From: lynx@surrey.amigans.gen.nz (Lynsey Gedye)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Re: bromiliad questions
Date: 17 Dec 92 23:23:01 GMT-12
Distribution: world
Organization: Prime Line, Wanganui, New Zealand

  Hi Alice...

  Displaying more good taste in plants I see...

In article <1992Dec14.050742.23524@math.ucla.edu> ramirez@julia.math.ucla.edu (Alice Ramirez) writes:
>During a very weak moment several months back I picked up about 7
>varying types of bromiliads in bloom.  Very pretty they were until
>my cat decided it was nice to sit on them.  But I digress.

  Ground, dried cat has a very beneficial effect on many crops. =:)

>The blooms have gone, and I understand that, once gone will never return.

  While never is a long time, you're right.  Quite a few plants do
  that kind of thing - bamboo as an example.

>Any new blooms will have to come from the "pups" coming out from the
>sides.  (I am talking about the kinds with deep green leathery leaves.)
>
>Ok.  Do I separate the pups from the original plant?  If so, how?  Do I
>break them off at the base and allow them to grow their own roots or
>slice down to get some of the parent roots?  (rather violent to the
>parent plant, it seems) 

  No - well, IMHO, no.  This is how I propagate my broms.  
  Wait until each pup is at least 1/2 the size of the parent.  While
  you can take them smaller they seem slower growing and never seem
  to reach a good size.  When they are the right size, indeed, take
  an axe/machete/kango hammer to them.  Keep as many roots on the pup
  as possible.  Sling it in a pot with mix.  Treat basically as you
  have the parents.  Don't bury the brom deeper than the crown where
  the leaves start - encourages rotting.  Might have to stake some
  if the roots are insufficient.  Some broms look good as a mass, too.
  The Billbergias for example - which could be the type you have.

  Treacherous retailer secret.  Take good care of the now dying parent.
  Continue to water, and gently feed it.  This plant has given its all
  to care and share its bloom with you and it's the least you can do
  is love it, talk to it and respect it as one of God's special 
  creatures.    Er, also...  I've gotten as many as 20 pups off a
  flowered brom that was tossed out for free as junk at a garden centre.  
  The parent was down to a stub by the time it'd finished.  Some people
  would feel that selling the adult pups back to the garden centre
  would be unscrupulous.  Some people          =:)!
  It was an Aechmea fasciata - the silvery urn type.

>Once I have the pups rooted, however it's done,
>how do I get the new plants to bloom.  THey are quite spectacular in 
>flower, rather dull otherwise. I dimly recall placing the mature bag
>in a plastic bag with a ripe apple.  Is there a better way?

  Maybe, but that always worked for me - low tech was fine.
  A mature plant will flower when the earth moves - isn't that enough?
  Here the plain green leaved broms are slack sellers, maybe you could
  do a swap for some of the coloured leaved models - Guzmanias p'haps.

  BTW, Alice, speaking of stylish plants, I grow potatoes/os/ohs/(and
  all the variations to suite... =:).  Yeah, I know, me and the rest
  of humanity.  These ones I grow for um, er, fun.  Yes, that's it,
  fun.  You see the flesh is dark purple.  When they're fresh the tubers
  look suspiciously like dog do, when you cut them, dark, dark purple.
  When you cook them and eat them, well, it's exciting eating very
  purple potatoes.  (Thank goodness you didn't stand in 'em).  They
  taste very potato - which sounds a bit silly - but they do have a
  rich flavour, and the er, rich, royal colour =:)

  Not about broms, but knowing your perchant for exotic fruit...

--
           lynx@surrey.amigans.gen.nz    lynx@amigans.gen.nz