Planting paphs in ground
Howdy all, I've got a16x32 foot greenhouse. I run it cold in the winter though night temperatures rarely drop below 40F. I've got a lot of woody stuff planted in the ground. Palms, citrus, figs, camellias. Most of my orchids are mounted or are attached directly to the fig trees. I have some big, marvelously vulgar cattleya hybrids and their ilk that I keep in pots.
I do keep some warm growing plants under lights in my basement, but other than a few sentimental favorites I've gradually eliminated orchids that can't take the cold. I've got a large heating pad on a greenhouse shelf that keeps the root zone of pots sitting on it quite toasty, but I haven't yet had the guts to move my roths, sanderianums etc. out to the greenhouse to face the cold. (That's a different issue.)
Anyway, I'm in the process of building a rock formation (pile is probably more accurate) in the greenhouse that'll include tons of moss and some ferns. The ground in the greenhouse is mostly moss covered already. It keeps the box turtles happy. I want to plant some cold tolerant paphs directly amidst the rocks. I've got sacrifical plants of spicerianum, venustum, hirsutissimum and villosum to start with.
Which brings me to my question. Has anybody tried something like this?
Will ground dwelling pests such as pill bugs or slugs make short work of the plants?
Should I stuff the space between rocks completely with moss or should I use pine mulch or orchiata bark and cover it with the moss? (I should clarify that the moss is live forest moss a of a dozen or so species, not NZ sphagnum.)
Are the plants doomed to a diseased, painful demise or do I have a shot at this? Any experience with something similar out there? If you live in a frost free area have you planted paphs out in your garden? Probably not, but speculation and brainstorming would be great! I'm sure I haven't begun to think of all the variables that might come into play.
Thanks! Steve H Lone Rock., WI
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