Bromeliad species do not have roots as we normally expect. Instead they have "hold fasts" which are used only to hold the plant in place, normally on the trunk or branch of a tree but in some cases also in soil. The Tillandsia are primarily epiphytic meaning they grow on a tree or other plant. In the wild they collect rain water in the central cone so the only way to water them is to keep them damp and fill the cone with clean water on a regular basis. Most of the plants you have shown can be caused to attach themselves to a piece of cork bark if strapped in place for a long enough period. I have also used just a tiny dab of Liquid Nails glue to cause them to attach but they still need to be wired in place for at least 6 months or longer. We have a large artificial "tree log" in our tropical atrium almost covered with bromliad and and other epiphytic plants. All are watered via an overhead misting system. Misting on a regular basis is best but don't forget many of these have periods of dryness in the wild as well. You can see a few photos of our log on the homepage of the link below. Steve Here is a link that might be useful: The Exotic Rainforest

Sorry my initial description was so bad. So when I pulled some out I saw the original clove was mushy and I was able to peel it away. I stupidly thought the original clove stayed and new cloves developed around it. I just looked up some pictures and saw 'green garlic' which is the early stages of garlic with no clove. I guess my garlic might be ok after all?

I'm with gonzer on this one. You don't say how weak your fertilizer solution is, but it doesn't take much to burn the foliage. Another possibility is if they had come into contact with anything containing copper (treated lumber is often a prime culprit). Copper is very toxic to Broms, and sadly, once exposed, the plants never seem to get it out of their system and usually die.

I realize that this is an old thread but I want to respond for anyone with a similar problem in the future. I am amazed that someone would tell you to hire a licensed plumber for such an incredibly easy job. Come on, folks! Have we become so helpless? When I read the question, I assumed it was about copper or galvanized pipe which would be very easy to fix too but then I saw it's PVC pipe. Nothing could be easier to fix and I have no idea why the person asking the question thinks he cannot remove the elbow. Of course you can remove it! You can simply cut it out with a hacksaw and put in a new elbow. You can extend the pipe that is cut off easily with just a union and a piece of PVC. Working with PVC is so incredibly easy that I am baffled about why the question was even asked. A proper repair would take about ten minutes and cost a couple dollars. I never cease to be amazed by how helpless people are becoming. This is pretty sad.