วีดีโอ

Hahaha yeah I’m an ‘actual’ artist. I pay my mortgage with creating or teaching art in one way or another. I mostly use reference especially when I’m learning a new genus or family. Eventually (as with aroids) you build up and internal visual library so you can draw from memory at that point. Stapeliads and Carnivores are my current Winter obsession. I’ve kept them for years but never really drawn or modelled them very often so this practice helps.

​@@aroid_artistwell, I'm definitely tuned in to follow along and catch up on your older entries.

Good call on the air. This cabinet does have a fan fitted but I haven't used it in a while. Might really help.

@aroid_artist for sure, last thing u want in these plants are rot that can spread super Easy.

I've only done instagram reels and TH-cam shorts with my Stapeliads. I've only kept them for a few years so I'm learning every week as they go through their life cycles. As my collection has grown it's made me think I'd like to add more videos about them to the channel. I have always tried to keep the channel mostly Aroids but I keep and care for so many other Genus it seems silly to limit myself. I have a well established Carnivorous collection including indoor and outdoor species. I am think. to include those too. WIth Stapeliads their smell differs between the species. They are called carrion flowers and are pollinated by flys like a lot of the Aroids I keep so most of them do have a little pong for a day or two.

@@aroid_artist well, where can I find more of your work?

Absolutely I can. In summary I want big healthy tubers. Tubers are stems and a similar crop that has been heavily researched is potatoes. in terms of NPK the emphasis for tuber growth on the P (Phosphorous). Bone meal provides phosphorus and calcium to plants with a bit of nitrogen. Bone meal is typically 3-15-0 along with a calcium content of around 12% or similar. My tubers don’t need any P until they are in full growth and roots have come out of the top of the tuber and headed down into the soil. The tuber is stored energy and has more than enough to start petioles, leaves and roots. Once the tuber is in full growth and is photosynthesising (adding sugars back to the new tuber) It THEN needs additional nutrients. Remember, the mass is from gas. Plant food is light not dirt. Having too much fertiliser around new roots is a great way to kill them as they are emerging. Having bonemeal lower means they can go and get it when it’s needed. Once they are fully in growth I also water with suitable seaweed or similar and often throw in some osmocoat. One note of caution. This only works well with soil ph being low. (under 7). Here’s a good example of the pros and cons of bone meal use: www.epicgardening.com/bone-meal/ And a good potato article. extension.umaine.edu/publications/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2020/05/2250.pdf

@@aroid_artist It's perfectly clear now. Thanks. I will also try to experiment myself but it makes a lot of sense that adding fertilizer too early in the process might kill the fragile roots.

@@expertmax32 I worked this out after killing SO many aroids. A tuber has evolved to get the plant going until it has a photosynthesising leaf and established roots capable of getting water and the extra nutrients it needs. Giving it anything before that seem illogical when you think about it. Those little roots just need to draw on the tuber to get going and then grow down and find the nutrients later in the cycle. My thoughts are changing on this subject every year and with continued research and I am far from being an expert.

Thanks for the feedback. Hardy aroids are my favourite plants and I’m slowly building and sharing my knowledge as the years roll by. I kill a lot but it all adds to the experience of growing them. I draw them all the time and I prefer to grow my own reference material rather than just googling.

@@aroid_artist Unfortunately, I have to do some research because they are very hard to import here. I really can't afford to lose a tuber. Since Galloway's passing, it seems like research from the community has slowed down.

Thanks for the support and feedback! always apprieciated. This has been my weirdest year for all my aroids. Overall Sauromatum of all kinds have done really well. My Amorphophallus have been TERRIBLE. Some just didn't wake up outside at all. I've had a load rot out as well. Sauromatum horsfieldii has gone mental and is quite weedy all over my garden. Sauromatum Indian Giant was fine but went down quickly and S. Giganteum take up late and never flowered. The don't know how to handle this odd weather.

@aroid_artist we had heatwave and no rain the first 3 months of spring, konjac woke up super late and so did sauromatum. I find the smaller tubers takes forever to wake up compared to the big ones, as for the other species i dont have. We first got a real rain Shower in June that woke up the plants..but rain been limited this year and full power on the sun...now i heard we may get a Frost soon and none of my plants is done for the year 🫤

My Sauromatums are like EVERYTHING-tolerant except heatwaves. We've had one this year that claimed the life of two Venosums. 40 degrees C for 5 days straight is not really optimal lol.

@@expertmax32 was it in full sun, did u water it? And yep i think 40c is about too much, since they come from Himalaya, i think they cope better with cold than heat.

Ohh I hadn't thought about that! I know we have really messed him up by messing around with his growing cycle but honestly I expected that to happen. I think Rupert is essentially resting in peace and his children can carry on the legacy. There are so few people selling hardy aroids these day post Brexit. If you DM pester me on my Aroid Artist Instagram I'll send you a couple. I have 100's in the ground now.

I have seen someone sell one in the states on Etsy, if u still looking for one, they stupid rare.

Hi there. I do reuse my soil most years. I refresh it with my home made worm castings and compost made from garden waste. I further enhance it with osmocoat and bonemeal usually. When I think soil is getting deleted I just turn it into the compost or throw it on the garden. I find most of my Amorphs go down around the end of October unless there is an early frost. Any that I want to keep growing I take to my studio and keep them going. Some of the more tender ones like Atroviridis, Longituberous and similar I have to being in a bit earlier. The problem I get it that some plants get confused and even though I can keep them going they go down in the spring or summer which is quite annoying. I have had a TERRIBLE year for Amorphs, Colocasia and Arisaema. However, Gorgonideum, Remasutia, Pinellia and all my Wetland Aroids (Lysichiton, Calla, Zandts, Peltandra, Orontium have all loved the wet weather. Bulbifer hate me. I keep them for a year or two and they rot.

@@aroid_artist ty again for the detailed info/care guide! Im sorry about you having a bad year, its funny that bulbifer is a so called moonsoon plant but cant take our summer rain? Not sure why but konjac seem to be way more tolerate over for too much water, even wet soil. I have had 50 tubers and 0 death or rod issues. My bulbifer had a great last year but this year, some came up late summer but rotted away, now im down to 3 tubers out of like 15.....may try bulbifer again but with the ease of konjac, i think i will keep only that specie. Also another question: when you remove baby tubers/arms do u put cinnamon on the wounds or just let it heal over by itself? Ty in advance.

Ohb hadn't thought about watering!! Good shout