Clear pots- not good for terrestrial plants?

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Mrs.Green
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Clear pots- not good for terrestrial plants?

Post by Mrs.Green »

I can see several pro’s with growing cacti in clear pots. Not at least it’s easy to see how or dry the the substrate below the topsil is. But roots of terrestrial plants normally wouldn’t be exposed to light( not the majority at least). So with that in mind, is it done any real research on the topic? Or do any of you have any practical experience?

A quick search gave me this, but as seen its barely thouches the subject without any clear answers.

https://www.thoughtco.com/plant-tropisms-4159843


https://www.janeperrone.com/on-the-ledg ... plant-pots
keith
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Re: Clear pots- not good for terrestrial plants?

Post by keith »

clear pots would grow green algae on the inside , even white pots can do that.
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jerrytheplater
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Re: Clear pots- not good for terrestrial plants?

Post by jerrytheplater »

In terrestrial Bladderworts, Genus Utricularia, a carnivorous plant, the bladders grow under the substrate. To see them you have to grow them in clear pots which are covered over so the roots are in darkness. You remove the covers when you want to see the bladders. Bladders won't form in the light.
Jerry Smith
Bloomingdale, NJ
45 inches (114 cm) rain equivalent per year, approx. evenly spread per month
2012 USDA Hardiness Zone 6b: -5F to OF (-20C to -18C) min.
Mrs.Green
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Re: Clear pots- not good for terrestrial plants?

Post by Mrs.Green »

keith wrote: Tue Sep 06, 2022 5:45 pm clear pots would grow green algae on the inside , even white pots can do that.
Thank you Keith 🙂 The only visible algae growth I have seen in clear pots here, is in a orchid pot. I am not known to overwater my plants.. :P
jerrytheplater wrote: Wed Sep 07, 2022 12:07 am In terrestrial Bladderworts, Genus Utricularia, a carnivorous plant, the bladders grow under the substrate. To see them you have to grow them in clear pots which are covered over so the roots are in darkness. You remove the covers when you want to see the bladders. Bladders won't form in the light.
Thanks a lot Jerrytheplather 🙂 Thats interesting even though the bladders have a different function? I would guess the prey they catch is light sensitive? I had to look up terrestrial bladderworths and wow they have beautiful flowers! How much light and heat does these need? Seeing they come from South America and Africa they may not thrive up in the cold north? ( indoors off course)
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jerrytheplater
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Re: Clear pots- not good for terrestrial plants?

Post by jerrytheplater »

Mrs.Green wrote: Wed Sep 07, 2022 3:36 pm
jerrytheplater wrote: Wed Sep 07, 2022 12:07 am In terrestrial Bladderworts, Genus Utricularia, a carnivorous plant, the bladders grow under the substrate. To see them you have to grow them in clear pots which are covered over so the roots are in darkness. You remove the covers when you want to see the bladders. Bladders won't form in the light.
Thanks a lot Jerrytheplather 🙂 Thats interesting even though the bladders have a different function? I would guess the prey they catch is light sensitive? I had to look up terrestrial bladderworths and wow they have beautiful flowers! How much light and heat does these need? Seeing they come from South America and Africa they may not thrive up in the cold north? ( indoors off course)
The bladders catch microscopic swimmers and eat them. Don't know if they are light sensitive. I suppose they are.

A very common terrestrial bladderwort is sold for use submerged in aquariums. It is U. graminifolia. A world famous producer of aquatic plants is located in Denmark. Here is their page on U. graminifolia. https://tropica.com/en/plants/plantdeta ... 9BTC)/4480 You should be able to buy it in well stock aquarium stores that sell aquatic plants.

Another common bladderwort is U. gibba. It is found worldwide. I have some growing outside right now in a dish. I have two flower stalks just showing up. It is an aquatic bladderwort but will only bloom if it is growing in contact with peat moss.

Here are the steps to do it:

Put moist long fiber peat moss in the bottom of an about 2" deep shallow dish.
rsz 2021-6-12 U. gibba grow dish 1.jpg
rsz 2021-6-12 U. gibba grow dish 1.jpg (173.6 KiB) Viewed 697 times
Add about 50% by volume fine quartz or inert sand. Mix well. Mine has an acid pH and was most likely mined in the Pine Barren area of southern NJ where Carnivorous Plants grow naturally.
rsz 2021-6-12 U. gibba grow dish 2.jpg
rsz 2021-6-12 U. gibba grow dish 2.jpg (172.12 KiB) Viewed 697 times
Cover with about a 1/2" layer of the same fine sand.
rsz 2021-6-12 U. gibba grow dish 3.jpg
rsz 2021-6-12 U. gibba grow dish 3.jpg (114.55 KiB) Viewed 697 times
Using your finger tips, insert the U. gibba below the capping sand layer into the peat moss layer. Fill with rain water or distilled water. You need very low mineral water, although U. gibba does grow in aquariums as a pest, even those with very high mineral water. Maybe its more tolerant than I know.
rsz 2021-6-12 U. gibba grow dish 4.jpg
rsz 2021-6-12 U. gibba grow dish 4.jpg (127.3 KiB) Viewed 697 times
The blooms:
rsz 2021-8-10 U gibba flowering 3.jpg
rsz 2021-8-10 U gibba flowering 3.jpg (92.43 KiB) Viewed 697 times
rsz 2021-8-10 U gibba flowering 4.jpg
rsz 2021-8-10 U gibba flowering 4.jpg (87.3 KiB) Viewed 697 times
Jerry Smith
Bloomingdale, NJ
45 inches (114 cm) rain equivalent per year, approx. evenly spread per month
2012 USDA Hardiness Zone 6b: -5F to OF (-20C to -18C) min.
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jerrytheplater
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Re: Clear pots- not good for terrestrial plants?

Post by jerrytheplater »

By the way, I left that dish out in my garage overwinter since U. gibba can freeze and come back. The dish broke. Use something plastic if you want to grow it outdoors.
Jerry Smith
Bloomingdale, NJ
45 inches (114 cm) rain equivalent per year, approx. evenly spread per month
2012 USDA Hardiness Zone 6b: -5F to OF (-20C to -18C) min.
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