or
22-26C. It's at the higher end in the summer (northern hemisphere)and
at the 72F-22C end in the winter. The only heat in the summer is from
mother nature (ambient temp of the house), and the compact lights
generating all of the heat. This tank is not exposed to any direct
sunlight whatsoever. Keeping it cooler in the summer would require a
chilling unit, but it's in a tropical tank with fish requiring
tropical temps. Upon examination the bulb is still firm to the touch
and appears to be fine except dormant. Will this come out of dormancy
naturally or does it need a cooling off period. The only place I can
put it is in the fridge, and that runs about 45-50F or 7-10C. I don't
have anyway to get it in the 18-20C recommended range. The light
output is slightly less than 1.5wpg with a pair of 55w 6700k cf's over
a 75g/241 ltr tank timered at 12/7. Is this just a case of the plant
trying to get used in the wrong application? I.E. too warm of an
environment? and if it is, is there one of the lace plants that is
more forgiving of warmer waters? Mine's an ap. madagascariensis. When
in leaf this thing obviously garners the most comments due to it's
leaf structure.
TIA again for any direction I need to take.

Joe



On 6 Oct 2004 13:05:00 -0700,
) wrote:

Joseph Ferenchik Chicago Area wrote in message . ..
Hi gang,

Hey what's the best/recommended way to get a lace plant through it's
dormancy period. Can I just leave it in the tank, and let it resprout
or does it have to come out and get stuck in the fridge. It's been
dormant for awhile but it's still nice and firm, the last time I gave
it a squeeze.
TIA for any and all tips

Joe

If you keep the water cooler(say 20C or less) there is no dormant
period and use less light(eg 2w/gal of normal FL's).
Otherwise they are fairly under demanding plants.

Regards,
Tom Barr