Semi-hydroponics on plants that aren't orchids?

[DesertRayne]

Okay, so I've read lots and lots of stuff about the wonders/successes/etc. of people who have grown orchids in semi-hydroponics. I've even revived an orchid that was almost dead using it. However, I can't find anything anywhere regarding other plants in semi-hydroponics.

I've decided to try it on my mom's new dracaena fragrans (corn plant tree). Unfortunately, I can't find anything anywhere about semi-hydroponics being used on plants other than orchids. The dracaena doesn't look happy right now. One clump of green leaves growing at the top of the shorter stalk is browning (seemed to brown starting from the center of that leaf clump to the ends of those leaves). On the taller stalk, the bottom leaves of its top leaf clump are starting to turning yellow. Is what I'm seeing stress from repotting it into a different medium, or is it dying? It was starting to grow lots of new green growth bumps on the stalk before I repotted it, so I assumed it would be growing new roots also. The smaller growths are still green but seemed to stop growing (maybe from shock). This is my first time trying semi-hydroponics on something not an orchid, so watching the draceana's reaction (a supposedly hardy plant) is pretty alarming.

How long does it take dracaena massangaena to adjust? How do I know it's adjusting and not dying?

Thanks in advance.

[gabi_borza]

All plants can be grown in hidroponics or semi-hidroponics system! Look at this link How to Hydroponics - Google Books

[Ray]

I have been growing tropicals in semi-hydro for years. They take almost no adjustment time, if any at all.

Right now in my home I have Dracaena marginata, D. fragrans, Ficus benjamina, several aglaonemas and "clump-type" philodendrons, a couple of palms, Neomarica gracilis, and a few color varieties of Clivia miniata - all in semi-hydroponics. I have also grown tomatoes, basil, and avocados (from the pit) that way.

If you do a Google search for "Semi-Hydro Forum", you can find one that has a section dedicated to this very subject.

[Rivka]

i have all my spider plants in s/h and that is a ton of them, just keep filling pots of s/h up with baby plants and covering the tops of every bookshelf in the house, makes watering a breeze! and wow the roots are amazing, just crazy furry white mass swirling around the bottom! they are growing great.

and this year i am experimenting with some bulbs, i have Begonia starting to grow in s/h and a Amaryllis, that is tying but so far having issues.

next i'm going to root up a handful of jades cuttings christmas cactus and something else that i'm not sure what it is but clearly related to jade, another type of succulent.


personally i just dont want to hassle with dirt ever again, i like being able to see what is going on in my roots.

[Ray]

There is a lady who lives about 20 miles from me who, over the last few years, has moved (in addition to orchids) all of her gesneriads, succulents, and caudiciforms into S/H (making her my largest, single customer!). Personally, I am stunned about the succulents, but she keeps winning awards with them, so what can I say?

[pikkumyy]

sorry to bring down the tone of the thread, but other plants can definitely be grown in semi-hydroponics because when ever i have tried to research it for orchids 99.9999999% of the websites that come up are to do with marijuana

[rcb]

I only grow two kinds of plants, Orchids and Hoyas. While I have failed miserably with the orchids in S/H, the Hoyas on the other hand are just amazing in S/H.

[Mira-Claude]

All of my plants that are not orchids are is S/H ad doing well.
Now I want a bamboo! Where will I put it? No idea! But I want a bamboo!
Maybe all ask for one for Christmas? hmmmm!
And yes when I research S/H I too, at first only fund information on how to grow marijuana. So I went in took a look at the 'installations' closed the window after my brother went: ''I knew the orchids were just a subterfuge, when you grow it I want a cut for my silence'' (stupid brothers!). Still gave the info I needed!
Good luck!

[1joyceh]

As most have said, most anything can be grown in hydroponics.
The lucky bamboo that you get with the little glass beads in water, is actually a dracaena, not real bamboo. We have grow carrots in rockwool using a drip system, they came out a little misshapen, but tasty, and are growing tobacco now. Pretty much every veggie there is, we've done it, all with sucess. The only failure, so far, was potato.......not good...
The book that was recommended How to Hydroponics is a very good one for beginners

[Rivka]

the place i first bought all my hydrotron from had signs ALL.OVER.THE.PLACE. that said, "we cant give advice on your pot plants, and we cant sell to you if you even mention your pot plants, so shut up."

it was pretty funny, i made sure to have plenty of pictures of my orchids when i was talking to them. never quite knew if they believed me or not!

[Rivka]

oh and my begonias in s/h have finally started to leaf out, makes me happy

[hera]

Originally Posted by Rivka

the place i first bought all my hydrotron from had signs ALL.OVER.THE.PLACE. that said, "we cant give advice on your pot plants, and we cant sell to you if you even mention your pot plants, so shut up."

it was pretty funny, i made sure to have plenty of pictures of my orchids when i was talking to them. never quite knew if they believed me or not!

The hydroponic store where I buy my hydroton and grow lights has a "don't ask, don't tell policy" which cracks me up. Every time I go in there I have visions of me turning up on some DEA watch list. To funny......

[HotPot]

Ive tried Crown of thorns and it growns fine. Spider plants grow in anything - Mine I grow in a large vase of water - nothing but water (the vase is quarter full with water) and has been happy for more than 3 years now.

[Ray]

From our friends at the US DEA: A nice, middle-class home near Knoxville TN, that had a surprise behind the back wall of the garage!

[BluPeaches]

Originally Posted by HotPot

Spider plants grow in anything - Mine I grow in a large vase of water - nothing but water (the vase is quarter full with water) and has been happy for more than 3 years now.

Goodness! I have killed so many spider plants, maybe they just don't like me.
I currently have one that is about to kick the bucket, it's just a bunch of leaves hanging down.

[Rivka]

i was not aware they could die? it was the only plant i could grow for most my life

[1joyceh]

most any thing can be grown hydroponically....a few I have pics of we have done...
marigold using a drip system
swiss chard ebb and flow system
2 pics of tobacco in an ebb and flow system..

[BluPeaches]

Originally Posted by Rivka

i was not aware they could die? it was the only plant i could grow for most my life

Haha, well I don't know what I am doing wrong. This last one is the fourth one I have killed.

[tom499]

I've been growing Crassula ovata in S/H for some time now.

Well sort of... I just don't water as frequently.

[cairo]

I grow most of my houseplants in semi-hydro. It makes watering a breeze. However, just like with orchids, the plants must be in active root growth to establish quickly, else they will languish for a while until those new roots come in. I have several Ctenanthe foliage plants, Clivia miniata, Dieffenbachia 'Panther', Zamioculcas zamifolia, Aspidistra elatior 'Milky Way' (cast iron plant), Strelitzia regina (orange Bird of Paradise), two Epiphyllums, and many others including a Banana. All do exceptionally well in semi-hydro. Even when I forget to water for a few weeks because I am so focused on my orchids.