Alright, so, I decided to give the ole green thumb a test run... and purchased some plants. Everytime I received plants as gifts, they'd die, but I'm thinking it was too much of an environmental shock to them, so they died... So, I purchased an Easter Lily, the day before easter sunday. And on the day of 06/06/2006, around 6pm (LITTERALLY) my Easter Lily spontaniously combusted!!! I'm thinking the time and date are coinsidence... maybe not... but what about this combustion?!? has anyone ever experienced anything like this?: the root system just went up in flame, but the plant (above soil) wasn't harmed by the flames... and the plastic pot it was in just exploded and all the soil was ash. the only thing left is the top part of the easter lily, and about 5 pieces of plastic pot, and ash, with some soil. Help my brain, is this the devil saying I shoulding grow plants?!?
I've only ever heard of Cistus spontaneously combusting..........however a combination of a bark based compost with a control release fertilizer placed in the full sun, might just heat up enough to combust????. Talking of combustion a local green waste recycling depot had one of their compost heaps go up in flames, so it is possible.
Yes, fertilizer could definitely do it - you may not realize it, but it's used as an amateur (but effective) component in terrorist explosives sometimes. Stick to houseplant fert. and use only the recommended dosage.
Sorry for the delayed response... The soil mixture appeared as if it were just dug up out of the ground, with added bark and sticks. It smelled like dirt, no sign of manuer (?sp) and definately no sign of time-released particles. It was, however, in direct sun light...
Swamp gas? Aka methane. This is the gas that they flare off from landfill sites due to decompostion. May I suggest that a pocket of methane built up inside the soil until it was ignited somehow. Ummm, maybe skip buying Easter Lilies from Walmart (LOL). It would be great if you could attach a photo of the remnants.
