Orchids

Discussion in 'Planting, growing, nurturing Plants' started by Matt_95, Sep 26, 2011.

  1. Matt_95

    Matt_95 Junior Member

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    Hi guys,

    I'm really interested in orchids and I have decided to start collecting them, I have a space under a landing on the outdoor stairs. I'm not sure what direction it faces but the east side is blocked by a wall, I've indicated east and west on the plan. I know it doesn't really gel with permaculture but I want to try include it and I need some help, since they can't grow in garden soil and they require a free draining mix they need to be grown on their own, the area at the moment just has rocks on top off very compacted dry hydrophobic soil, its so hard I can't put a shovel into it. I'm not aloud to put dirt down but I may be aloud to put coconut fibre down a few inches deep. I'd plant native violets in it to use up nutrients that is washed through the orchids. I can use the flowers in salads as well, they taste nice :) Since all my orchids will be in a concentrated area what do I do about pests? I can try improve the little strip of soil on the exposed side and plant some plants to atract beneficial insects, what would you suggest?

    I feel the wind may be a bit strong a windy days, can anyone suggest something I can put over the exposed side to provide some shelter from wind and not block more than 20% of the available light?

    I can't figure out how to upload the image, I'll try again tomorrow.

    Thanks in advance, Matt
     
  2. eco4560

    eco4560 New Member

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    Do orchids have many pests? In Mackay they were often grown under shade cloth. Is there a reason that you don't want to block more than 20% of the light? Maybe lattice, but if that means you can't see the orchids to enjoy them it would be a bit pointless. Hanging baskets suspended from the landing would be the way I would go about it, you could even suspend them one under the other depending on how high the area is, so that the run off from one goes into the next. The violets are a good idea, so long as there is plenty of shade.
    Green Harvest make a seed mix called Good Bug mix. It takes all the guess work out of beneficial insectary plants and isn't expensive.
     
  3. Matt_95

    Matt_95 Junior Member

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    Scale, aphids, ants, bees and some fungal diseases.

    There isn't much light now,, the front may have to much light now I've been watching it but some short plants at the front should add and extra hour or two of shade, its got pretty much a perfect amount of light already so I don't want to shade them to much more. I plan to view them from the eastern side, the neighbours shed blocks light on that side.

    I've already put hanging baskets in the plan, they'll have zygocactus and stonhopeas. Theres plenty of shade for the violets, they should do well in there.

    I'll go look that up thanks.

    [​IMG]
     
  4. sun burn

    sun burn Junior Member

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    We've got lots of orchids here. We don't have any pests to speak of. Maybe just go with the flow. Deal with the problem when it arises, if it arises. I am sure gooogle would have answers for you too.

    Generally we've got our orchids tied to tress. They get their shade from the canopy which is often pretty light shade. Do you have a lot of windy days? Again just try ti out and see how they handle it.

    I'd have thought that cold weather is the greatest problem for you. But maybe there are some orchids that handle that better too. Orchids are actually quite tough plants i've found.
     
  5. Matt_95

    Matt_95 Junior Member

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    We don't get many, but it happens sometimes and I should probably put some shade cloth up to protect them a bit, we had a big storm today that was blowing the furniture away so it would absolutly destroy them, thanks for that, I would have never thought of it until it happened.

    It doesn't get to cold here, we've never had a frost, Brisbane only usually gets down to 3 degrees on the coldests days.Its The cattleyas, phalaenopsis, dendrobiums ect do great, but cymbidiums hardly ever flower as the winter doesn't get cold enough.

    I was at the fair yesterday and them had some vandas, I walked around with it for a bit and a guy came rushing over to me and asked me where I bought it. Turns out he has a big collection and lives a few houses away and said I can come over if I have any questions so some local knowledge will be great :D
     
  6. Michaelangelica

    Michaelangelica Junior Member

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    From a permaculture point of view, you might be able to access this free reseach article on the uses of Orchids, as food and medicine, on line
    I am told dendrobiums' (my favourite orchids) starchy roots are used as food by Australian Aborigines
     
  7. Matt_95

    Matt_95 Junior Member

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    Thanks for that! The only thing on there that seems aplicable seems to be scorpion stings, I keep them, they are harmless though unless you are allergic. You can eat crusafix orchid leaves I think, I've treid them, they taste like watermelon :)

    I treid to come up with a list of useful things, all I got was:
    Make some money on seedlings
    Save money on cut flowers
    crusafix leaves for salad
    possible scorpion sting remedy?

    Not a very useful plant haha
     
  8. Matt_95

    Matt_95 Junior Member

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    I just thought of another, meeting like minded people, The guy who I met at the fair popped around yesterday, he seems very nice and passionate about plants :)
     

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