well. It is best to rotate the po- 
sition of your plants. 
Watering is no problem with 
bromeliads. Keep the leaf cups 
filled with water. Generally the 
whole plant should be watered 
twice a week with a bulb-spray- 
er, a long necked watering can 
or held under a faucet in the 
kitchen sink. A routine such as 
every Wednesday and Saturday 
will help you remember just 
how often the bromeliads need 
water. In overheated apartments 
perhaps it would be wiser to 
spray the leaves more often. The 
natural trough-like shape of the 
bromeliad leaf conducts the wa- 
ter to its leaf-cup at the base 
where the water remains as a 
natural characteristic of the 
plant, contrary to the fears of 
the uninitiated who may think 
the plant might rot if so much 
water remains between its 
leaves. Some water is necessary 
on the roots, mostly to keep the 
soil firm. The small amount that 
spills over from each filling of 
the center may be enough, al- 
though a gvod soaking of the 
soil once in a while is wise. 
The potting medium is no 
problem with bromeliads. Most 
of the air plant type of bromel- 
_ jad makes the adjustment from 
its epiphytic tendencies over to 
pot culture rather well. And 
since bromeliads would rather be 
clinging to the rough bark of a 
tree with their roots bare we 
give them a light porous mixture 
of one half leaf-mold and one 
half sharp sand and if possible, 
some chopped Uae pant Se . 
fern fiber. Most bromeliads wi 
take this leaf-mold-sand mixture Sar or aga aes 
but it is best to use only osmun- — 
dine fiber on Vriesias and Tillandsias. They are such highly special- 
ized epiphytes in the evolution of plants that the adjustment in a 
household is better accomplished if they have osmundine for their 
roots. 
The purpose is to give them a well drained acid potting medium 
that is not too rich since they feed only negligibly through their 
roots. They feed principally through the base of their leaves where 
the water is held. This water helps assimilate the chemicals of the 
air which this plant converts into food more directly than the terres- 
trial type of plant. 
In potting them it is well to remember that the soil should nov 
be up over the basal part of the leaves. Just over the stubby hard 


SANSEVERIA EHRENBERGILI 
