Emerse Echinodorus on balkony?!?

[Phil_1983]

Hi everyone,

I’m planning to get a few Echinodorus plants this summer and try growing them on my balcony—emerse, of course.

Since my balcony faces south and can get quite windy at times, I was thinking of Argentinensis or Palifolius.

Does anyone have experience with growing Echinodorus emersed and have a few tips for getting started?

My plan is to use aquarium substrate as a base, then add coarse sand—about 1 to 2 mm in grain size—and place a few larger pebbles on top to prevent the wind from blowing the sand away. The whole setup will then be submerged so that the roots remain constantly wet.

 

[anewbie]

Hi everyone,

I’m planning to get a few Echinodorus plants this summer and try growing them on my balcony—emerse, of course.

Since my balcony faces south and can get quite windy at times, I was thinking of Argentinensis or Palifolius.

Does anyone have experience with growing Echinodorus emersed and have a few tips for getting started?

My plan is to use aquarium substrate as a base, then add coarse sand—about 1 to 2 mm in grain size—and place a few larger pebbles on top to prevent the wind from blowing the sand away. The whole setup will then be submerged so that the roots remain constantly wet.

The leaves need to stay moist at least the ones i tried - i used a mister but in theory if you have 90% humidity or even 80% then they might be fine. If they completely dry out they will die i believe. I was one tiny purple aflame but mostly i have crypts and a few buces in my emersed setup right now.

 

[Phil_1983]

The leaves need to stay moist at least the ones i tried - i used a mister but in theory if you have 90% humidity or even 80% then they might be fine. If they completely dry out they will die i believe. I was one tiny purple aflame but mostly i have crypts and a few buces in my emersed setup right now.

Hmm, okay. Thanks. This is a deal breaker, since I do not live in an area with particularly high humidity. Too bad.

 

[anewbie]

Hmm, okay. Thanks. This is a deal breaker, since I do not live in an area with particularly high humidity. Too bad.

Some people have success using a glass jar over the plant - i have not tried myself.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Some people have success using a glass jar over the plant - i have not tried myself.

It won't work on a sunny balcony, but that would be a good suggestion for a shadier spot, or if @Phil_1983 could place it out of direct sunlight?

Cheers Darrel

 

[anewbie]

If you grow them inside buces work really well:

 

[Phil_1983]

If you grow them inside buces work really well

How do you grow them? Like bromeliads? As epiphytes?

 

[anewbie]

I have a sand soil mix and i just set them on top - or a few roots gently pushed in to keep them stable - then i use a mister but one could put a jar over them and set them inside in an area with a little but not too much sun. the key thing is to keep them moist.

 

[Phil_1983]

Okay, sound good. I guess I will give it a try Thanks.