Experimental growing Cephalotus in beach dune sand

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Wow very impressing, I never expected such a wicking effect with pure sand. Seems like there's even enough moisture to sustain algae on the surface! When it's all said and done I'd love to see the root structure

It's not pure sand...

The pot is filled with a 50/50 mix of peat and dune sand, with a top 1cm layer of just dune sand. The seedling was taken from its existing pot with a plug of moss peat and planted into the sand, with the lower part of the plug coming into contact with the peat/sand mix below.

and I'm not sure that the green is algae...

I've been told that the green growth is most likely Cyanophyta.

 

[F R e N c H 3 z]

Ahh thanks for the clarification, I should have read the text. I was going strictly by the picture.! A strictly sand media experiment may be in order

 

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Colouration is getting better. I don't know if this is due to the dune sand or the lighting, but another plant that I have under similar lighting doesn't show such colouration.

Are the two light setup the same color temp?

Is one of the lights much older than the other?

This just adds to me thinking that light levels are not the driving factor in Ceph color, more of a trigger when other factors are met.

 

[mobile]

Ahh thanks for the clarification, I should have read the text. I was going strictly by the picture.! A strictly sand media experiment may be in order

I have some spare seedlings which I might experiment with in the new year.

Are the two light setup the same color temp?

Is one of the lights much older than the other?

This just adds to me thinking that light levels are not the driving factor in Ceph color, more of a trigger when other factors are met.

The experiment is not controlled enough to draw any conclusions. I have been swapping lights around between warm/daylight LEDs and CFL. This plant is currently under a white LED and has developed the colouration since being placed under it.

 

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I've started the next experiment. I have a Cephalotus seedlings, from the same batch as the plant above, potted in a mix of 2 parts dune sand, 1 part peat, 1 part Dorset pea gravel. Dorset pea gravel is often sold in aquatic shops, so assumed to be inert... it typically isn't! It is sea polished gravel, therefore contains quantities of marine exoskeletons and possibly dolomite, both being alkaline. It fizzes well in vinegar. The soil mix should be fairly alkaline, so will be a test to see if Cephalotus can tolerate such conditions as it is often assumed that they are acid loving.

 

[dionae]

Nice thread. can't wait to see the results of your new experiment.