# 3 steps to grow emmersed HC.



## dom

3 simple steps to grow emmersed HC. I am prefer to use the clay pot or terracotta pot. Here are my 2inch height terracotta pots. 2 different sizes. 

1) Put in the soil around 3/4 full. Then put in some water and just enough to cover the soil.
2) Pulling out the HC from the side of the pot. But not from the middle of the pot. (Check out the picture)
3) Put the HC on the wet soil like this...No need to plant it. Just put it on top of the soil. (check out the picture)

Keeping the pot under shade. After a month, it will fully cover the whole pot.


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## prBrianpr

the clay pot brings iron or not?


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## hoppycalif

Don't you need to maintain high humidity to make this work? I noticed when I planted glosso in a no-water 10 gallon tank that plantlets that I just dropped onto the soil grew as well as those I poked into the soil. But, I had the tank pretty well covered to maintain the humidity.


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## Revernance

What did you do while the HC was growing? How often to mist the HC? What about topping off evaporated water? Please give us details


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## aquanut

Revernance said:


> What did you do while the HC was growing? How often to mist the HC? What about topping off evaporated water? Please give us details


its an aquatic plant, so its pretty much impossible to overwater. you can either mist it a lot, or water it when the dirt looks like its a bit less than soaking wet. so long as the substrate stays damp, you shouldn't have any problems. very easy to grow emersed.


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## houseofcards

hoppycalif said:


> Don't you need to maintain high humidity to make this work? I noticed when I planted glosso in a no-water 10 gallon tank that plantlets that I just dropped onto the soil grew as well as those I poked into the soil. But, I had the tank pretty well covered to maintain the humidity.


Yes you do.

That's one of the shortcomings of instructional information like this. The poster is from Malaysia where I'm sure the humidity is in the 90% range. It sounds like he/she is doing this outside based on "keep in the shade" so this information wouldn't work for most of us in the states.


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## aquanut

houseofcards said:


> Yes you do.
> 
> That's one of the shortcomings of instructional information like this. The poster is from Malaysia where I'm sure the humidity is in the 90% range. It sounds like he/she is doing this outside based on "keep in the shade" so this information wouldn't work for most of us in the states.


thats not exactly true. IME it grows just fine without any type of structure or device to increase humidity so long as you keep the soil/substrate wet. ive grown it indoors in a warehouse just outside of Stockton, Ca where average daytime temps get 90+ in the summer, and down to the mid 30's in the winter with minimal ambient humidity. just keep it wet, it will grow nicely.


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## houseofcards

aquanut said:


> thats not exactly true. IME it grows just fine without any type of structure or device to increase humidity so long as you keep the soil/substrate wet. ive grown it indoors in a warehouse just outside of Stockton, Ca where average daytime temps get 90+ in the summer, and down to the mid 30's in the winter with minimal ambient humidity. just keep it wet, it will grow nicely.


Well, your making a general statement which might not work for everyone depending upon their environmental conditions. If you keep it covered and keep in the mositure and humidity that would benefit everyone trying to grow it emersed. I'm not saying it's not possible, I'm just saying the instructions won't work for all.


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## aquanut

houseofcards said:


> Well, your making a general statement which might not work for everyone depending upon their environmental conditions. If you keep it covered and keep in the mositure and humidity that would benefit everyone trying to grow it emersed. I'm not saying it's not possible, I'm just saying the instructions won't work for all.


yeah, but what im saying is based on personal experience growing the plant in possibly the 2 most inhospitable climates imaginable, although they are in the exact same physical location believe it or not. what ive learned is that so long as the substrate is wet, it will grow even in 90degree heat, or just a few degrees above freezing so long as it doesn't dry out regrdless of relative humidity. 
your observation was that because the OP was from malaysia, the high ambient humidity was what was allowing them to grow the plant outdoors. my experiences actually growing the plant in very low humidity environments refute that observation. the plants thrives so long as its wet.


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## houseofcards

aquanut said:


> yeah, but what im saying is based on personal experience growing the plant in possibly the 2 most inhospitable climates imaginable, although they are in the exact same physical location believe it or not. what ive learned is that so long as the substrate is wet, it will grow even in 90degree heat, or just a few degrees above freezing so long as it doesn't dry out regrdless of relative humidity.
> your observation was that because the OP was from malaysia, the high ambient humidity was what was allowing them to grow the plant outdoors. my experiences actually growing the plant in very low humidity environments refute that observation. the plants thrives so long as its wet.


Well certainly not my experience. So are you saying that if one was to try this it would make no difference if they grew it in 35F temp with no humidity vs. 90F temp with high humidity. Whether that humidity was artificaly induced or naturally inspired.


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## aquanut

no, what im saying is the plant grows well so long as the substrate is soaking wet. my idea is that the substrate moisture probably makes enough of a "micro-climate" to fool the plant into thinking it is in fact in a greenhouse, or a high humidity environment although it is not. surely, an aquatic plant will probably grow better in a high humidity environment, but if the high humidity environment is also a closed container with no access to supplemenatal co2, then the plant would probably do better outdoors, with low relative humidty, and ample co2. i can tell you first hand, the plant is co2 deprived in most conditions... if you grow it an a closed container without supplemental co2, its growth is very slow. on the contrary, if you grow it in a closed container with a diy co2 line plumbed in, the plants grow like gangbusters. co2 exposure, and substrate moisture is more important than relative humidity.


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## Riney Key

houseofcards said:


> Yes you do.
> 
> That's one of the shortcomings of instructional information like this. The poster is from Malaysia where I'm sure the humidity is in the 90% range. It sounds like he/she is doing this outside based on "keep in the shade" so this information wouldn't work for most of us in the states.


I like this kind of information-sharing even if it's incomplete. It gives me things to try out, test and figure out for myself.


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## houseofcards

aquanut said:


> no, what im saying is the plant grows well so long as the substrate is soaking wet. my idea is that the substrate moisture probably makes enough of a "micro-climate" to fool the plant into thinking it is in fact in a greenhouse, or a high humidity environment although it is not. surely, an aquatic plant will probably grow better in a high humidity environment, but if the high humidity environment is also a closed container with no access to supplemenatal co2, then the plant would probably do better outdoors, with low relative humidty, and ample co2. i can tell you first hand, the plant is co2 deprived in most conditions... if you grow it an a closed container without supplemental co2, its growth is very slow. on the contrary, if you grow it in a closed container with a diy co2 line plumbed in, the plants grow like gangbusters. co2 exposure, and substrate moisture is more important than relative humidity.


O.K. now your going off on a tangent with co2 and what-not. The title of the thread is "3 steps to growing emersed HC." For most people they would have more success growing it in a moisture rich atmosphere. The poster has that naturally, most don't. I don't think most people in Chicago and New York would be successful growing HC in their backyard, terrace, etc. in the winter.


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## hoppycalif

For me, the useful information in the original post was the method for getting plantlets - most people seem to try to do that by separating the entire pot of plants, then using scissors to cut little plant nodes from each plant. This method is far more simple.
Then, the idea of just sprinkling the plantlets on the soil/substrate is far easier than using tweezers to individually plant each of those tiny plants. My question was just for further information. From what I have been told by our plant club members who have grown HC, it is not a demanding plant in general, but does like CO2 very much, so I'm convinced that dom's method is a very workable one. 

For those of us who primarily want to use emersed growth for a dry start to an aquarium, it looks like having a partially covered tank would be best.


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## aquanut

houseofcards said:


> For most people they would have more success growing it in a moisture rich atmosphere. The poster has that naturally, most don't. I don't think most people in Chicago and New York would be successful growing HC in their backyard, terrace, etc. in the winter.


again, my point is if you keep it wet it will grow regardless of differences in relative humidity. you keep bringing up humidity, and IME its not a significant factor so long as the substrate is wet cause the moisture in the substrate makes the plant "feel" like its in a very humid place, even if its in a bone-dry warehouse.


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## dom

Cool down guys. Let me share how is my living place like. Malaysia is a very warm country. No 4 seasons. If it is not raining day (24-26C), then it will be very sunny day 34-38C. And I am staying inside a condominium. 7th Floor. Wingly and cooling place. Due to slightly strong wing. Humidity is quite low at day time. Roughly 40-50%. But night time will be a bit cooling and humidity will be around 60%.

I am watering it daily. As you need to make sure the soil is wet all the time. You can over water it. It is ok. But if the humidity is too high. HC will melt easily. (My personal experience by growing it inside terrarium with cover. Humidity is 90-100%) Best humidity is 70-80%.

Saw a friend growing it under direct sun light. 34-36C. The clay pot always with the water at least 2cm high. Humidity at daytime only 30-40%. Night time will be higher. 60%-70%. But if you are staying in or nearby desert, then terrarium is your best choice. This 3 steps will not apply to you.

If you are worrying it will dry up fast. You can grow it together with some bigger plants. Like growing it under trees, or growing it near your pond or water fountain. For sure humidity will maintain.


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## milalic

dom said:


> Cool down guys. Let me share how is my living place like. Malaysia is a very warm country. No 4 seasons. If it is not raining day (24-26C), then it will be very sunny day 34-38C. And I am staying inside a condominium. 7th Floor. Wingly and cooling place. Due to slightly strong wing. Humidity is quite low at day time. Roughly 40-50%. But night time will be a bit cooling and humidity will be around 60%.
> 
> I am watering it daily. As you need to make sure the soil is wet all the time. You can over water it. It is ok. But if the humidity is too high. HC will melt easily. (My personal experience by growing it inside terrarium with cover. Humidity is 90-100%) Best humidity is 70-80%.
> 
> Saw a friend growing it under direct sun light. 34-36C. The clay pot always with the water at least 2cm high. Humidity at daytime only 30-40%. Night time will be higher. 60%-70%. But if you are staying in or nearby desert, then terrarium is your best choice. This 3 steps will not apply to you.
> 
> If you are worrying it will dry up fast. You can grow it together with some bigger plants. Like growing it under trees, or growing it near your pond or water fountain. For sure humidity will maintain.


Nice to see you around here...hope everything is going well. Say hi to Agnes...:mrgreen:


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## houseofcards

_Saw a friend growing it under direct sun light. 34-36C. The clay pot always with the water at least 2cm high. Humidity at daytime only 30-40%. Night time will be higher. 60%-70%. But if you are staying in or nearby desert, then terrarium is your best choice. This 3 steps will not apply to you._

That's the only thing I was trying to say. Is that the conditions will dictate. BTW I don't need to cool down, I'm not hot, this is a cool discussion but sometimes the context of a discussion get's lost. As most of us know, there are no obsolutes in this hobby, I'm sure Aquanut has grown HC the way he described, but if one was reading this thread I don't thing many would be successful but just reading the initial post, no fault of anyone. I think their success would be enhanced in almost all cases by keeping the moisture in.


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