What plants do you grow besides orchids?

[gardengirl13]

OK anyone who knows these plants, how do I take care of them. I know the light and soil etc. But what about re-potting (this pot seems a bit small for him) and what about cutting it? Meaning some plants you can't really cut them back much or they'll die. Some only grow on one stem/clump and can't be thinned. Will he grow more clumps, or is it just the one? Also I had ot cut off the dead (dry) stems and pitchers so now he has a bunch of leaves with no pitchers. Will these grow back and produce new pitchers or will they just be plain leaves? How long will it take to grow more leaves that will product pitchers? Sorry to ask so much, but I want to learn more about this guy!

[Vanda lover]

I have a purple passion fruit vine that is 2 years old from seed. This year it produced 3 delicious passion fruits! I have it in the basement for the winter. It grows like a weed. I also have bougainvillea

[gardengirl13]

Oh you live where I want to live! I hear the gardening there is great!!

[Vanda lover]

Vancouver Island? In many ways gardening is good because the climate is mild. I do find that the ground takes longer to warm up in the spring because nights are very cool in the summer. The winters where we are are very dark and rainy. We love it though. We moved here from Ontario to retire. We are zone 7b-8

[gardengirl13]

My mom's dr moved to BC when Bush won his second term. She's the only person who actually said that about an election and actually did it! ha ha! But she said she mainly moved there because she could garden almost 10 months out of the year. But I think it's on the west coast of BC and the ocean maybe that keeps it warmer there compared to Vancouver Island. I wouldn't like the rain (I have AS a severe form of arthritis) but the warmer weather would be nice! Today it's snowing here.

[Vanda lover]

Parts of the island are very mild because of the currents. We are in the centre of the island, protected from storms but slightly cooler. Summers are warm and sunny. I think it's the mountains that make it cool at night. It's nice during heat waves.

[The Orchid Boy]

Originally Posted by gardengirl13

OK anyone who knows these plants, how do I take care of them. I know the light and soil etc. But what about re-potting (this pot seems a bit small for him) and what about cutting it? Meaning some plants you can't really cut them back much or they'll die. Some only grow on one stem/clump and can't be thinned. Will he grow more clumps, or is it just the one? Also I had ot cut off the dead (dry) stems and pitchers so now he has a bunch of leaves with no pitchers. Will these grow back and produce new pitchers or will they just be plain leaves? How long will it take to grow more leaves that will product pitchers? Sorry to ask so much, but I want to learn more about this guy!

You can't really take cuttings or cut back tropical pitcher plants. The plant may grow more clumps. The leaves with no pitchers will njust be leaves. It takes a few weeks to grow a new leaf and mature a pitcher.

[gardengirl13]

Originally Posted by The Orchid Boy

You can't really take cuttings or cut back tropical pitcher plants. The plant may grow more clumps. The leaves with no pitchers will njust be leaves. It takes a few weeks to grow a new leaf and mature a pitcher.

Thanks for the info. How about re-potting? Should I do it soon, or does it like to be in small pots like orchids?

[Vanda lover]

I have hardy pitcher plants in the pond bog that I brought with us from Ontario. I have to cover them when the rains get heavy or the pitchers and leaves get quite ratty.

[Tindomul]

I wonder how many of you grow liverworts??? I have about three species in my collection, all indoors in terrrariums. Here is a picture of Frullania sp.. In nature it grows on tree trunks and you need a handlens to see the leaflets "shingles".

My favourite question to ask when looking at leafy liverworts is are they succubus or incubus, hehe.

Also a picture of my Dischidia in flower, also in the terrariums. This is related to milkweeds etc...

Last pic is of Sphyrospermum buxifolium. This is a tropical blueberry vine. Related to the supermarket blueberries. This species has hairy berries. Mine is just a seedling that I have been growing in my other terrarium since 2010.


Frullania by tindomul1of9, on Flickr


Dishidia-08 by tindomul1of9, on Flickr

Dishidia-07 by tindomul1of9, on Flickr


Sphyrospermum buxifolium-07 by tindomul1of9, on Flickr