# Will plants grow in Ecoearth?



## Arachnomore (Feb 18, 2008)

I'm thinking about adding some plants to all my containers. Will they grow in Ecoearth?


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## jbrd (Feb 18, 2008)

*you can grow this in them.*

I know mushrooms will pop up in a a day or three.  







Besides the mushroom, I know grass seed and air ferns will grow no problem.


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## Aarantula (Feb 18, 2008)

Now... why in the world would you choose mushrooms of all things to grow...


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## jbrd (Feb 18, 2008)

Aarantula said:


> Now... why in the world would you choose mushrooms of all things to grow...



Its just in our one tank that we have eco-earth in. Why they keep popping up in just that one enclosure I have no idea. Maybe I should grow just shrooms in that tank


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## Arachnomore (Feb 18, 2008)

Mushrooms are pretty versitile... they can grow on lots of things... don't really need soil. my brother found one growing in his carpet in the basement. I'm thinking of getting ferns... will they cut a T?


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## Steven Valys (Feb 18, 2008)

Ferns won't cut T's and plants will grow in eco-earth for a while.  Once they use up the nutrients, you'll have to do a little fertilizing.  Ditto on the mushrooms.


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## jbrd (Feb 18, 2008)

Try the "pothos" plant. Its a really super common vine plant. It will need low to medium light and get this, they will grow with just a fluorescent light.


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## stonemantis (Feb 18, 2008)

Isaacboda said:


> I'm thinking about adding some plants to all my containers. Will they grow in Ecoearth?


Plants can grow for a limited time in Ecoearth but, most plants require more nutritous soil in order to thrive.

Also keep in mind when using live plants in an enclosure that the occupant will probably dig up the roots and possibly kill the plant to make their burrows. I found fake plants with the plastic film removed work best in enclosures with animals in them.


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## Antwon (Sep 21, 2017)

Hey guys just wanted to ask if anyone has had a random seed grow in substrate?  It was already in substrate but I don't know what it is if anyone knows it would be greatly appreciated thanks


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## maggiefiasco (Sep 21, 2017)

Antwon said:


> Hey guys just wanted to ask if anyone has had a random seed grow in substrate?  It was already in substrate but I don't know what it is if anyone knows it would be greatly appreciated thanks


Photo?  I am an amateur horticulture enthusiast, sometimes I can help ID plants, sometimes not... Honestly from what I have read -- because I wanted to make a very lush vivarium full of live plants for my T's -- there are several issues to consider.

1.) Even if the plant will grow in the substrate, is it safe to have in there with your T?  

2.)  What type of T do you want the plant to live with?  The biome or growth habit of your T and the plant should match.  I would not put a tropical plant in with a desert tarantula because the plant will require far more moisture than the T will appreciate.

3.)  Mold!  Almost all plants, unless you're talking succulents or cacti, are going to need a regular source of water.  If you are watering your substrate for the plant, how are you going to also keep your tank free of mold?  High humidity environments are breeding grounds for all types of mold and fungus.

Overall, when I asked myself those questions, I figured it was not worth the risk to my T's to try and get them to cohabitate with live plants.  I felt like there was too much compromise there, and I wouldn't be doing the best thing for the T or the plant.  But its up to you

Reactions: Agree 3


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## Nonnack (Sep 22, 2017)

I think terrariums with live plants looks great. Its not easy, but worth the effort. In future I would like to have plants in every terrarium. Where it is possible ofc, can't imagine Chilobrachys terrarium where plants are growing well.

About the topic, Tradescantia is doing ok in eco earth, already tested it. Also you can think about Tillandsia, it doesn't need any substrate at all.


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## Antwon (Sep 24, 2017)

maggiefiasco said:


> Photo?  I am an amateur horticulture enthusiast, sometimes I can help ID plants, sometimes not... Honestly from what I have read -- because I wanted to make a very lush vivarium full of live plants for my T's -- there are several issues to consider.
> 
> 1.) Even if the plant will grow in the substrate, is it safe to have in there with your T?
> 
> ...


Thanks for the reply I actually have no t's or anything in the small enclosure I have set up other then small  back yard plants for testing as I've run into alot of probs like what you pointed out before and was scared of mold but it seems its very hard to not get some form of it but with this enclosure I made drain holes and no mold yet I'm not planning on any pets until I'm certain of how to do this safely as I know of some who have lost their t's to mold and it's actually just a test enclosure because of this so it's really a mini to experiment on . I would post a pic but don't know exactly how as this is my second msg thanks for the help


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## Tim Benzedrine (Sep 25, 2017)

Pothos will grow quite well in coco-fibre in my experience. I had it in a pac-man frog enclosure and had to prune it back numerous times. (The plant, not the frog). Now, in this caseI i potted the pothos, but the soil in the pot was coco-fibre. In the first photo, the plant was beginning to take off quite nicely. In the second picture, you can see just how well it was doing. Perhaps just by simple good fortune, to my recollection, I never experienced mould  in the enclosure.
There is, of course, a big difference in the moisture levels betwixt a frog's cage,  and a tatantula's, even a species tht likes it a bit damp. But the question was whether it would grow well in pure coco fibre.
Oh, and note that as the plant sent out tendrils, the became rooted in the coco fibre outside of the pot. Also, the presence of flourescent lighting probably played a non-nelgigible role in the success. So this does not answer how suitable it is in a tarantula cage, really.

Oh, and the mushrooms in the second photo are fake.


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## maggiefiasco (Sep 25, 2017)

I also caution against using outside plants that you find, just because you have no idea what they have been sprayed with, contaminated with or grown in.  I have a lush backyard with tons of succulents and other plants that I wanted to use in my terrariums, and we do not use fertilizer or pesticides... but my neighbors do.  I am also very close by to a drainage canal, and I worried about cross contamination with water and animals coming from the canal into my yard.  We have tons of nutria, rats and other rodents coming into our yard from that filthy canal.  Also, plenty of that residue comes down in rainwater as well.  I dunno....

There are just a lot of variables at play here that you can't really nail down.  And I would not feel safe putting a wild live plant in with my T with a doubt about how safe it may or may not be for him/her.  Personally I wouldn't chance it, but like I said in my original post, your T, your risk!  Sadly, the terrariums and vivariums built up with live plants are STUNNING, I absolutely love them... but I don't think I'd build one myself with wild live plants for any of the T species I am currently keeping.


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