[GrowRR] tip dry of the leaves

[FZachariah at aol.com]

In a message dated 10/19/03 11:50:15 PM Central Daylight Time, 
liping_lili at yahoo.com writes:

> From this summer till now some of Vrieseas and Guzmanias in my collection 
> always get tip dry of the leaves.  Recently, I cut the dry leaves back, but it 
> comes out again, seems like the fungi problem. Could any one tell me the 
> reason and how to deal with. Thank you in advance.

One cause -- and I emphasize one because there are several unrelated things 
that can cause this damage -- is high soluble salts. This is usually the 
problem when I notice it on my own plants. 
This can be from excessive fertilization or high salts (like sodium) in your 
water source. Vrieseas and Guzmanias are more sensitive to excess salts than 
other bromeliads like neos or billbergias.
A couple of tricks I've learned: Try growing some variegated draceanas like 
"Janet Craig." If it is in the water, they will also show tip burn. Also grow 
begonias (or pansies, if your climate allows it). If growth is yellowish, it is 
fertilizer. These will confirm the problem in weeks rather than the months it 
takes to show up on the bromeliads. If you have access to a lab, like a 
university, you can get the water and leachate (what cames out of the pot) tested.
As a precaution, I would stop all fertilization. You probably don't need any 
till spring anyway.
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