[APD] hydroponic emersed culture

[Cavan <millsman7 at yahoo_com>]

Hi everybody

I've been growing Hygrophila corymbosa, H. difformis,
Limnophila aromatica (aka Gratiola), and Echinodorus
tenellus out on the deck this summer.  I have a few
questions.  

1.  How "rich" can you make the water you feed the
plants?  I'm not worried about algae or anything here,
so can you just really go for it?  The aromatica has
grown a lot more since I started adding macros and
Flourish to its water (lots more side shoots and
flowers).  The other plants are all growing out of a
big salsa jar filled with Flourite and dirt.  They
have been getting the same water as the aromatica. 
But, although the plants are healthy...

2.  Why haven't any of them grown much above 8 inches
or so?  All seem to have adapted to outside
conditions, but I thought they would have been much
larger by now.  As long as a plant has enough
nutrition, does it matter if the roots are a little
crowded?  I don't think that should be a problem at
this point, but could it?  For the most part, my thumb
is only green below water.  I'm ashamed to admit I
have some sad looking house plants.  

3.  What might the emersed temperature tolerance of
those plants be?  It's starting to get cool around
here.  

4.  Is the air inside an average house too dry for
them?  I'm wondering if they could make it as house
plants (which might spell their doom by either dryness
or neglect).  

5.  I suppose I could move them to a covered empty 20
long and leave them in a well lighted area.  I do have
a terrarium going, but emersed plants seem to do a lot
better under the sun than even under power compacts. 
I'm in Pittsburgh, so if I went that route, would they
require supplimental light (especially in the winter
months? I'm in Pittsburgh)?    

Thanks, Cavan  

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