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Straits Times
01-08-2025
- Lifestyle
- Straits Times
Plant Parenting: How to grow orchids
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Depending on their growth habits, which can be upright or pendulous, these plants can be cultivated differently. SINGAPORE – Orchids, such as Singapore's national flower Vanda Miss Joaquim, are popular garden plants that are admired for their colourful and flamboyant blossoms. They are also epiphytic plants that grow on another living plant for support. The most common epiphytes here grow on trees in streets, parks and gardens. They are not parasites, as they do not depend on the host plant for nutrition. There are two types of epiphytes, the first being holo-epiphytes. These grow entirely off the ground and include not only orchids, but also air plants from the genus Tillandsia. Holo-epiphytes' roots need to dry out between rainfall. They are not accustomed to constant moisture and should never be planted in soil. Hemi-epiphytes, the second type, grow in the ground at one stage or another of their life cycles. Many aroids, which are popular houseplants, are hemi-epiphytes. They often grow along the soil of the forest floor until they find a tree. There, they produce aerial roots that attach to the tree's bark, and subsequently grow upwards towards light. Many of the orchids sold in local nurseries are epiphytic species and hybrids. Common ones come from the genera Dendrobium, Cattleya, Oncidium, Phalaenopsis and Vanda. Depending on their growth habits, which can be upright or pendulous, these plants can be cultivated differently. Orchid growing in containers A sympodial orchid has a horizontal growing stem at the base. Pseudobulbs (false stems) emerge from this stem and store water for the plant during harsh weather. PHOTO: NATIONAL PARKS BOARD Orchids with vertical stems are called monopodial orchids. Those with a horizontal growth habit, with upright pseudostems growing at intervals, are called sympodial orchids. In local gardens, epiphytic orchids are mostly grown in containers using charcoal chips or chunks. Charcoal is an affordable, durable and lightweight growing medium suited for tropical climates. A monopodial orchid has a single stem that grows upwards. Such orchids do not have pseudobulbs. PHOTO: NATIONAL PARKS BOARD In the past, broken bricks were used as a growing medium, as their weight prevented pots from toppling over. Pine bark chips are often used in temperate climates where the material is plentiful, but can be expensive here as they need to be imported. When using charcoal chips, their size needs to be customised according to the root system. Smaller chips are better for smaller plants with fine roots to anchor themselves for stability. But there must also be air pockets within the growing medium for drainage, so the roots can dry out quickly between each watering. A properly aerated root zone is crucial for epiphytic orchids. Charcoal is a common growing medium for orchids in Singapore. PHOTO: NATIONAL PARKS BOARD When growing orchids in charcoal in harsh environments, such as windy high-rise homes and exposed outdoor gardens, more frequent watering is required. Some gardeners add coconut husk chips to retain water in the root zone. Imported orchids often arrive on a buyer's doorstep in a pot of densely packed sphagnum moss. This material retains moisture very well. In humid Singapore, however, the moss can quickly become waterlogged from wet weather. This can cause root rot and disease, killing the plant. As such, it is essential to remove sphagnum moss from an orchid's root zone and repot it in charcoal chips. In the past, orchids were grown in heavy terracotta pots with holes in the sides to aerate the root zone and improve drainage. Now , gardeners can grow these flowers in lightweight plastic pots in a similar design. Hanging containers, such as wooden baskets or those with a mesh-like plastic coated material, will also serve this purpose. Plastic pots without holes, designed for conventional terrestrial plants, may not aerate the root zone well enough. Mounting orchids Some orchids are mounted on a flat surface, such as on a slab of fern bark or wood. The root systems of orchids grown this way are spread flat on the material, and plants are held in place by tying them to the material. This method of cultivation allows the roots to dry out due to the porous structure of fern bark, which is made up of a network of numerous thick fibres with air pockets in between. Plants grown on tree bark also have their roots exposed directly to the air. Epiphytic orchids can be mounted on a slab of fern bark, but these will dry out faster and need to be watered more often. PHOTO: NATIONAL PARKS BOARD Growing epiphytic orchids this way is an effective and practical way to display those with a pendulous growth habit, characterised via their long, hanging stems. One such orchid is the native Pigeon Orchid (Dendrobium crumenatum), which can be found on trees here. Mounting orchids also circumvents the issue of water accumulating within the crown of some orchid types, such as Moth Orchids (Phalaenopsis). Fertilising orchids The porous nature of potted media and mounting of epiphytic orchids make conventional fertilisation quite challenging. Orchid growers usually provide the necessary nutrients for their plants via water-soluble fertiliser. Fertilisers specially formulated for orchids are also available in salt form, which need to be dissolved in water. This means plants can be fed and watered simultaneously. Nutrients are taken up by plants via their roots and leaves, in a process known as foliar feeding. Slow-release fertiliser pellets can be kept near, but not in direct contact with, an orchid's roots. PHOTO: NATIONAL PARKS BOARD Slow-release coated fertiliser pellets can also be used. First, put these pellets in a small bag fashioned from a piece of cloth or plastic netting. Next, tie the bag up and hang it near the orchid's roots. To prevent fertiliser burn, ensure they do not come into contact with the roots. Whenever the plant is watered, the pellets will release a small amount of nutrients.
New Paper
06-06-2025
- New Paper
3 weeks' jail each for married couple who smuggled dogs from Malaysia
A married couple who smuggled a pomeranian and a dachshund across the Causeway for a quick buck have been jailed. Soon Boon Khong and Reina Wong Si Qi, both 28, stood to earn between $900 and $1,000 for each completed transaction, according to court documents. On June 4, they were each jailed for three weeks after pleading guilty to two charges under the Animals and Birds Act. Two similar charges for each of them were taken into consideration. In court, District Judge Wong Li Tein said importing animals without proper licensing poses public health risks, which Singapore as a densely populated community cannot afford to take. The buyer of the dachshund, Tok Su Wen, 41, was fined $7,000 in December 2024 - the first time the National Parks Board (NParks) had prosecuted a purchaser for abetting animal smuggling. NParks prosecutor Lim Chong Hui told the court that in late 2022, Soon and Wong noticed a demand for pets sold at prices lower than those at pet shops in Singapore. They began advertising animals from various sources in Malaysia for sale on social media platforms and chat groups on messaging application Telegram. Initially, the couple only introduced potential buyers to sellers in Malaysia, earning between $50 and $100 for acting as middlemen. Both dogs had an umbilical hernia, while the dachshund had a bloated belly, patches of hair loss and dirty ears. PHOTO: NATIONAL PARKS BOARD After the sellers said they preferred to deal directly with the couple instead of the buyers, Soon and Wong started getting involved in the transportation of the animals. They were aware that importing animals from Malaysia without the requisite licence was illegal but chose to disregard the legal requirements due to the high fees involved. Before their arrest, the couple smuggled a pomeranian and a poodle on Feb 1, 2023, without being detected. The dogs' current status is unknown. Tok had reached out to Soon and Wong in January 2023 after seeing an ad they had posted for dogs for sale on Telegram. She was informed that the importation of animals would be done illegally, but she decided to go ahead. On Feb 2, 2023, Soon and Wong collected two dogs from a pet shop in Johor Bahru. Soon had got the pomeranian as a gift for Wong while the dachshund was to be delivered to Tok's home. The offence came to light when the couple's vehicle was stopped for an inspection at the Woodlands Checkpoint around 6pm that day. Officers from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority found both dogs at the foot area of the front passenger seat. Wong had placed her handbag in front to obscure them from view. Both dogs had an umbilical hernia while the dachshund had a bloated belly, patches of hair loss and dirty ears. But they were otherwise alert and hydrated. The couple's lawyer Tan Cheng Kiong argued for a fine instead of jail, noting that the dogs they had brought in were not mistreated or suffering from any canine diseases. Mr Tan also said his clients were first-time offenders. "They are still relatively young, and I think this is going to be a lesson for them that they will certainly learn from," he said. In response, Mr Lim said it was purely fortuitous that the dogs had no diseases, and it was not because the couple had taken measures to ensure it. In an earlier statement, NParks said the smuggling and illegal trade of pets pose a threat to public health and also compromise animal welfare. NParks strongly encourages prospective owners to adopt their pets from animal welfare groups or to purchase them from licensed shops. The agency also warned that buyers who abet the illicit importation of their pets into Singapore may also end up facing prosecution. Under the Animals and Birds Act, offenders caught importing any animal or bird without a licence can be fined up to $10,000, jailed for up to 12 months, or both.
Straits Times
01-06-2025
- Science
- Straits Times
Small but mighty: Study shows S'pore's seagrasses rank among top global carbon stores per hectare
Seagrass meadows in the Central Indo-Pacific region, which includes Singapore and Malaysia, can lock up an average of 86 metric tonnes of carbon per hectare – equivalent to the annual emissions from 22 cars. PHOTO: NATIONAL PARKS BOARD SINGAPORE – Singapore's seagrass meadows may be small, but the remaining patches of the ocean's only flowering plant here are punching above their weight when it comes to their ability to store carbon, a new study has found. Seagrass meadows in the Central Indo-Pacific region, which includes Singapore and Malaysia, can lock up an average of 86 metric tonnes of carbon per hectare – equivalent to the annual emissions from 22 cars. This is more than twice the global average of 38 metric tonnes per hectare, the study found. The research, which quantified carbon stocks in seagrass ecosystems globally, was done by researchers from academic institutions and organisations across the globe, including the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Singapore-based International Blue Carbon Institute. Published in research journal Nature in May, the study identified the lagoons and small deltas of the Indo-Pacific as being among the top five regions globally with the highest organic carbon storage potential, alongside the Mediterranean, Colombia, Florida and South Africa. Organic carbon refers to carbon that comes from living things. While seagrass meadows are known to be natural carbon sponges that can soak up planet-warming carbon dioxide, there is still much uncertainty and knowledge gaps about these ecosystems, making their conservation challenging. The aim of the study, said the researchers, was to provide policymakers with greater understanding about the factors that affect the carbon storage potential of seagrass meadows. This could help guide the 'development, integrity and reliability of climate change policy, and financing to support seagrass conservation and restoration', they said. What are seagrasses? Seagrasses are aquatic plants that take in carbon dioxide through photosynthesis. This carbon is locked up in the plants' roots and underground stems, and the soil they grow in. Being anchored to the seafloor by their roots, these habitats can also 'trap' carbon-containing particles, such as bits of dead plants or animal faeces, carried by the currents, said Dr Siti Yaakub, senior director of the International Blue Carbon Institute and a co-author of the paper. As more of these particles eventually settle on the seabed, they get trapped in structures of the seagrass. As these layers accumulate, the carbon gets buried by new layers of sediment and moves deeper into the earth, said Dr Siti. Burrowing animals in the seafloor, such as clams and worms, also help bring the carbon to deeper layers of the sediment, she added. These characteristics make seagrass meadows a promising ally in humanity's fight against climate change. A separate study, also published in Nature in 2021, estimated that seagrasses are 40 times more efficient at capturing organic carbon than land forest soils. However, different environmental conditions and types of seagrass could affect how much carbon is stored at a particular site , resulting in a large variation globally . For example, Dr Siti said seagrass meadows near big rivers tend to contain a higher carbon content in the seabed due to the discharge of river sediment and carbon-rich organic matter. Heavy rain can also affect seagrass growth, as the rainfall could stir up sediment and prevent sunlight from reaching the plant. Similarly, high levels of nutrients in waters can cause algae blooms that reduce water clarity. Nutrient levels can go up when fish feed and waste materials are released from fish farms into the sea. The study is one of the first to map out the potential of seagrass meadows around the world to act as natural sponges that can soak up planet-warming carbon dioxide, Dr Siti said. S'pore's underwater carbon banks Through an analysis of 2,171 soil cores retrieved from seagrass beds around the world, the researchers found that the region's seagrass meadows had one of the world's highest carbon stocks on a per-hectare basis. 'As a region, we do have a slightly higher-than-average carbon stock because there is a lot of seagrass in shallow sheltered coastal waters that are also adjacent to river systems, so there's a good source of allochthonous (external) inputs,' said Dr Siti. 'If we lose all this seagrass with high carbon stocks, we will not be able to recover the carbon that is lost. It will take many decades to restore it.' Singapore is home to 12 of the 72 known species of seagrass globally, with some of the country's largest meadows found at Chek Jawa on Pulau Ubin, Pulau Semakau, Cyrene Reef and Changi Beach, said Dr Siti. Seagrass meadows in the Republic also act as shelters and nursery areas for numerous animals like seahorses, and serve as the primary food source for sea turtles and dugongs. The biggest threats to seagrass meadows in Singapore are coastal development and high sedimentation. Large amounts of sediment in the water can result in low light levels reaching the plant. A healthy ecosystem should have a balance of both sediment input and output to avoid erosion – which may result in the unearthing of buried carbon or burying of seagrass. But changes to coastlines from land reclamation projects may alter the dynamics of water and sediment movement. 'If you change the coastal environment such that it increases the rate of erosion, and block off sediments coming in from rivers, it becomes a double whammy, because sediments are now being washed away with no supply to replenish these systems,' Dr Siti noted. Efforts to protect seagrass meadows have been ramped up since 2007, when the National Parks Board (NParks) began working with Seagrass-Watch – the world's largest scientific seagrass assessment and monitoring programme – to monitor the health of seagrass on Singapore's shores. Singapore in 2024 also launched its first seagrass restoration project, in an effort by NParks and NUS. The project was fully funded by OCBC Bank. Dr Samantha Lai, deputy director of NParks' National Biodiversity Centre Coastal and Marine branch, said the board has also been working with NUS and NParks volunteers on separate projects that aim to study the health and conservation needs of seagrasses. Moving forward, Dr Siti said that a better understanding of the seasonal growth cycles of seagrass can help with better planning during dredging and reclamation activities to minimise stress on the seagrass population. 'For example, if there is dredging involved, there should be measures taken to contain the sediment plumes so that they don't spread to areas with seagrass and stress them out even more,' Dr Siti said. At the global level, the study provided some insight into the carbon storage potential of seagrass meadows in the region, she added. However, the large variation also shows that countries need to more closely study the quantity of carbon being sequestered in their own meadows. This is especially if they intend to tap the carbon storage abilities of these habitats in their plans to tackle climate change, she said. 'The issue with seagrass is that it's not very well mapped. For example, estimates of seagrass cover in Indonesia range between 300,000ha and three million ha, which is a huge range. This results in big uncertainty in calculating the climate mitigation potential of seagrass with respect to their climate commitments. But there are efforts under way to better understand seagrass cover and map them globally ,' Dr Siti said. Singapore can contribute to deepening this understanding, said local experts. Dr Ow Yan Xiang, a seagrass scientist and senior research fellow at the St John's Island National Marine Laboratory who was not involved in the latest research, said: 'This study shows that Singapore has one of the highest data density and sampling efforts for seagrass carbon stocks. Also, our seagrass population is holding steady, despite the region's seagrass declining at an average of 4.7 per cent per year.' The high data density refers to Singapore contributing a high amount of data, in proportion to its small coastline. Dr Siti said: 'This places Singapore at the forefront of carbon mitigation efforts because one, we have influence in climate negotiations, and two, we have the resources and expertise to facilitate or help other countries deploy natural climate solutions.' Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
