# plants in clay



## NathanB (Jan 21, 2008)

What has everyone had success with in clay so far? And do you keep the clay moist or dry?

I'm experimenting with a few things now.


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## james67 (Jun 28, 2008)

from what ive seen, its pretty essential, at least in the immediate area of the root mass, to have some substance which provides aeration and drainage (turface/ infield conditioner work well), but otherwise it seems to work as well as any other substrate IME.

james


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

The following are shots of a neogelia that was just stuck right into the clay substrate. At that point, the tank (a ten gallon verticle) was being misted for 3 minutes a day as a test on the stability of the clay. If you look closely into the back corner there is also one of the jewel orchids growing.. both of those were just stuck into the clay. 

The pictures can be seen in this post here http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/parts-construction/55550-clay-background-vert-8.html#post484793

That tank now only gets 15 seconds once a day and visually and to the fingers doesn't feel any different.. I tried to do some rough drying tests to check water weight loss but the wife wasn't letting me put clay into her new oven... 


Ed


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## JoshH (Feb 13, 2008)

From what I have seen in my vivs and in the wild; plants seem to do fine on clay especially if mainly used for anchoring (ie Bromeliads). Clay surfaces in tropical (and temperate) are often the ideal surfaces for moss and other groundcovers simply because of clay’s inherent stability. The clay should be moist, and it is good at holding water for quite some time between mistings. Now, if it completely dries out, then its excellent absorbtion qualities can quickly dehydrate plants growing on it, so its a fine balance. Also, clays are best utilized in conjuction with small amounts of organics to recreate natural deposition of fallen debris.

Clays are common in the rainforest because deep organic soils cannot develop, as most minerals and nutrients are leached out by the typically very high water table band abundant precipitation. Minerals left in these oxisols have higher concentrations of iron and aluminum, as seen in laterite stream beds, etc. These clay substrates (as seen in the Peru trip) are similar to the clays that we are experimenting with in our terrariums, so clays do a good job in replicating the heavily weathered/oxidized oxisols that typify tropical forest floor composition. 

In both the terrarium and nature, plants seem to often root to the clay surface, then their roots and foliage start to collect fallen detritus and leaf litter. In time small pockets of organic material and living moss/plants form around the plant bases, colonizing the bare clay subsurface. This was observed in my 29G were Marcgravia and Ficus Panama colonized the bare bentonite/calcined clay background, then moss filled out between the plant spaces. More organics built up over several months from natural debris fall and now the once bare clay supports a wide variety of larger plants such as Anthuriums, Sinningias, begonias, etc. All of them sent their root tips into the clay for support, but rely on surrounding available organics to satisfy nutritional requirements.

So in a nutshell, plants seem to do well, particularly epiphytes that are grown on a vertical clay surface. Even clay drip walls have relatively good amounts of aeration on the surface level of the clay. Bromiliads love vertical clay walls, as do many ferns and climbers, particularly aroids.

Terrestrials grown in heavy clay on the floor may not fare as well, esp in the often water saturated conditions of most vivs. 

Just my 2 cts....lol


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## Dancing frogs (Feb 20, 2004)

I've had pothos and fittonia stay alive in it, and not much else. Even mini-spath, which is very hardy, seems to have a hard time in it.


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## Okapi (Oct 12, 2007)

Ive had more success with clay than great stuff for plants growing on the surface


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Some other pictures of plants growing in clay substrates.


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## JoshH (Feb 13, 2008)

Ed ~ Good moss growth!

Here is one example that I had mentioned in my earlier post...with micro gesneriads, marcgravia, peperomias, and Ficus sp 'Panama'. This is in a pocket of pure clay from kitty litter.









And here is how it starts, with a few plants and moss sprouting from between the stems..


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

Ok, y'all probably knew this, but, don't let your Nepenthes get on the clay. I had a nice one from Black Jungle that I put in a tank with a clay background. I had it in its pot, on top of a piece of wood, the wood against the background. 

All of the parts of the plant that touched the clay turned brown and rotten. Eventually the whole thing turned brown and died. 

It had been happily living in a 'plants only' viv for months.

(and no I don't know for certain that it was the clay that killed the nep. I didn't preserve it for an autopsy. My only evidence is that the brown started at the parts that were against the clay and spread from there.  )


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## JoshH (Feb 13, 2008)

And it's also possible that your particular clay had an unusually high pH or certain minerals that the Nepenthes did not agree with; certain Nepenthes do come from alkaline clay and rock slopes, but most prefer the acidic conditions of rainforests.

Which brings up another interesting point, we really don't know exactly what is in alot of the clay that we use or how variable the componants are. If the quality control is lacking, the chemical composition could vary greatly between the clay's origins. In the MD/VA area, many clays have an extremely high amount of marine based minerals do to the source being an ancient marine seabed. So with all the fossil shells it can be quite alkaline. So has anyone here done any chemical test on the commonly used clays to see how consistant they are?


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

JoshH said:


> And it's also possible that your particular clay had an unusually high pH or certain minerals that the Nepenthes did not agree with; certain Nepenthes do come from alkaline clay and rock slopes, but most prefer the acidic conditions of rainforests.
> 
> Which brings up another interesting point, we really don't know exactly what is in alot of the clay that we use or how variable the componants are. If the quality control is lacking, the chemical composition could vary greatly between the clay's origins. In the MD/VA area, many clays have an extremely high amount of marine based minerals do to the source being an ancient marine seabed. So with all the fossil shells it can be quite alkaline. So has anyone here done any chemical test on the commonly used clays to see how consistant they are?


 
Some of the bentonites can result in pHs well above 8 (closer to 9) and can leach significant levels of sodium, and calcium ions. 

Ed


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## frogface (Feb 20, 2010)

I haven't done any testing on the clay (Smart Options Kitty Litter purchased at Food Lion) but the origin of my clay has it posted on their site. Bennett Mineral - DiaBond®/GeoBond®

I contacted Food Lion before I used it and told them I wanted to know what was in the clay. They had a representative from Bennett Mineral contact me. I thought that was pretty cool.


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## Cam (Oct 27, 2010)

We have had great luck with plants on clay... Some rooted okay in the clay itself, others the roots seem to run down the clay.


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## phender (Jan 9, 2009)

I have a background of 1/2 laterite and 1/2 sodium bentonite with 1% calcium carbonate added. (I know that doesn't add up, but you know what I mean  ) I have Pilea glauca and Begonia prismatocarpa growing with just a pinch of sphagnum at the insertion point and Pellionia pulchra and Begonia elaeagnifolia growing just stuck directly into the clay. The background gets spayed about 5 times a week. Ficus sp. Panama is growing up the clay, but is rooted in the leaf litter/soil.


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