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about epiphytes

paul wheaton

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Location: missoula, montana (zone 4)

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posted 14 years ago

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A brand spanking new video featuring skeeter

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paul wheaton

author and steward

Posts: 52410

Location: missoula, montana (zone 4)

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posted 14 years ago

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Joel Hollingsworth

pollinator

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Location: Oakland, CA

posted 14 years ago

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My neighbor knows I garden, and brought me a bag saying "I don't know what this is, but I figured you might be able to use it."

It's potting mix intended for epiphytes. Mostly coarse bark, a tiny amount of pearlite, and nothing else. Those plants sure are self-reliant, even if they do tend to stand on the shoulders (or crotches?) of giants.

"the qualities of these bacteria, like the heat of the sun, electricity, or the qualities of metals, are part of the storehouse of knowledge of all men. They are manifestations of the laws of nature, free to all men and reserved exclusively to none." SCOTUS, Funk Bros. Seed Co. v. Kale Inoculant Co.

Anonymous

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posted 14 years ago

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Can you cultivate epiphytes, is it difficult & what would you use them for?

Joel Hollingsworth

pollinator

Posts: 2103

Location: Oakland, CA

posted 14 years ago

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You can.

Many of your instincts/habits built up around soil-dwelling plants will not be appropriate from them, but with the right information they can be exceptionally easy to care for.

They're mostly ornamental. I hear there was a craze for a particular variety back in the 70s (the sort that needs no liquid water), so I could imagine using them for financial shenanigans, cf. the tulip mania. They tend to grow too slowly to be very useful as food, fuel, or fiber.

Anonymous

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posted 14 years ago

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Thanks Joel,

I think I remember that fad for "air plants".

I was thinking it would be neat to have a few pic of them in here, I think I'll do a search & post a few.

We can fix it! We just need some baling wire, some WD-40, a bit of duct tape and this tiny ad:

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