Therapeutic gardening in the time of corona

[KyushuCalanthe]

Mike,

The trick for growing Rhapis well is a very free draining mix that never dries out. If I let my plant dry too much the leaf tips always burn, though you can easily trim dead parts away and almost not notice. I grow them in a mix of small grain pumice, kanuma and some orchid bark (not much though). I fertilize regularly while in growth and it remains outside in winter so it gets a true cold dormancy. BTW, it is hot as hell and crazy humid here in summer, so Dicksonia can handle that if shaded and kept watered, but it doesn't like it. Truly a cool growing, maritime climate plant. That said, it can be grown here with little fuss. On the other hand, Sphaeropteris (Cyathea) cooperi LOVES all the heat and humidity you can throw at it, but can't take the cold for too long.

 

[Stone]

Mike,

The trick for growing Rhapis well is a very free draining mix that never dries out. If I let my plant dry too much the leaf tips always burn, though you can easily trim dead parts away and almost not notice. I grow them in a mix of small grain pumice, kanuma and some orchid bark (not much though). I fertilize regularly while in growth and it remains outside in winter so it gets a true cold dormancy. BTW, it is hot as hell and crazy humid here in summer, so Dicksonia can handle that if shaded and kept watered, but it doesn't like it. Truly a cool growing, maritime climate plant. That said, it can be grown here with little fuss. On the other hand, Sphaeropteris (Cyathea) cooperi LOVES all the heat and humidity you can throw at it, but can't take the cold for too long.

Thanks. Kanuma is too expensive here and I can't get pumic easily. I'll have to improvise. I have the dwarf Kodaruma and I think I still have a zuikonishiki alive..

 

[Ozpaph]

Pumice at Fernland. https://fernland.com.au/catalogsearch/result/?q=pumice

 

[KyushuCalanthe]

I can walk into any garden center here and buy all sorts of cool stuff that I almost forget that this isn't "normal"... That said, if you can get it, I would also recommend Turface as a good substitute. Works well for Cypripedium culture (Ron Burch uses it). It was intended for baseball diamonds I believe, but apparently is great for bonsai, orchids, alpine plants, etc. https://www.amazon.com/Turface-Seedling-Cutting-Succulents-Bonsai/dp/B079W4RDD4

 

[Stone]

Pumice at Fernland. https://fernland.com.au/catalogsearch/result/?q=pumice

Thanks Stephen but the freight would kill me I think.

 

[Ozpaph]

certainly would at the moment. Might be worth a call, though.

 

[KyushuCalanthe]

Latest "stay at home" therapeutic gardening video. The lockdown is easing here finally, though our situation is less dire than many places, it is still walk on egg shells time. This may be one of my last videos in this series since I'm back at university (online only so far), and I'm getting much busier making videos for that job.

In this video I repot a neo, make a neo mount, repot some sad looking Cymbidium goeringii and dead-head a couple bushes. Lots of things flowering in this one too, especially Dendrobium moniliforme varieties.

[URL=https://youtu.be/b1LXIa5D5pc]This is Horticultural Therapy?[/URL]

 

[KyushuCalanthe]

Latest, possibly last, edition to this video series. Back at school again in face to face lessons, all except university which remains online. In this one the last legs of spring do their thing just before the monsoon season hits us full force. Quite a few Dendrobiums in flower still, including D. loddigessi, moniliforme, trantuanii and the delightful hybrid, D. Sankanou.

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