MENA Gardens

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Are you going to order them or buy locally?

Oh... I would probably buy locally. I can put tender ones in pots, but for the yard I need things that can tolerate potential freezes. I do have one agave and some aloes in pots that have survived into the single digits over the years...

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

By the way Julianna... I have been picking up some great deals on orchids... found them as low as $1 and $3 on the bargain table at Lowe's !! (leftovers I guess from Mother's Day )

[Nasturtium 500]

Awesome! Orchids are great... so easy once you figure them out!

That's what i was wondering about. I figured you were looking for something to withstand freezing.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Awesome! Orchids are great... so easy once you figure them out!

That's what i was wondering about. I figured you were looking for something to withstand freezing.

I am still learning... but (thanks in no small part to your advice !) I have managed to keep some of my first ones alive a couple of years now So I have been slowly adding to my collection, and reading up.

I now have 2 dens and 8 phals - 3 of the phals are in bloom right now (pics later... gotta go to work in a min.) I even keep special orchid bark soil and sphagnum moss on hand for re-potting the cheapie deals I find (cuz they're often in crappy, too-tiny little "show" pots with no drainage.)

[Nasturtium 500]

I am still learning... but (thanks in no small part to your advice !) I have managed to keep some of my first ones alive a couple of years now So I have been slowly adding to my collection, and reading up.

I now have 2 dens and 8 phals - 3 of the phals are in bloom right now (pics later... gotta go to work in a min.) I even keep special orchid bark soil and sphagnum moss on hand for re-potting the cheapie deals I find (cuz they're often in crappy, too-tiny little "show" pots with no drainage.)

Exactly! Have you had any luck yet with getting the dens to rebloom?

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Exactly! Have you had any luck yet with getting the dens to rebloom?

Not yet. Apparently (from what I have been reading) I need to let them rest during the winter with much less water than I have been giving them. I think I have the right location though which has cool nights in the winter while getting very bright light during the daytime. Just need to let them get much drier.

[Nasturtium 500]

Not yet. Apparently (from what I have been reading) I need to let them rest during the winter with much less water than I have been giving them. I think I have the right location though which has cool nights in the winter while getting very bright light during the daytime. Just need to let them get much drier.

Temps are huge for getting them to rebloom.

[msheesha 548]

Have any of you ladies tried praying mantids for their gardens/yards? They are advertising them at the local garden center as being great bug eaters. For only $12 we are leaning towards giving them a try.

[Nasturtium 500]

Have any of you ladies tried praying mantids for their gardens/yards? They are advertising them at the local garden center as being great bug eaters. For only $12 we are leaning towards giving them a try.

I've never bought any on purpose, but I have had them naturally. They are good predators.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Temps are huge for getting them to rebloom.

This is what I've been reading... saying to rest them for 3-6 weeks in cool temps around 40-50 degrees. I have a good spot for that but I was still watering too much. (Also I'm not really sure exactly what species I have... nobiles ? semi nobiles ?)

[Nasturtium 500]

This is what I've been reading... saying to rest them for 3-6 weeks in cool temps around 40-50 degrees. I have a good spot for that but I was still watering too much. (Also I'm not really sure exactly what species I have... nobiles ? semi nobiles ?)

Ok, cool. If you've got the temps, you're good. You do just need to cut back the water. Then give it some trial and error. How long ago were they in bloom/when did they bloom last time?

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Have any of you ladies tried praying mantids for their gardens/yards? They are advertising them at the local garden center as being great bug eaters. For only $12 we are leaning towards giving them a try.

I rarely see them in my garden.

Ok, cool. If you've got the temps, you're good. You do just need to cut back the water. Then give it some trial and error. How long ago were they in bloom/when did they bloom last time?

They were in bloom when I got them... and seems like they stayed in bloom for a couple of months.

[Nasturtium 500]

But was that a year ago? 2 years? I'm asking because a lot of growers force the bloom for a holiday time/store shipment.. so many plants take the next year off.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

But was that a year ago? 2 years? I'm asking because a lot of growers force the bloom for a holiday time/store shipment.. so many plants take the next year off.

Hmmm... these are from at least 2 winters ago... might have been in bloom during the spring or summer of '10 ?

[Nasturtium 500]

Hmmm... these are from at least 2 winters ago... might have been in bloom during the spring or summer of '10 ?

OK, good, good! You are in the first good season for rebloom then! So don't think you did something wrong last year necessarily. Maybe.. but more likely no matter what you did they wouldn't have bloomed.