Growing in cracks between boulders

Karl Church 64kkmjr@gmail.com
Thu, 10 Oct 2013 11:13:41 PDT
Thanks Leo &Dylan
As a new PBS members & neophyte in attempting to grow bulbs other than
those commonly available commercially I really appreciate the detailed
advice ya'll have provided.
Karl
zone 9b
On Oct 10, 2013 10:57 AM, "Hannon" <othonna@gmail.com> wrote:

> To add to what Leo says here, it is important to consider elevation as
> well. This affects nighttime temps especially and accounting for this can
> make all the difference culturally. Most of our favorite plants do not grow
> at sea level or high in the mountains but in places in between.
>
> Plants that grow where nights are cool (about 55F) cannot properly process
> the food they have gathered via light during the day if nights are too
> warm. Their metabolism is interrupted and this can be fatal. Understanding
> the importance of nighttime temps, which is greater than daytime temps, is
> critical in growing certain bulbs.
>
> The worsleyas, as I understand their habitat, do grow on exposed inselbergs
> but these receive appreciable cloud cover at least for part of the year.
> They are tropical but elevation (several thousand feet I believe) plays a
> vital role.
>
> Probably a majority of terrestrial plants, including bulbs, grow in soils
> that are predominantly mineral-based. This can be difficult to replicate in
> pots and we are tempted to use a lot of organic material out of habit. It
> is true that many of these plants can thrive in such an organic mix
> (witness commercial cactus culture) but for the hobbyist it is probably
> better to grow in a long-lived "mineral" compost that is mostly pumice and
> sand and just a little organic matter to add body and hold things together
> structurally. In this way there is little to break down and many plants can
> be kept happy for years in the same pot and mix.
>
> Dylan
>
>
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