UnitedNatures Design by Erik C. van Zuilekom | Businesses

UnitedNatures Design by Erik C. van Zuilekom

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25.01.2022 https://www.facebook.com/inwardoutstudio/posts/989663251534573

25.01.2022 A wonderful discussion and collaboration with @seedandsoulclub regarding the evolution and mysteries of Aroids, both botanically and ecologically in habitat. In this discussion I offered perspectives on how to ‘read’ plant biological architecture, to utilise this process to better understand what they are trying to achieve in habitat and how to use this to enhance growing them at home. We also covered the functions of variegation, various related plant traits and how many of ...the species we grow, function in habitat as part of diverse communities. This interview runs for approx. 1hr. https://www.instagram.com/tv/CFnoIpdgkTA/

23.01.2022 Hi Aroiders, This weekend, botanist UnitedNatures Design by Erik C. van Zuilekom will guide us to look behind why different species of Aroids have such varie...d leaf forms, propagation speeds, and humidity requirements, as a response to their original competition, environment, and community. Do come with questions! bit.ly/seed10show

21.01.2022 Cracking the Scindapsus treubii rooting process. We all know that in most collections, Scindapsus treubii can be exceptionally slow growing and challenging for many to achieve a high cutting strike rate. Achieving optimal growth responses and by extension propagation success lies in understanding the balances each species requires and why they may be different to another species.... Regardless of the species, a universal methodology to discovering these balances lies in observing variations between temp, humidity, light and nutrients. All plants require these inputs, therefore mastery lies in delving into the subtleties within each input and understanding how to combine each to generate an ideal balance for each species. The lowest of these 4 inputs sets the entire systems pace. This is important to contemplate. If one is low and the others high then the excesses beyond the threshold of the lowest input, generally become toxicities (eg. excessive nutrients leading to salt or nutrient toxicity or excess light leading to leaf bleaching due to supersaturation) and the lowest input becomes a deficiency (eg. insufficient nutrients leading to growth deformities or nutrient deficiencies or insufficient light leading to etiolation, etc.) Each input needs to be raised incrementally on a sliding scale to uphold balances. We can achieve the same understanding by better educating ourselves on the identity and life-story of each species, knowing where in an ecology they evolved and why. Each species is different pending its ecological function i.e. P. verrucosum generates rapid growth as a primary coloniser of disturbed rainforest fringes or zones of disturbance in the rainforest canopy. It grows rapidly and requires a balance set with higher inputs parameters to maintain its rapid development, compared with S. treubii which is a secondary or tertiary coloniser, generally in established and stable rainforest environments where it’s strategy is to grow slower with resilient, thicker foliage, requiring an input balance with lower parameters and thresholds. This cutting was struck in 4 weeks, aerial & basal roots now circa 25cm Long Subtlety, observation & ecology.

18.01.2022 A belated video upload of a project I designed the planting components of, for the vertical garden, roof gardens and cascading gardens. James Birrell was the landscape architect that contracted Fytogreen Australia to design and deliver the living architecture technologies. Considering these are specialist technologies and applications, I was given free reign in the design, though within a design brief stipulating ‘merge plantings on structure with those of surrounding remnan...t vegetation. To be sensitive to site and surrounding ecologies’. I’m pleased the project is now receiving recognition. Herewith a link to 9News coverage. Well done Fytogreen and James Birrell. https://www.facebook.com/9NewsQueensland/videos/1158769764487663/

17.01.2022 Please consider the following, humble suggestion: It’s interesting how certain plants impact people in different ways. Value may be a perception, a construct or a response to fulfilling needs. In so many cases, humans select for aesthetic whilst nature does not select, rather survival is a naturally unfolding outcome expressing form fulfilling function. ... In nature, form following function results in increased chances of survival and persistence, frequently a higher quality of life, yet, with humans and our frivolity, function so often follows form, resulting in increased value which does not support persistence or resiliency. One is an agent for valuable change, the other changes the agency of value.

15.01.2022 This Sunday 27 Sept 9pm AEST (QLD time in Australia) which is Sat 26 Sept 4pm Pacific Daylight Time in the USA, I’ll be chatting with Jun from Seed and Soul Club about Aroids and their evolution, architecture, ecological niches and how this informs us about their culture at home. There will be a chance for Q&A

13.01.2022 A bit of chaos and congestion in shade house 3 as I prepare the internal perimeter to be closed in with 210micron greenhouse plastic. I have a shipment of my research plants potentially arriving next week, thus the need to complete this upgrade before the pressure is on to house the new arrivals. Fortunately the delivery of greenhouse plastic, fittings and aluminium channels arrived on Saturday, from Victoria.... This will also kickstart the need for me to start transitioning many potted plants into the garden. So many jobs converging at the same time of late! A good challenge to have albeit exhausting.

12.01.2022 Circa 90% germination rate from a Monstera deliciosa ‘borsigiana variegata’. It currently looks like a single seedling is expressing variegation with all others currently with exclusively green foliage. That’s a 6.66% transferral rate of variegation to progeny via seed. ... Even though this is a small sample it is still worth noting.

10.01.2022 I often walk past this specimen as it’s been tucked between other, larger, species. It’s latest leaves have meandered through to unfurl over others in a passive-aggressive manner akin to what happens in habitat. So often we look past what seems slow, what seems simple, what seems to not affect us to any notable effect. The deep, strong, currents below still surfaces are what move mountains, carve rock and divide continents.... Plants have been here a lot longer than we have. Their seeming lack of mind and elegant simplicity are potentially far more refined than our frenetic, busy, and self-assessed sense of value suggests. The mind of a fly likely feels we slow-moving human animals are barely experiencing an existence at our slow pace of functioning, compared to theirs. Value, sense of strength and level of evolution are merely perspectives mostly gained through self-assessment according to self-defined rules of assessment. Learn to see what lies beneath. .... Anthurium dolichostachyum. As expected, this one will continue to produce ever larger leaves as long as humidity is sufficiently high, light intensity and nutrient supply are well balanced.

07.01.2022 Velvety Philodendron verrucosum overload. This is likely one of the first species to benefit most from higher humidity now the shadehouse walls have been covered. I’ll start focussing on passively building ambient humidity to reduce water consumption.

04.01.2022 Shadehouse upgrade complete! All the walls are covered in plastic. I chose a clear, 210micron, greenhouse plastic with anti-fog and a minuscule shading factor (90% light transmission). I also chose a double clipping system for ease of installation/removal. Having said that, I complicated it all by trying to fit all connection channels to existing support structures, therefore had to cut it into multiple sections to fit on horizontal supports between verticals. Next time I’l...l likely install a dedicated perimeter support to attach the channels directly to. This will make it easier, less finicky and neater, albeit more expensive. The door to the shadehouse is not clad in plastic, serving as a vent to direct air movement inwards/outwards and upwards to be vented below the roof which is elevated above the structure, providing a 360 degree perimeter vent of circa 100mm height up to the curved roof peak, circa 250mm above the plastic-clad walls. Air moment is paramount for cooling through summer, allowing for evaporation of foliage moisture before nighttime (reducing foliage bacterial and fungal issues). This is more so for Anyhurium and similar species which are more prone to blight, etc. The plastic walls will aid in increasing humidity which I find is sufficiently low at times in my climate, to allow spider mite to frequent the shadehouses. A slight increase in daytime temperatures will certainly benefit plants through winter. This will not be a heated greenhouse as I seek to grow plants that do not require more than passive assistance (and the related avoidance of vulnerability and expense). I seek to maintain a modicum of sustainability for my collections and household, in general. This job was rushed in preparation for the freighting of a large amount of my research plants from Victoria, due to arrive tomorrow. This was certainly exhausting to install though offers a sense of fulfilment, upon completion. I did accidentally tear the greenhouse plastic in one corner, which will need to be remedied asap. Watch this space as I anticipate it will soon be absolutely overrun with plants! So much for planning an island propagation bed in the centre...

03.01.2022 Velvet overload. This image doesn’t provide a sense of scale for this large Philodendron ‘Glorious’ (P. melanochrysum x P. gloriosum). This leaf is still expanding and growing, soft and flexible.... I know I could increase the leaf sizes of these specimens by increasing the shade factor, which would furthermore increase their depth of green and darkness. I choose to retain 80% shade-cloth as I feel it currently strikes a good balance between growth rate, aesthetic and robustness. Wind moves freely through this shade-house, any further shading and the resultant increased leaf sizes would likely exacerbate damage to leaves as they brush together. My plants aren’t picture perfect or in a state of plastic stasis, they certainly do show blemishes! Today I received a delivery of greenhouse plastic which will be installed to line the walls, this will likely add a further 8-10% shading factor though will also take the edge off wind and buffer humidity. Air flow will still be constant as the solid roof is raised, allowing for laminar and turbulent air flow to void the internal air volume rapidly, pending which direction wind enters. This helps to keep fungal and bacterial leaf infections down. Watch this space as I expect these plants to boom once humidity levels rise!