Indian almond leaves

[l8dbug]

So I have almost 4 acres of land considered 'protected wetland'. My dream is to have a forest of slipper orchids. Since cypripedium acaule is native to my state (along with the Venus fly trap) I figured that it would be an easy start, so I ordered some with little research (bad idea). Anyways I have my plants potted in leftover cp mix which is basically half pearlite half peat moss. I was using rain water to water them, but I read about using vinegar in the water. I actually don't have any ATM.

Anyways research got me to thinking. I read that acid loving plants like tannins in the water, so do my betas. Then I remembered I have a stack of Indian almond leaves (a huge stack, what was I thinking?). Indian almond leaves make the water acidic and add tannins to the water. So do you think I can water with almond leaf tea?

 

[cnycharles]

Though making the water acidic, there could be other compounds that would inhibit the growth of other plants.


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[l8dbug]

I would think the betas and aquatic plants would be more sensitive to any chemicals than my orchids. (I would never let my fish swim in water with fertilizer) I read that the chemical compounds in the IAL are basically the same as oak leaves. Acaule grows in this type of leaf litter. It would make sense that the compounds would seep into the plant's water supply. Maybe I should add oak leaves to the water?

 

[Linus_Cello]

What not just use the water from your fish tank? You only have a few betta bowls?
Another option is to make "tea" with peat moss.
Great Lakes Orchids used to sell some chemical to help with keeping the media acidic for acule and platanthera (try contacting them): http://greatlakesorchids.com/store/index.php?route=product/category&path=61

 

[PaphMadMan]

If you are watering with rain water (slightly acidic, very low dissolved solids) and you have perlite (neutral) and peat moss (acidic) in your mix, you already have acidic conditions. Before blindly adding anything you should find out the pH of the mix as it is, and of the water.

I don't know about Indian Almond, but trees that put phytotoxic compounds in their leaves are aiming at the plants growing around them, not at aquatic plants or fish. It is entirely possible for those compounds to be effective herbicides without harming anything in the water.