Episode: #1 30/08/06	Proudly Presented by
Presenter: Sue McDougall

Bromeliads would have to be one of the most diverse group of plants that are available to the home gardener. There are at least 46 different species in the whole group, all with different growth habits and shapes and flowering forms. They all have one underlying feature in common and that is they are so easy to grow. Hundreds of years ago bromeliads were only found in botanic gardens or the private greenhouses of wealthy Europeans. Luckily we can now enjoy their stunning colours as plant breeders develop new varieties all the time. Some have spectacular flower spikes while others change the colour of their foliage in response to flowering and other elements such as light and fertiliser. The larger varieties of vase like plants produce big flowers and then the mother plant dies back. They do not however die back before they produce offsets, or pups. The pups can be taken off the mother plant once they are at least a third of the size of the main plant and can be used to create stunning pot features. Bromeliads hate being water logged to its important to fill up the pot with Cacti and Succulent Potting Mix so that they can drain quite freely. Then simply plant the pups into the pot. They look quite effective mass planted as when they grow all you will see is the stunning foliage. When it comes to fertilising all they need a couple of times a year is some control released fertiliser.