Ganoderma Posted January 17, 2007 Report Share Posted January 17, 2007 Anyone here have a hobby (or profession) with collecting plants? I would love to discuss various techniques for acclimating, propogating various plants. one of my hobbies are ethnobotanicals. who else collects green stuff? Chacmool 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Racoon Posted January 17, 2007 Report Share Posted January 17, 2007 I wouldn't say I 'collect' plants, like an Orchid enthusiast or anything, but I will save seeds, and stuff.. I would like to build a nice greenhouse someday, but I have purchased some indoor growing equipment, including a balast, socket, hood, and high pressure sodium bulb. In about month I plan on purchasing some good florescent bulbs and a metal hallide bulb.. those bulbs are expensive. This way, the 3 different lights will support the growth, maturation, and flowering stages of tropical plantsflorescent ---> metal hallide ---> high pressure sodium stages. I have a lemon tree indoors here now, and its struggling, due to lack of warmth and sun. I like having plants in windows and around the place. Herbs are fun. Its nice to plant a few varieites and look for recessives.I managed to grow and maintain a portion of California poppy's, that are normally orange, into a recessive cream colored flower that pops up each Spring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ganoderma Posted January 17, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2007 Selective breeding is a hobby of mine too (although mostly animals). its pretty fun but many of the ones I did outdoors got all mixed up with others around the hood...freaking bees. I assume you are in Washington/Oregon/Idaho (Columbia river?). whets the winter like there? a friend of mine had a lemon tree about 100 km from Portland, although she protected it in the winter. i was getting into the different bulb setups after using exclusively fluorescent for a long time, then i moved out of Canada. I’m curious, using the same amount of watts, is HPS/MH really that big an improvement? Fluorescent has come a ways and can be bought in all sorts of powers/temperatures etc. Is there specific reason you choose this method? My other main interest is medicinal plants. I am just starting my garden here again with a bunch of new seeds. Some of my most anticipated plants are Withania somnifera, valerian, "purple haze" carrots (yes, carrots), and mescal bean. I am also going to be playing with CAM plants and growing conditions. i have seen some amazing things on the net with increased growth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ganoderma Posted January 25, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2007 Found these little beauts at a local nursery for only 200 each (about $7 cdn). best find this year! i also found out that my Annona reticulata (custad apple) are still alive after being left with no water in 20-30 degree heat for a month (i was in canada). Both Lophophora sp (i dont know what yet, but it will flower soon). both around 2" diameter and in height. grafted on dragon fruit. I am thinking of trying to graft more species onto dragon fruit seeing as its extremely common here. i also bought this freak of a strawberry. there are small plants growing from the mishaped berries, one is even flowering! A strawberry from a strawberry :naughty: who woulda thunk? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turtle Posted January 28, 2007 Report Share Posted January 28, 2007 Anyone here have a hobby (or profession) with collecting plants? I would love to discuss various techniques for acclimating, propogating various plants. one of my hobbies are ethnobotanicals. who else collects green stuff? Nice photos Gano! :cup: I used to collect plants, primarily woody-stemmed for cultivation as bonsai. At one time I had near 200 potted trees and shrubs and some 60 different varieties. I gave them all but one away after a move a few years back. The remaining tree is a varigated cypress about 8 years old, which I brought inside this Fall and a couple weeks ago I noticed it was drying out and dropping leaves. I put it back outside, but just in time for sub-freezing temps so only time will tell if it has survived. Off the top of my head the only medicinal trees I had were willows, which contain salicylic acid (aspirin). :shrug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ganoderma Posted January 29, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2007 and a good root growth hormone too. willows are pretty. got any phtoos of your bonsai? i used to be into as well, although no where near as many as you, but i have since switched my patience testing plant interests to cacti. i assume you of course tried out cedar as a bonsai? if so how did you do the watering? i failed MISERABLY trying to grow them things. it was the western red cedar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turtle Posted January 29, 2007 Report Share Posted January 29, 2007 and a good root growth hormone too. willows are pretty. got any phtoos of your bonsai? i used to be into as well, although no where near as many as you, but i have since switched my patience testing plant interests to cacti. i assume you of course tried out cedar as a bonsai? if so how did you do the watering? i failed MISERABLY trying to grow them things. it was the western red cedar. I didn't know Willows had a root-growth hormone! Is that why they root so easily in just water? I had Black Willow, Weeping Willow, Corkscrew Willow, and Sallow Willow. Here's a photo of the dying Cypress bonsai: In taking the photo I realized I do have anapple seedling in a post I started from seed last year. Old habits die hard. :) I had one Western Red Cedar that I collected in the wild and grew in a large hollowed-out block of pumice. I don't recall doing any special watering other than trying to not let it dry out. I think the person I gave it to reported it had died. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theblackalchemist Posted January 30, 2007 Report Share Posted January 30, 2007 well we have over 50 pots at home though there are no rare species. Plant collecting is our hobby(our = me and my father) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ganoderma Posted February 1, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2007 excellent! what ya got growing? i just had a bunch of cacti sprout. also my purple carrots just poked their heads, i am very excited to see what they look like! I had some withania somnifera but none of them seem to be good anymore (old seeds), so i am a little disappointed. actually many of my seeds appear to be duds now :cup: if its allowed, does anyone know of a good source of more uncommon herbs/medicinal plants? such as withania, nicotiana (rustica preffered), more uncommon mint species (not varieties) etc... so far i am stuck with ify companies i dotn know about and richters herbs (fairly good selection but sometimes their seeds suck/old). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ganoderma Posted February 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 7, 2007 Anyone her ehave experience growing Castor Bean, Ricinus communis? i just planted some seeds and am thinking of transplanting some to our yard. i am curious if they need any special attention to germinate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ganoderma Posted February 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2007 a special treat for me this morning. Lophophora williamsii flower! looking forward to setting more seeds. i also had a cereus peruvianus flowering at only 2' tall but the wnd blew it off my deck. the short and sweet of it is...its juice :( anyway still a happy day. also had a bunch of seeds sprout today. flower Pollen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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