Comments on: Black Magic, Stream Orchids, and a Wet Monkey in a Tub http://drystonegarden.com/index.php/2009/07/black-magic-stream-orchids-and-a-wet-monkey/ Plants and Stone for California Gardens Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:14:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.3 By: ryan http://drystonegarden.com/index.php/2009/07/black-magic-stream-orchids-and-a-wet-monkey/#comment-919 ryan Sat, 18 Jul 2009 18:28:17 +0000 http://drystonegarden.com/?p=2196#comment-919 This was my first bathtub planting, so I'm not an authority by any means on bog plantings. I remember researching this and finding some sources saying to plug it and some saying to leave it open. There's a possibility of creating soil that's too anaerobic if you plug it. From what I understand, bogs do drain, just very slowly, so that's roughly what we were trying to create with the bathtub. Using the tub slows the drying of the soil, allows for a little bit of circulation with the tub's slope to the drain, and it creates the slightly more anaerobic kind of soil that these plants like. Maybe we'd be able to water even less with the tub plugged, but I'm not sure how every plant would react. I try to keep my eye out for other folks who have planted in tubs like this. It might be moot; the roots have probably plugged the drain by now, anyways. This was my first bathtub planting, so I’m not an authority by any means on bog plantings. I remember researching this and finding some sources saying to plug it and some saying to leave it open. There’s a possibility of creating soil that’s too anaerobic if you plug it.
From what I understand, bogs do drain, just very slowly, so that’s roughly what we were trying to create with the bathtub. Using the tub slows the drying of the soil, allows for a little bit of circulation with the tub’s slope to the drain, and it creates the slightly more anaerobic kind of soil that these plants like. Maybe we’d be able to water even less with the tub plugged, but I’m not sure how every plant would react. I try to keep my eye out for other folks who have planted in tubs like this.
It might be moot; the roots have probably plugged the drain by now, anyways.

]]> By: Pomona Belvedere http://drystonegarden.com/index.php/2009/07/black-magic-stream-orchids-and-a-wet-monkey/#comment-909 Pomona Belvedere Fri, 17 Jul 2009 16:53:49 +0000 http://drystonegarden.com/?p=2196#comment-909 I confess I've always had trouble with Black Magic, also; never gotten it to grow big. I was interested in your bog construction; I'm wondering why you left the drain on the bathtub open? The stream orchid is new to me, and a beautiful little thing. Wow. I'll have to check that out. Red monkeyflower is a local favorite for me, but I hadn't thought of incorporating it into the garden. I agree, the red isn't like anything else wild - except maybe Indian Pink is pretty close. I confess I’ve always had trouble with Black Magic, also; never gotten it to grow big. I was interested in your bog construction; I’m wondering why you left the drain on the bathtub open?

The stream orchid is new to me, and a beautiful little thing. Wow. I’ll have to check that out. Red monkeyflower is a local favorite for me, but I hadn’t thought of incorporating it into the garden. I agree, the red isn’t like anything else wild – except maybe Indian Pink is pretty close.

]]> By: chuck b. http://drystonegarden.com/index.php/2009/07/black-magic-stream-orchids-and-a-wet-monkey/#comment-905 chuck b. Fri, 17 Jul 2009 05:44:16 +0000 http://drystonegarden.com/?p=2196#comment-905 I mean Fremontia. I mean Fremontia.

]]> By: chuck b. http://drystonegarden.com/index.php/2009/07/black-magic-stream-orchids-and-a-wet-monkey/#comment-903 chuck b. Fri, 17 Jul 2009 05:41:56 +0000 http://drystonegarden.com/?p=2196#comment-903 That Mimulus vs. Diplacus thing goes back years. Is there a trend toward Diplacus now? My subscription to Fremontodendron lapsed. That Mimulus vs. Diplacus thing goes back years. Is there a trend toward Diplacus now? My subscription to Fremontodendron lapsed.

]]> By: lostlandscape(James) http://drystonegarden.com/index.php/2009/07/black-magic-stream-orchids-and-a-wet-monkey/#comment-891 lostlandscape(James) Thu, 16 Jul 2009 04:00:19 +0000 http://drystonegarden.com/?p=2196#comment-891 Orchids. Shameless. If there's any plant that advertises s.e.x., it's orchids, with their pointy column right there in the middle of the flower... You've had better luck with the Black Magic colocasia than I did, but I think setting mine in the ground in a cold, wet November wasn't the best way to introduce it to life in the garden. Your wetland natives look totally at home with the more tropical plant. Orchids. Shameless. If there’s any plant that advertises s.e.x., it’s orchids, with their pointy column right there in the middle of the flower… You’ve had better luck with the Black Magic colocasia than I did, but I think setting mine in the ground in a cold, wet November wasn’t the best way to introduce it to life in the garden. Your wetland natives look totally at home with the more tropical plant.

]]> By: ryan http://drystonegarden.com/index.php/2009/07/black-magic-stream-orchids-and-a-wet-monkey/#comment-886 ryan Wed, 15 Jul 2009 16:54:30 +0000 http://drystonegarden.com/?p=2196#comment-886 Yeah, I've loved how easy stream orchids are, too. It's probably time to divide them after only three years. Yeah, I’ve loved how easy stream orchids are, too. It’s probably time to divide them after only three years.

]]>