# My emersed setup



## tundrafour (Jun 8, 2006)

I started reading posts on emersed growth about a month ago. I hadn't thought about it much before then but now I'm hooked! After seeing everyone's photos and reading about their experiences, I had to try it for myself.

My setup is super basic: I have two plastic containers with a few holes punched in the top. I put some Miracle Grow potting soil and Schultz's Aquatic Plant Soil into the bottom of each, threw some plants in, added some water, and stuck them in my window sill. They've been set up for around a month now, though not all of the plants have been in there that long.

I've been really surprised by my results. I've done basically nothing and the plants are flourishing! Unfortunately, the below photos were taken with a little point-and-shoot camera-- my DSLR's been broken for months on end now. The result is that the quality of the photos is not quite what it could be, but hopefully you'll enjoy them nonetheless.









Phyllanthus fluitans (emersed growth is vertical-- cool!) and HC. Can you see the tiny flower on the bottom-right stem of Phyllanthus fluitans? 









A plant I collected locally recently. As you can see, some of the leaves died, but if you look closely, you can also see that it is sending out new stems at the base of each dead leaf. Much of the growth further up the plant is new, as well. The plant by it was locally collected, as well-- some species of Hemianthus, maybe?









Dwarf riccia. This is probably ten times as big as the amount I started with!









One of the containers. You may be able to see HC, Phyllanthus fluitans, the two locally collected plants, as well as a few types of mosses.









Non-dwarf Riccia. Such a cool emersed form! Much thicker than when immersed.

That's it for the moment! If anyone has any ideas what the two locally-collected plants may be, please let me know (they were collected in Washington state if this makes things any easier). Thanks for looking!


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## sarahbobarah (Sep 5, 2005)

Such an awesome outcome! What did you use? Those look like two takeout containers. If so, then you may have just solved the problem I was having of finding a miniature greenhouse.


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## tundrafour (Jun 8, 2006)

sarahbobarah said:


> Such an awesome outcome! What did you use? Those look like two takeout containers. If so, then you may have just solved the problem I was having of finding a miniature greenhouse.


My containers were originally full of basil at the grocery store, but it had might as well be takeout containers. I just looked around my apartment for something cheap and clear, and it really does work basically like a miniature greenhouse. If anyone wants to try growing plants emersed without much of a monetary investment, it's worked pretty well for me!


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

Hm, wow, I might have to try that someday for the novelty of it. =)

Thanks for the pics too


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## fish_4_all (Jun 3, 2006)

I just thought of a possible inexpensive, well cheap greenhouse. A Slurpy cup with the lid that already has the hole in it. 

Anyway, hope yours does better than my first try, keep at it and keep updated.


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## ruki (Jul 4, 2006)

I think it's wise to use the containers. It keeps things modular. There will likely successes and failures. This should keep the failures from wrecking the successes.


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