[GrowRR] Tilly in fridge

[DENNIS HECKART]

Hi Benetay,

I too live in a hot and humid climate on the windward (wet) side of the Big 
Island of Hawaii.  At no time would I ever put a tillandsia in the 
refrigerator.  The shock alone could stunt or even kill a sentive plant.  
Temperture itself is not the deciding factor.

If you have a yard or garden or even a balcony, it far better to grow them 
outside than in an air conditioned apartment.  The worst thing about growing 
tillandsia indoors, no matter what the climate, is the lack of direct 
sunshine on the plant.  Tillandsias like light.  It is what they need to 
thrive.  It is not the temperture in a apartment that matters, it's the 
light you can give then in a window and the humidty that surrounds them.

I grow my tillandsia, on placks on a wire mesh that surrounds a shade house, 
both inside and out and on trees and shrubs in my yard.  Tank types like 
deppeana, guatemalensis I grow in pots in the shade house.  That said, 
conditions can very according to the origin of the plant.  Knowing the 
growing coditions of their natural habitat is essential to growing success 
at home.

Desert types such as tectorum, paleacea and xeroghaphica, I protect from the 
rain under an overhang.  High altitude types such as guatamalensis and 
imperalis crosses, I often have to spray with a fungicide to protect from 
rot.  If the fungus is severe, I will protect them from the rain.

It has been fun to see what will naturalize in this climate.  Plants so far 
that have naturalized best are T. gardneri, T. stricta and T. plagiotropica. 
  Seeds have germinated on trees and shrubs in the most severe 
circumstances.  The real joy comes from discovering what will do best in the 
conditions you have.  Hot and humid can actually be blessing for a great 
number of tillandsias.

May your tillansia grow well,

Dennis Heckart



>From: "Bene Tay" <benetay at lycos.com>
>To: GrowRR at bsi.org
>Subject: [GrowRR] Tilly in fridge
>Date: Wed, 26 Oct 2005 18:35:42 -0800
>
>Hello All,
>
>I'll like to ask a few things, basically i've been keeping tilly for quite 
>a while now, i'm sure some of you know. I'm toying with the idea of putting 
>a few tilly inside the vegetable compartment for a few hours a day. I'm 
>living in Singapore which means whole year of hot & wet climate.
>I've tried turning the air con on when i sleep but it doesn't make the 
>tilly "feel" any better since the temp doesn't drop below 25.
>
>I'm sure the vegetable compartment seems like a good "cooling" off place 
>for tilly ( small ones like ionantha ) .
>
>Please give me some advise if it's good to put them in the fridge for a 
>certain time. I've tried some before but it doesn't seem to affect them if 
>i put them in or not.
>
>I know some high altitute tilly like tectorum don't thrive over here, the 
>new center leaves do not have tricomes that are 90deg sticking outwards .
>
>Please advise on this method since i  do not have a huge collection it can 
>be done gradually.
>
>Regards,
>Benetay.
>
>
>
>
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