mounting a rooted brom

#1 (**permalink**) 09-25-2006, 09:04 AM

I have a brom which i found at walmart while browsing through the plant section. Somebody in another thread had one, and i asked what it was. Antone id'd it as a "Vriesea hybrid". Now my question is, how do i mount it. I went to change its potting mix to a more suitable brom mix instead of potting soil as walmart had it, and noted that it had quite a mass of roots. now is this a brom i can mount on a wall, or should i just cut my losses and plant it in the ground? id love to have this on my drift wood, but can i do that with all those roots? if possible, can sombody please explain how? thanks

nick

Frogtofall · #2 (**permalink**) 09-25-2006, 09:18 AM

There are about 6 or 7 different threads here in the plant forum that explain how to mount broms. I think its one of the most commonly asked brom related questions. Haha. Just do a search in this forum for "mounting broms" and I am sure you'll come up with lots of helpful info.

As for the roots, it doesn't matter too much. You can actually cut them all off and it will grow new ones. They are epiphytes so they obtain most nutrient from the foliage anyhow.

Good luck.

#3 (**permalink**) 09-25-2006, 09:34 AM

thank you, i pretty much knew how to mount them, i was just wondering what to do with the roots. i just chop ALL of them off? this wont kill or harm it?

nick

Frogtofall · #4 (**permalink**) 09-25-2006, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coolantguy

thank you, i pretty much knew how to mount them, i was just wondering what to do with the roots. i just chop ALL of them off? this wont kill or harm it?

nick

You can cut them all off. It will not harm it. You don't HAVE to cut them all off though. Like I was saying, epiphytic bromeliads obtain somewhere around 90% of their nutrient through the foliage and tank so the roots really only serve a purpose for anchoring. This is why they also don't have many roots compared to the terrestrial types b/c they are pretty much only using them for holding on. You might see a pause in growth for a bit while it adjusts but it will not kill the plant. Just make sure not to cut the bottom woody part of the brom off. That will kill it... :lol:

Good luck.