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Re: a little more about potted plants
> -Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1998 20:49:06 -0500
> From: krandall at world_std.com
> Subject: No Tropica Plants in U.S. (yet)
>
> Tropica plants are easy to identify anyway, because the pot actually has
> the tropica trademark logo on it. There is also a identification and care
> tag included with each plant. There are at least two companies producing
> good quality potted, hydroponically grown aquarium plants in this country,
> Florida Aquatic Nurseries and Gilbergs. FAN has close to the same
> selection as Tropica. From what I've seen in the stores, Gilbergs has a
> little less selection, but the plants look to be good quality. Both
> growers have emulated Tropica and include care and ID tags with each plant.
>
> Karen Randall
> Aquatic Gardeners Association
If I was a grower who produced all my plants hydroponically, I could sure see that
my sales strategy would suggest that this is the best way if not only way for a
consumer to buy plants. There are certain benefits, but there are also downsides.
In the US, I would say there are a lot more aquatic plants produced in soil beds,
than hydroponically. Comparing the two methods, I see no advantage in the
hydroponically grown potted ones over those grown in soil beds or shallow emersed
beds.
As far as Florida Aquatic Nursery is concerned, his end product might suggest that
it was grown like Tropicas, but I don't think much is. For sure he buys a lot of
wild collected and imported plants.
What really prompts me to write concerns the pots themselves. I think it would be
easy to assume, that a plant with a pot is likely to be raised hydroponically. From
this assumption , it might be deduced that potted plants are better quality than non
potted.
First of all, there is no benefit to the health of a plant because it wears a pot.
The rockwool is inert. Potted plants are probably becoming more popular, but not
because more plants are being grown hydroponically. The reason is the pet shops.
What pet shop is what US growers gear to. Many pet shops prefer potted plants simply
because they display plants better, and are easier to move around from tank to tank
or when cleaning. However, they pay a big premium for the pot and this is passed on
the customer. The farm is more than happy to sell the plants potted because they
make extra money selling the pots and potting the plants. All the the farm is
really doing is taking existing inventory such as a bunch of stem plants and putting
them in a pot, maybe giving them a few days to grow some roots then often doubling
or more the price. My guess is, that there are 50-100 potted plants sold in the US
this way for every hydroponically grown potted plant.
The benefit to you the customer is none, unless you like a higher a price. Very
few experts would suggest leaving the pots on when planting in the aquarium, so it
just gets thrown out.
Dan TKLM