emersed growing - in development

This journal is the start, the progress and the final results of this low-tec emersed set up when finished.
For me, it's just a test. I want to know how the plants developed from submersed to emersed. When I have enough experience I'll take the next level: growing wabi kusa and will make a new journal for that.
Meaby, if everything ends up well, I'll use these plants to provide myself with fresh material for my wabi kusa.

I read a lot different forums, from different scapers and wabi kusa artist. Even some of them are participants in international contest. So I have the info from the first hand.
But it's complicated...
Because I've found out that everybody uses different techniques and different philosophy about emersed growing . So I try to combine the advice and use it in my setups.
So I'm just kicking of:

Technical details:
- 3 plastic containers in the (north) window shell, with a transparent cover, with only natural light.
- to keep the humidity high I've placed 1 cm water inside of the big plastic container
- inside the container are little round glas and plastic cups
- those cups are filled with ADA amazonia, soggy wet
- temperature is approx 20 degrees celcius (day and night)

Plants:
1 Alternanthera reineckii mini - in vitro
2 Ammania sp. "Bonsai" - in vitro - no pics yet beqause the plants died during transport
3 Rotala Rotundifolia - rockwool
4 Glossostigma elatinoides - rockwool
5 Marsilea hirsuta - in vitro
6 Rotala sp Green - rockwool
7 Hemianthus Callitrichoides - rockwool
8 Micranthemum Monte Carlo - rockwool

note:
The 'in-vitro' plants are still im emersed form! The plants with roots inside rockwool and with ceramic rings are usual submersed.
I've read that those plant need a longer time with high levels of humidity. So the tricky part will be to combine those two...

I filled each small cup with one plant species. The remaining plants I've devided in the rest of the other cups.
Some of the Rotala Rotundifolia were too big, so I cut them in half and planted them also.

I'm aware that I also could put the stem horizontal on the soil. So the roots will develop from the stem itself,
but that would be the next step when I start a real WK.



This is the latest pic: timelapse in grow.
Set-up is 3 weeks now and still looking good. So, now I must be patient...

I try to post here every week an update or pic so there will be a overview off the progress (or demolition) off the plants...

 

Small update because the plants are growing very slowly in de windowshell. But the quality is very good.
Only the Rotala Rotundifolia is growing way to fast.

 

Final update;
started 8 weeks ago with DSM

conditions:
- substrate: ADA amazonia + ADA amazonia powder
- plantes are planted in glas and plastic cups
- cups are inside a big plastic transparant container - with cover
- no atartificial light
- no heater - in window shell (northside)
- temp daytime 20 degrees C - at night 15 degrees
- first 4 weeks - only water spray for 2 times a day
- week 5 - start fresh air - everydag for 15 minutes (cover at 80%)
- week 6/7 - cover at 50% for 30 minutes - 2 times a day
- week 8 - no more cover -fresh air voor 8 hours a day - 2 times water spray - at night box closed


Growing speed:
Alternanthera reineckii mini - normal
Rotala Rotundifolia - way to fast
Glossostigma elatinoides - slow
Marsilea hirsuta - real slow
Rotala sp Green - fast
Hemianthus Callitrichoides - normal
Micranthemum Monte Carlo - normal

Quality:
Alternanthera reineckii mini - good - color is pale
Rotala Rotundifolia - stem is to long
Glossostigma elatinoides - good
Marsilea hirsuta - perfect
Rotala sp Green - good
Hemianthus Callitrichoides - good
Micranthemum Monte Carlo - good

Conclusions:
The average quality was good. The Rotala Rotundifolia grows to fast and had to trim it a couple times.
Next time I must give the plants earlier fresh air: I've seen some tainted leaves 'fungus'
Roots have developed fine and the leaves look fresh and healthy.
Only the Alternanthera reineckii has lost his color.
The best quality plant is definitive Marsilea hirsuta; strong, steady, healthy and good looking

Thanks for watching, cheers

and some pics:

 

No thanks Keith,

I'm still a noob in emersed growing and it's a learning moment for me.
but I hope that it would be a little encouragement for people who want to start also a DIY

 

Small update:
I've pruned all emersed grown plants and then discarded all of them
With the remain cuttings I've planted 10 small slices of WK to see how this will develop.
If they develop well I can possibly use them for my new nano-bak
(in combination with a dry start)

Keep you informed...

 

Thanks Keith,
I'll hope it will stay this way.

 

Thanks Roy. This is my goal; this is what I'll try to achieve:

 

Keith,
To achieve this kind a quality and size I think it will take approx 12 weeks. Meaby if I use a heater, or a higher room temp, maybe a bit faster.
But it's wintertime, so it's hard. Especially for Hemianthus Callitrichoides.
So, I must have patience...

 

Yes I know all about it.
I've worked all my life in greenhouses (tropical ferns and orchids) and forcing the growing speed to make more profit. But in those days we usually tried to make a balance between quantity and quality.
Only in time of 'contract orders' we often had to speed the growing process it up to reach the desired quotum.
And when I visiting a garden centre I always can tell which plants are healthy or weak. Cause the eye of experience

 

Not much info.
I've trimmed some Hemianthus Callitrichoides and put them under a bright bulb and the quality improves.
All nice, fresh and beautiful green leaves.



I can watch this all day long...