What other plants do you have in your collection?

[Tindomul]

Great woodland bed!!! Thats exactly what I want. How did you make it? What environmental conditions is it subject to? How much shade, water, heat etc....

[got ants]

I had about 20 or so bonzais, then started on rare palms. Those started to get really expensive and losing them to the cold sucked hard.

So then one day I took a ride with a bud down to the Redlands to get some orchids to sell before Mother's Day. I ended up with 4 Phals left over and slowly got caught up in it all. Then started to collect Florida natives, then species, and now I think I'm wandering into Cattleyas.

So the past winter really screwed with my head, I lost so many orchids I'm debating just giving it up, or becoming more specific (catts) so I can better manage my growing technique.

I've had other hobbies, and regretted changing them (usually selling off one hobby to fund another). I collected old fishing tackle, vintage skateboards, and I've held onto a few pieces of each, but regret giving some up. Especially when markets change and I see my investment could have been better managed financially.

Orchids on the other hand, has been very costly. Having plants die is way worse then selling something for less than you paid, or at a lower value than the market went to. I bought fishing lures for $10, and sold them for $50, then watch the same lure sell two years later for $200. But, now that same lure would go for $10.

Same thing with skateboards, but growing stuff has been very costly to me. Half of my rare palms died last winter, and the loss of chids as made me wonder if its really worth it.

I'm not looking to make money on them (palms/orchids) but the losses are really frustrating, hence me thinking on going to a niche species like catts.

I know, I'm rambling, but it took me 2 1/2 hours to get all the orchids back out today. UUUGHHH!!!

[Duane McDowell]

Originally Posted by Tindomul

Great woodland bed!!! Thats exactly what I want. How did you make it? What environmental conditions is it subject to? How much shade, water, heat etc....

Glad you like it. It's really become a great favorite for us. We didn't do anything special in terms of soil preparation. Once the pathways were in, we raked away the spruce needles and cones (it's under a spruce tree). Then we piled 4-5" of compost onto the bed and dug it in about 8".
We get cold here - we'll go well below zero for a few weeks at least once most winters, and we'll go below -10 for some of that. Most years, we'll get at least a few days below -20. Since it's under a well established tree, we water at least once a week during the spring and fall. During the summer, we water when things in the rest of the garden need it, which ranges from weekly to monthly. We fertilize spring and fall with an organic garden fertilizer (the cheapest organic we can find). We throw garden compost around when we have it, and occasionally, we buy a blend of shredded hardwood bark and composted manure that we'll spread around.
The bed is pretty densely shaded most of the time. I think it would do well with a little more light, but we like the spruce and don't want to deform it too badly. We've got another bed of Hepatica that gets more light, and they bloom a little earlier (I'm not sure how much better they bloom, but I think we get a few more flowers on them, too).
The woodland bed is the only one where I am really diligent about weeds. A good-sized Portulaca or Oxalis is about the same size as some of the little gems, and can really be a distraction, so I weed carefully every couple of weeks. Since I do that, I don't get very many weeds!

[Duane McDowell]

Originally Posted by got ants

I had about 20 or so bonzais, then started on rare palms. Those started to get really expensive and losing them to the cold sucked hard.

So then one day I took a ride with a bud down to the Redlands to get some orchids to sell before Mother's Day. I ended up with 4 Phals left over and slowly got caught up in it all. Then started to collect Florida natives, then species, and now I think I'm wandering into Cattleyas.

So the past winter really screwed with my head, I lost so many orchids I'm debating just giving it up, or becoming more specific (catts) so I can better manage my growing technique.

I've had other hobbies, and regretted changing them (usually selling off one hobby to fund another). I collected old fishing tackle, vintage skateboards, and I've held onto a few pieces of each, but regret giving some up. Especially when markets change and I see my investment could have been better managed financially.

Orchids on the other hand, has been very costly. Having plants die is way worse then selling something for less than you paid, or at a lower value than the market went to. I bought fishing lures for $10, and sold them for $50, then watch the same lure sell two years later for $200. But, now that same lure would go for $10.

Same thing with skateboards, but growing stuff has been very costly to me. Half of my rare palms died last winter, and the loss of chids as made me wonder if its really worth it.

I'm not looking to make money on them (palms/orchids) but the losses are really frustrating, hence me thinking on going to a niche species like catts.

I know, I'm rambling, but it took me 2 1/2 hours to get all the orchids back out today. UUUGHHH!!!

I have collected rocks, rod-building and fly-tying materials, beetles and butterflies. I garden, fish, bird and take pictures. I totally feel your pain...
For me, growing is different than collecting, although the two overlap strongly. I would categorize myself as an excellent collector and a good grower.
At some point, I decided to collect what I could manage happily. It has helped! Good luck in your search for balance in the garden.

[Call_Me_Bob]

my dad is an avid fly-fisher. he ties and sells his flies as well. he taught me, but i keep getting too busy with school.

[Tindomul]

Great details!!! not having to water during the summer is the best bit of info you gave! Thanks.

Originally Posted by Duane McDowell

Glad you like it. It's really become a great favorite for us. We didn't do anything special in terms of soil preparation. Once the pathways were in, we raked away the spruce needles and cones (it's under a spruce tree). Then we piled 4-5" of compost onto the bed and dug it in about 8".
We get cold here - we'll go well below zero for a few weeks at least once most winters, and we'll go below -10 for some of that. Most years, we'll get at least a few days below -20. Since it's under a well established tree, we water at least once a week during the spring and fall. During the summer, we water when things in the rest of the garden need it, which ranges from weekly to monthly. We fertilize spring and fall with an organic garden fertilizer (the cheapest organic we can find). We throw garden compost around when we have it, and occasionally, we buy a blend of shredded hardwood bark and composted manure that we'll spread around.
The bed is pretty densely shaded most of the time. I think it would do well with a little more light, but we like the spruce and don't want to deform it too badly. We've got another bed of Hepatica that gets more light, and they bloom a little earlier (I'm not sure how much better they bloom, but I think we get a few more flowers on them, too).
The woodland bed is the only one where I am really diligent about weeds. A good-sized Portulaca or Oxalis is about the same size as some of the little gems, and can really be a distraction, so I weed carefully every couple of weeks. Since I do that, I don't get very many weeds!

[Tindomul]

Here is one that is coming into bloom now,
Seemania sylvatica 'Bolivian Sunset', hasn't bloomed yet,maybe next week.

[Hedge]

I have a larger collection of small succulents and cacti than I do orchids. Some of them can be seen in the Social Group Cacti and Succulents Orchid Board - Most Complete Orchid Forum on the web !
I love their bizarre forms and the fact that they survive on neglect! I have always had at least one cactus since I was 6. I particularly like haworthias and south African succulents, I also have a garden in which my favourite plants are the roses and the bulbs that appear each year by magic!

[Hedge]

Oh and I also like scented Pelargoniums, and alpine plants.......

[Duane McDowell]

Originally Posted by help

my dad is an avid fly-fisher. he ties and sells his flies as well. he taught me, but i keep getting too busy with school.

I love to tie - I haven't had time to tie much over the last few years with school, either. I didn't fish at all last year, and only twice this year.
A friend gave me a handmade split cane fly rod two years ago and I finally fished it with him this spring. Sweet.
My Dad always said "if you're too busy to fish, you're too busy." Seems true.
-d