Editorial Type:
Article Category: Research Article
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Online Publication Date: 01 Dec 1990

Leachate Electrical Conductivity and pH for Ten Foliage Plants

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Page Range: 166 – 172
DOI: 10.24266/0738-2898-8.4.166
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Abstract

Most foliage plant varieties tested produce salable plants when fertilized with a wide range of rates. About 5 grams 19N-2.6P-10K (19-6-12) per 15 cm pot per 3 months resulted in best Dracaena fragrans ‘Massangeana’, Nephrolepis exaltata ‘Compacta’, and Philodendron s. oxycardium. No more than 2.4 grams per pot appears best for Chamaedorea elegans. Aglaonema ‘Silver Queen’, Aphelandra squarrosa ‘Dania’, Codiaeum variegatum ‘Banana’, Spathiphyllum ‘Petite’, Dieffenbachia maculata ‘Camille’ and Epipremnum aureum ‘Marble Queen’ grew best at about 10 grams per pot per 3 mos. Only P. s. oxycardium and C. elegans had a narrow requirement for fertilization levels. Electrical conductivity (EC) of leachate obtained from pots of best quality plants had a very wide range indicating leachate EC is a poor indicator for production of quality plants.

Keywords: nutrition; Apollo zebra plant [Aphelandra squarrosa Nees]; banana croton [Codiaeum variegatum (L.) Blume ‘Banana’]; corn plant [Dracaena fragrans (L.) Ker-Gawl. ‘Massangeana’]; dumb cane [Dieffenbachia maculata (Lodd) G. Don ‘Camille’]; dwarf Boston fern [Nephrolepis exaltata (L.) Schott ‘Bostoniensis Compacta’]; heart-leaf philodendron [Philodendron scandens oxycardium (Schott) Bunt.]; marble queen pothos [Epipremnum aureum (Linden & Andre) Bunt. ‘Marble Queen’]; parlor palm [Chamaedorea elegans Mart.]; petite peace lily [Spathiphyllum Schott. ‘Petite’]; silver queen aglaonema [Aglaonema Schott. ‘Silver Queen’].
Copyright: Copyright, All Rights Reserved 1990

Contributor Notes

Published as Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, Journal Series No. R-00422.

2Professor of Physiology

3Professor and Center Director

Received: 31 Jan 1990
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