Although I've always loved Bromeliads I've never attempted to grow them. I guess they seemed too "exotic" and I was always a bit fearful of my ability to keep them alive. Lo and behold my chance is here as I was just given one in a trade. Help! Now what do I do? How do I root it? Since it's scabbed over I'm guessing it goes directly into the soil (what kind of soil do I want to use?) but I really am clueless. Any help at all would be GREATLY appreciated.
Thanks,
La
Basic Newbie Question
Aww geeze you guys, help a girl out wont ya? :-P
la, i;m new at it too, but i believe you put it in dry soil, and just water in the cups for a few days. am i right anyone?
LOL Kathy thanks!
Do you know what kind it is or can you post a picture. Most bromeliads don't really need soil; they'll attach themselves to rocks and branches and things. I plant most of mine in the backyard which is good old Florida sand. If I pot them, I tend to use orchid mix. Just make sure whatever you pot it in drains well and don't plant it too deep! Bromeliads will rot if you plant them too deep. Basically, just make sure it's in there enough so that it will sit up straight, but don't put any of the leaves under the dirt. Most bromeliads don't really get their nutrition from roots. The roots are pretty much there for stability and to attach themselves to stuff. They get their nutrition from whatever falls in their cup.
Don't worry - bromeliads are really tough plants, and lots of them will grow well indoors (I'm assuming in your zone it will be inside most of the year). Try to use rain water or bottled water as the minerals in tap water will build up in the middle of the plant and make little spots on the leaves. Just make sure there's always a little water in the cup, and try to give it a decent amount of sun (this does depend on what kind you have, though). I don't ever fertilize mine, but if yours is going to live inside, you might want to feed it a really weak solution every now and then. Hopefully, some other members can help out with that one.
Here's a pic of one of my favorites - Neoregelia "Pemiento". I took this picture at Michael's Bromeliads in Venice, FL when I visited a few months ago. I was in bromeliad heaven!
Melanie
Why thank you very, very much Melanie! I did try doing a bit of web research before posting my question, but you have given me more information in 2 paragraphs than I was able to find in an hour of surfing. Hopefully I will be back at a later date to show you how my new baby is thriving
Thanks again,
La