Here's what I'm working with

[FL_Orchid_Collector]

I'm in south Florida and I have this northern exposure where I can put some plants. I'm thinking of putting some terrestrial orchids here, it gets good rain and not much sun, mostly in the morning and evening. The mulch is 2-3 inches thick, mixed with rabbit dung over sandy soil with fine shell gravel. Temperatures range from the mid 30s F in the coldest winters (usually 50s-60s) to mid 90s in summer, probably will be in the high 90s within 10 years. Humidity averages 70%, min 40 max 100. Low humidity is rare, mostly in the fall and winter. Does anyone know some terrestrials that would work here?

[rbarata]

Ludisia discolor

[Roberta]

Bletilla striata. They go dormant in fall/winter, then new growth produces flowers in the spring. If they get a bit toasted in the latter part of the summer no worries, they lose leaves anyway at that time.

[estación seca]

Phaius and hybrids. Plant some smaller gingers, too.

[FL_Orchid_Collector]

I put some peace lilies out a few days ago and rabbits ate a lot of them. I might not put anything out there after all. Has anyone tried liquid fence or similar, and did it work?

[estación seca]

Nothing works for rabbits other than a fence. It has to go below ground level because they dig.

[FL_Orchid_Collector]

Well phooey. . It's technically a common area so I can't install any structure. Hopefully they got a stomachache because they didn't come back for seconds last night. Peace lilies are noxious but I don't think many orchids are. I'm glad I found out before investing in orchids that would have made an expensive salad!

[estación seca]

A lot of gingers with aromatic foliage are rejected by nibblers. Many Alpinias, for example. Also the spices ginger (Zingiber officinale), turmeric (Curcuma longa) and galangal (Alpinia galanga). Talk to some better nurseries.

Or, you can buy fresh tubers of ginger, turmeric and galangal at Asian markets in the produce section. Most regular supermarkets carry ginger. If you have a big market they might have other types of ginger, too. Look carefully at the tubers; many stores try to cut off the galangal growing points.

Start them indoors in a shallow rectangular food tray just big enough to hold them, with no drain hole. Set the tuber on the bare bottom, then top with loose potting mix. Water once to lightly moisten the soil, but not enough to make it a bog. They won't need much water until roots grow. Set somewhere bright and warm. If the potting medium goes dry before they sprout, moisten it again. When they are well up you can gently transplant them outside.

I don't know whether rabbits eat the butterfly gingers, Hedychium. Those are very beautiful with large fragrant flower spikes.

If you want I could send you a start of Alpinia nutans. The plant smells like cardamom. It can be used as a tea, or the leaves can be used to wrap and steam food to impart the flavor. It has been sold as cardamom ginger in the past, but it isn't. It clumps quickly once started. It isn't very tall. Rabbits leave it alone here. If you're interested PM me - click on my username, then Send private message.

[FL_Orchid_Collector]

Oh, that all sounds great! I put some Christmas cactus out also and they haven't touched it. I wonder if I grew a thick ring of pretty-but-nasties and then interspersed orchids with the same if the rabbits would just decide the whole thing isn't worthwhile?

[estación seca]

That works until they get really hungry.