Sophronitis cernua (Project 14 - Spring 2012)

[Leafmite]

Your grow space sounds perfect! All the right windows, lighting, and labor of love added! My temps are a little low in the winter (thermostat set at 64'F), especially near the windows, but the lighting is quite good (windows face south). I have decent humidity with the other plants.
The white furball is indeed an American Eskimo and the black-and-white mop is a maltese-poodle mix. They really are a great pair.

[Paul Mc]

I was guessing Maltese, but wasn't sure!!!! I absolutely love The miniature Eski's!!! I had one that passed away a few years back (had such a broken/tender heart due to her past) and now adopted 2 more!!! Mouthy, but loving, lol....

And now back to the project! Sorry everyone!

[pasojanice]

Paul, love the conversation! Made my evening.

[bballr4567]

Well, I think I figured out a way to get my humidity up for my Soph. All the older roots would get long (about 2") and then would die off. Humidity normally ranges between 55-65% so I figured the dry air was killing them off. So, I devised this out of an old fish bowl. It has CHC in the bottom and I just placed the mount on top of them. So far, its a good 15% higher than ambient humidity so we will see as my Soph is going throw a root growing phase right now.

[pasojanice]

Super idea and looks really good.

[Rowangreen]

I'll have to try something like that if mine doesn't pick up soon. Recently what was a root nub has started up again. I'm hopeful it's going to establish this time as mine has hardly any roots! I originally had it 'mangrove' or 'Sedirea japonica' style (ie raised up a bit with roots showing) but a while back I repotted with it closer to the surface. I hope it will prefer it, but it does mean I can't see what's going on so well! I also changed it from seedling mix to chunky bark. I've now changed everything I had in it out of the seedling mix. I don't know if it was a duff batch or that it was washing about every time I watered, but everything seemed to have root problems in it. Chunky definitely works better for me, even with tiny plants.

[Wynn Dee13]

Originally Posted by bballr4567

Well, I think I figured out a way to get my humidity up for my Soph. All the older roots would get long (about 2") and then would die off. Humidity normally ranges between 55-65% so I figured the dry air was killing them off. So, I devised this out of an old fish bowl. It has CHC in the bottom and I just placed the mount on top of them. So far, its a good 15% higher than ambient humidity so we will see as my Soph is going throw a root growing phase right now.

It will be interesting to see if the higher humidity helps with the root issue. My humidity is usually around 50% to 65% (sometimes higher after watering all plants but isn't very often and it also gets lower than 50% sometimes) and all my cernua plants don't have an issue with growing roots longer than two inches. My project plant is bare mounted on cork bark. I also have another cernua on cork but with spaghnum moss and a division of this plant is growing in a clay pot with pure spaghnum moss and a packing peanut in the bottom of the pot for drainage.

I'm wondering if your roots dying off at 2 inches is from something else. Do the roots die at the point when they start to touch the mount? Do the tips of the roots turn black? I don't know maybe your specific plant likes more humidity. I guess we will find out. I hope it helps!

I wonder what other members' humidity is like around their cernuas?

[bballr4567]

Mine literally just die. It takes about two days for nice, white plump roots to completely die back to the pbulbs. They grow on the mount really well and in fact, they are pretty well attached.

Its really strange so I just thought I might try this.

[camille1585]

Originally Posted by bballr4567

Mine literally just die. It takes about two days for nice, white plump roots to completely die back to the pbulbs. They grow on the mount really well and in fact, they are pretty well attached.

Its really strange so I just thought I might try this.

I don't have that problem with my Soph (which is potted), but get that with a mounted Podangis dactlyoceras. I was really happy when it grew a lot of new roots over the summer, but in the fall they all died, and the new ones are doing the same as your Soph... If your humidity experiment is successful, I'll try the same with my Podangis.

The Soph is doing really well potted. No new roots for now, but one of last summer's growths is happily growing a new growth.

[bballr4567]

Today its running a good 20% higher than ambient air. It was as high as 93% last night though so I tilted the globe back and it settled around 80%.