All You Need

Members

   
   
   
  Forgot your password
   
   
   
  Don't have a receipt?

  Hi null,


Search

   

Bromeliads

Get with the trend...
Bromeliads are a popular choice for providing interesting tropical foliage colour to pots, gardens even tree trunks.And its not just foliage of many different colours and forms that has made them all the buzz, but also their intriguing flower spikes.

LOCATION:

As mentioned, Bromeliads are great in pots or the garden. Most of the varieties available to the home gardener can be grown as epiphytes or air plants as well, Mounted on wood or grown on existing tree trunks (tree ferns are superb for this).

POT SPECIMENS:

A well draining potting mix is all that is required. Regular potting mix with added Perlite or coarse builders sand is ideal. Fine bark is also ideal.

POTTING RULES:

*Only plant up to the base of the leaves, not too deep.

*Choose a pot that's not too large, usually a 4,5 or 6 inch pot is fine for a full grown plant.

*Use a fast draining potting mix

*Stake plants if necessary (to prevent wobbling) until enough roots have developed to hold firm.

GARDEN SPECIMENS:

Again a free draining site is essential.
Either plant pots into the soil and cover up to them with bark, shell rocks or the like, or for direct plantings dig in "Perlite" or coarse builders sand to aid drainage.

SPECIMENS:

Bromeliads can be mounted onto untreated wood, existing tree branches, or ponga logs, by strapping them with wire to the surface. Packing with sphagnum moss around the wire strapping is also beneficial

LIGHT:

Bright filtered light is needed by most bromeliad types. Avoid direct midday sun. The hard, spiny thick leaved forms as well as those with greyish - green or silvery leaves can take brighter light. Symptoms of too little light are dark green, soft drooping leaves that are longer than normal and of poor colour. Symptoms of too much light are yellowed leaves, faded markings, a bleached appearance, and in extreme cases sunburn spots and holes.

The roots of most bromeliads prefer it moist, never soggy. Keep the central cup of the bromeliad (if there is one) full of water all the time. Never allow the water to become old or stagnant. Keep it fresh with a good splash from the watering can. Do this about once a week. Plants also enjoy a light misting of water during high humidity. Mounted plants require more regular misting and immersion in a tub once a week in warm weather.

FEEDING:

Use 1/2 teaspoon of Osmocote per medium size pot around base. Definitely no fertiliser to go into the cup of the Bromeliad.

GENERAL:

Once flowering has finished remove the old stem. After 12 months or so the original parent plant will die, but will leave pup plants at the base. Simply cut out the old plant and let the new pups develop. These can either be left to grow as a clump or separated when when they are about 1/2 the size of the original parent plant. To do this simply cut as close down to the base as possible. For best results allow the wound to dry for a couple of days before replanting.