End of summer 16/17

Photo update of my emersed crypts before I move them from their suymmer "shed" back to the glasshouse for winter. The boxes are slowly multiplying - my goal is to have a couple of pots of each variety and after that any extras I can propagate will be distributed to other collectors first (off-site backups!) and then to whomever shows an interest. There are 4 tanks of submersed crypts inside too. OTT? maybe.

 

Above: Mostly Cryptocoryne undulata varieties in a new potting mix that is working really well (sand, clay, peat, a handful of shell grit, and composted oak leaves) - notice the dark greens. Growth has been great in these pots and I think composted oak leaves have improved the mix.
Above: Older pots (a little yellowing suggests more ferts needed) mostly C. wendtii to the left, C. cordata to the right, C. albida varieties in the back, C. crispatula var. kubutae is the grassy one in the middle.

 
Above: Mostly C. spiralis in the back (lots of flowers at the moment but not really visible in the pics), C. crispatula varieties in the front. Again notice the yellowing of some of the plants suggesting the nutrients in the pots are exhausted - crypts are heavy feeders and these post have been going for more than a year. I've started putting just a little of my aquarium fert and trace mix into the water.

 
Above: Bits of this and that - C. wendtii varieties in the back, C. crispatula var balanasae poking through... A lovely pink C. pontederiifolia front left and closeup below.


Cryptocoryne cilliata var. latifolia - finally happy after nursing it along for a year or more, two other pots all rotted away. I have one submersed also (not going so great but stable). It looks like I have some runners forming and also maybe... a flower! I love the hairy flowers from these and have not seen one that was grown in Australia before - see pics on the Crypt Pages