Contemplating moving to the rain forest ...
mama goose_gw zn6OH
8 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (35)
mama goose_gw zn6OH
8 years agoRelated Discussions
Forsynthia...contemplating removal
Comments (15)They say the best time to prune forsythia, lilac, amd similar shrubs is right after blooming, to give time for the formation of the new flower buds. Forsythia is easy to root, so if you are determined to eliminate it from its present position you could just try rooting several stems in water and planting them up in some spare pots for later allocation. Additionally, even nonspecialized strains of forsythia have some mild antibiotic properties you may wish to Google. It's a nice little shrub to have around. If you want a graceful, outreaching shrub, every few years cut off a few of the oldest stems fairly close to the ground. Don't top prune unless the death of a growth tip or other anomaly requires it. If you want a stiff looking, more vertical plant, just do top pruning--but that does not renew the whole plant, and it will take time for it to return to a vertical habit as the older stems widen and stiffen. If you cut everything down to the ground every year, you will in most cases seriously deplete and maybe eventually kill the plant....See MoreWhy do we water rain forest plants sparingly?
Comments (12)I was really hoping for more input from a bunch of people on this subject but it appears it is time to wrap this one up. Since most people don't really want to bother with ever watering their plants, many people go into a garden store and a very rich potting soil that stays soggy all the time. As a result you may eventually kill your plant. Many plant species can literally drown in mucky soil! For some unexplained reason many growers believe the rich soil makes a plant grow better! Typical "potting soils" just don't work for the vast majority of tropical plant species since most grow in trees, not in soggy soil. The roots of many tropical plants are designed to*collect rain water during the wet season and suffer through the dry season. But even in the dry season a specimen can collect enough water from the humidity around their exposed roots to survive. * Although house plant growers commonly believe tropical plants do not need water in winter that belief is simply a myth. Tropical plants live in very humid conditions and are capable of gathering water directly from the air even during the drier portions of the year when it doesn't rain on a daily basis. Dew and fog are very important contributors to the water available to a tropical rain forest plant species and homes don't have dew or fog! If we deny the plant the water they crave they only suffer and will never be able to display their natural beauty. In the temperate rain forest the amount of water available from the dew alone is estimated to be between three to five percent of the total annual precipitation! As a result, your tropical plants need water year round but it is wise to reduce the amount offered during the winter. We water every week of the year averaging four days a week in summer and three days per week in winter. As can be seen in the photo the plants love water. Despite the belief of far too many growers, growing plants is not just about the water content of the soil! The advice to water only once a week and keep the top two inches of the soil dry is not always good advice! Many aroids and other plant species grow in very wet soil! Instead it is about the fast flow of water through the soil or the lack thereof which causes a lack of oxygen, anerobic fermentation and saprophytes which turn into pathogens. Saprophytes are organisms including fungus or bacteria that grow on and draw nourishment from dead or decaying organic matter which often includes soggy wet soil. The pathogens attack the roots and cause them to rot so all of the advice to "slow down on the water" is really about how to control the pathogens. Fermentation and saprophytes often occur in muddy soil that will not not allow the roots to breathe but they don't necessarily occur in water which is why we can cause a plant that is about to die to grow new roots in clean water. As a result, it is necessary to use soil mixes that allow the roots to breathe and will not remain soggy. I've attempted in many threads to explain the necessity of mixing proper soil for plants but the advice is often ignored since it requires some "work" on the part of the plant's keeper. The reason plants rot is not the amount of water given to the plant! These are rain forest plants and are literally drowned for months at a time! If you could visit a rain forest you would quickly learn the soil is composed of leaf litter, decaying wood, compost and the charcoal left behind when a part of the forest burns. If we'll just listen to Mother Nature we can all make our plants grow as they should in nature. That is precisely what I attempt to explain when I recommend mixing soil, not just buying a bag at the store. Over time we've developed a soil mixture for most of our aroid and tropical species. We use this mixture on the advice of the aroid keepers at the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis. The goal of this mix is to allow the roots to freely find places to extend and grow without constantly finding wet places where they will rot. This mix will remain damp but drain quickly. Rather than using a rich, soggy soil and watering only once a week (or less), use a soil that holds moisture well but drains quickly. With the help of botanical garden researchers we've developed a soil mixture*for most of our specimens that works great. People who visit our artificial rain forest are often amazed at the size of many of our specimens which grow much faster and larger than they often do in a home. The exact mixture is not critical but we use*roughly 40% potting mix combined with 20% high quality peat moss, 20% orchid potting media containing charcoal, hard wood and gravel), and the balance cypress mulch mixed, with 10% Perlite and finely shredded pieces of sphagnum moss. We often add extra charcoal such as aquarium charcoal or hardwood charcoal to help purify the soil and sometimes volcanic rock If you are concerned about your soil remaining wet just add more orchid mix, cypress mulch, Perlite and sphagnum moss. We grow many different species in this basic mixture and*some of our specimens have reached their adult or near adult size and regularly produce a spathe and spadix (inflorescence). *The goal of*our mixture is to cause the water to flow through the soil quickly, remain slightly damp, but never soggy. The roots of our plants attach to the bark just as they do in nature*on the side of a tree. Most growers call a mix similar to the one we use a "jungle mix". Again, I welcome your input. We also openly invite anyone living or visiting in MidAmerica to visit our private botanical garden. There is never a charge. You can see photos on the homepage of our website....See MoreRain, rain and more rain! (How's your Spring weather?)
Comments (15)They said they were seeing a few 90's in Texas a few posts above.....well Oklahoma has now also seen their first 90's this last weekend as well. So the warming trend is moving north. I have some trees stuck up north waiting on a truck and I expressed my concewrns to the grower that I was getting past my comfort zone on planting time for conifers. Like most folks in the north he told me not to worry because the trees were still dormant due to the cold weather they were still in. What I try to get most northerners to realize is it's the shock factor that worries us.......not just the fact this tree will have to endure so much more heat that it has been used to throughout the summer, but nothing turns a tree into a crispy critter faster than for it to come from nice cool cloudy growing conditions and drop it right in the middle of a heat wave of 90 - 100 degree temps and full sun. mark...See MorePictures from the New Jersey Rain Forest
Comments (38)Jim, this is my Ivory Coast. The closest is Sagae which is said to be bigger, but this is the second year for this and not far behind my Sagae in size and really pops. I have 3 Liberty and in my opinion they rank from bottom to top Liberty, Sagae, Ivory Coast. Ivory Coast in a little more than 1/2 day sun which helps the wide margins IMHO. It's a keeper. - Jon...See Moremama goose_gw zn6OH
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agomama goose_gw zn6OH
8 years agomama goose_gw zn6OH
8 years agoI remember seeing a desalination plant when we lived in western Colorado--it could have been on the Utah side of the state border. I'm sure it wasn't on the same scale as plants in CA.
Just checked our weather--more thunderstorms starting at 1:00AM. Here are a couple of pics I took this evening. Yes, another downpour, this time with the sun shining. What looks like fog off to the left is actually bright sunshine:
You can't see the rain as clearly in this one, but there's not as much glare from the sun:
At the same time, this was happening in the back yard:
jim_1 (Zone 5B)
8 years agomama goose_gw zn6OH
8 years agoThe promised storms started at 1:07AM. I don't know what happened, other than thunder, because I didn't hear a thing after that. This afternoon another torrential downpour, with some interesting clouds in the north-east:
And then a gorgeous sunset. I hope that 'red sky at night ...' saying holds true for tomorrow's forecast. Here are some, taken just as the sun dipped below the horizon, centered behind my neighbor's tree:
mama goose_gw zn6OH
8 years agomama goose_gw zn6OH
8 years ago
Related Stories
HOUSEPLANTSGet a Dash of the Rain Forest With Madagascar Dragon Tree
This living decoration reaches up to 15 feet, has minimal needs and adapts to different light levels — just steer clear of fluoride
Full Story
GARDENING AND LANDSCAPINGThe Contemplative Garden: A Place for Quiet Reflection
These 10 elements can bring a meditative quality to your garden
Full Story
REMODELING GUIDESShould You Remodel or Just Move?
If you're waffling whether 'tis better to work with what you've got or start fresh somewhere else, this architect's insight can help
Full Story
LIFERetirement Reinvention: Boomers Plot Their Next Big Move
Choosing a place to settle in for the golden years? You're not alone. Where boomers are going and what it might look like
Full Story
MOST POPULARFirst Things First: How to Prioritize Home Projects
What to do when you’re contemplating home improvements after a move and you don't know where to begin
Full Story
DREAM SPACESWe Can Dream: Nurturing Escapes for Penning a Poem
16 picturesque hideaways built to inspire contemplation and a favorite slow art form
Full Story
MODERN HOMESHouzz Tour: Creek Views Star in a Modern New York Home
Natural materials, all-white interiors and generous windows put the focus on forest and water in this weekend home for a family
Full Story
GREENColor Guide: How to Work With Green
With as many green hues as leaves in a forest, it's easy to find one that grows on you
Full Story
INSPIRING GARDENSNative Plants Bring 10 Southern California Front-Yard Gardens to Life
Rare plants, rain gardens and wildlife habitats are just a few of the features showcased on the 2016 Theodore Payne Native Plant Garden Tour
Full Story
GARDENING GUIDES10 Solutions for Soggy Soil
If a too-wet garden is raining on your parade, try these water-loving plants and other ideas for handling all of that H2O
Full StorySponsored
Central Ohio's Trusted Home Remodeler Specializing in Kitchens & Baths
User