Cephalotus rhizome cutting in wood pulp

[mobile]

A number of weeks ago I brought my Cephalotus in from outside, the largest of which had a flower stalk which had finished flowering. Being rather lazy, I decided to just pull the stalk out, rather than cut it, which resulted in me pulling out a length of rhizome, a pitcher and some leaves with it. I didn't really care as to whether the rhizome rooted or not, as it's just a typical, so I decided to try another growing medium experiment. We have a pet hamster and we use a by-product of the paper making industry as a bedding for it, that being a high temperature dried wood pulp. This material is absorbent and fibrous, which sort of reminds me of fibrous peat, so I decided to pot the rhizome in that. Figuring that it would probably offer very little in the way of nutrient or anything else beneficial, I decided to make a 'starter' solution to water it with so mixed some molasses, a vitamin tablet, trichoderma and mycorrhizal powder into deionised water and gave the wood pulp a good watering with it after planting the rhizome. I top water the plant with deionised water most of the time but occasionally add some of the 'starter' solution. Within a week or so of planting new leaves were visible and within the next few weeks more have appears:

As molasses are sugar, there is obviously a risk of unwanted fungal growth, though I'm hoping that the Trichoderma and mycorrhizal keep it at bay. There is also a chance that these they will digest the cellulose in the wood pulp, thus breaking it down. Time will tell, but as it's been growing well for a good number of weeks I decided to share the results.

 

[GrowinOld]

Ah, Nice Mobile!

Another fine example for people here, to realize that the conditions we give our plants are what is most important, and that these fine plants are more adaptive & tolerant of things like "growing media" so long as other environmental conditions are met.

Interesting type of bedding material.... I don't think I have seen anything like it here.
Nice going...
...as always!

 

[mobile]

Interesting type of bedding material.... I don't think I have seen anything like it here.

I think that you might have a similar product there called 'Carefresh Natural Pet Bedding', which is also available in the UK but not what I used. I don't know if the consistency is the same though.

Another fine example for people here, to realize that the conditions we give our plants are what is most important, and that these fine plants are more adaptive & tolerant of things like "growing media" so long as other environmental conditions are met.

I've been growing Cephalotus for years and I have not found a 'best medium'. I've found some that they will grow in and a some they are not so keen on, but all-in-all the growth rate difference between suitable mediums is minimal. I've been down the path of complex mixes, such as 'Charles Brewer's mix', which I'm told is not exactly what he uses nowadays, and many others and to be honest I can't really say I noticed much or any difference to growing in plain peat/perlite. When you think about it, many of the ingredients are inert, so combining them pretty much serves to increase or decrease air and moisture ratios. If you get an 'ideal' air/moisture ratio for 'your conditions' then things such as adding nutrients, be them salts or organics, can then start having an influence.

 

[cpsammich]

You never cease to amaze me

 

[Dexenthes]

For science!

That's awesome.

 

[ellisonk001]

Thanks for sharing your results!!

 

[richjam1986]

I've always wanted to try this type of experiment... What was the molasses for?

 

[mobile]

I've always wanted to try this type of experiment... What was the molasses for?

Blackstrap molasses promote microbial activity and it also contains nutrients that could be beneficial to plants, plus will (I think) help feed the Trichoderma and mycorrhizals.

 

[mobile]

A quick update, as it's pushing out its first pitcher...

 

[GrowinOld]

Nice Looking plant... as always!

Oh yea Mobile, I did want to mention that what you wrote:
"When you think about it, many of the ingredients are inert, so combining them pretty much serves to increase or decrease air and moisture ratios. If you get an 'ideal' air/moisture ratio for 'your conditions' then things such as adding nutrients, be them salts or organics, can then start having an influence."

I have been trying to explain this to people for years, and they still ask the same questions that indicate that they just don't get it!
It seems everyone is looking for the "magical component" that will guarantee success & make their plant grow like crazy!
No one wants to do the work of having to look at & understand their own conditions & learn what influence it has upon their plants!

Nice words of wisdom Mobile!

 

[mobile]

Update:

 

[mass]

Seems to be doing pretty well. Any mold forming in that pulp yet?

 

[mobile]

Seems to be doing pretty well. Any mold forming in that pulp yet?

Sort of tough to tell, as I added trichoderma and mycorrhizal, which can grow and look a little like mold.

 

[jbradt]

Looks great, Mobile! Congrats!

 

[mobile]

Update 19th December 2011:

Approximately the same view taken on 20th November 2011, for comparison:

And a few more pictures taken today:

 

[Whimgrinder]

Mighty fine. You can ship that to me any time you're ready! ;-)

 

[Nep Lover]

looks like you found what it wanted shes a pretty little thing

 

[ErrorEN]

Beautiful Cephalotus! Looks like that's going on my list of wants.

 

[NewspaperFort]

That is amazing! It's exactly questions like these that I had joined this forum in hopes of seeing insight on. Thank you for sharing

Could you tell me the exact (approximate) time span between these two photos?

 

[cpsammich]

Could you tell me the exact (approximate) time span between these two photos?

2 months 20 days