Post by grondinca1 on Aug 29, 2011 11:00:15 GMT -5
Hi Brian et all! Somehow had to re-register so Im back! Its amazing to see how the site has grown both in incredible pics and videos from Brian Barnes and other new member's spectacular pictures and adventures. 
The memories are still vivid on my trip with Brian and Mark to collect the doomed Bay County CP's from that county road re construction: We spent days digging and shipping CP'S to various CP network members private bogs or institutions to safeguard these beauties. It was sad to realize how poorly certain key players of PROMINENT authorities in the national field of CP conservancy initially supported our rescue mission! Let's only hope that in the future they will respond more swiftly and effectively to these emergencies and provide better asssitance and permitting in a timely manner! Not hundreds but THOUSANDS of CP's growing in this county road ditches were already growing there some 30 years ago when I lived in Bay County!
In the interim, my private collection has sustained many blows from both botritis infections and a failing irrigation system while I was away but I didnt give up! After great advice from Brian I recovered what survived and my CPS are happiest I ever saw!
Altho most folks growing Sars. in zones 7 or 8 show litlte or no problems keeping water filled dishes during growing months, here in SW Florida near Sarasota-- HUMID and rainy zone 10A-- one has to be very careful with rot problems and since I permanently removed the dishes from the pots and replaced ALL soil medium and installed an irrigation timer flushing clean rain water from my underground sistern, just enough water EVERY DAY during the growing season (1/4" flexhoses flooding entire top of pots for about 2 minutes per DAY) it resolved about 95% of the problem! New growth and spikes show healthy vigor and crown rot has just about disappeared. Lke before, I gradually taper off irrigation as late fall approaches and plants start to show signs of dormancy.
Also per Brian's advice, carefully introducing live peatmoss and other natural mosses and other varieties of plants found in their native habitat, the chemistry and dynamics of the soil best resembles that found in the wild. Altho these plants and bog grasses DO pump more water out of the pot, I'm convinced it adds more air and beneficial aerobic flora to the soil negating any ANAEROBIC bacterial infestations such as botritis,etc! I was also told that live peatmoss naturally acidifies the PH of the medium. Im convinced that everyone should encourage the growth of ANY natural mosses and peat to their container garden! Furthermore, it "showcases" CP's spectacularly, adding interesting dimensions to the dish!
In addition to more frequent rainwater flushes mimicing seepage bogs really, both CP's and Mosses have flourished like never before! So I am slowly reintroducing young plants from various online nurseries while nurturing old specimen back to health.
Should you run into problems ask the EXPERT Brian Barnes and DONT GIVE UP! ;-) The rewards are so worth it!!
I will post pics shortly!
Cheers! Serge
The memories are still vivid on my trip with Brian and Mark to collect the doomed Bay County CP's from that county road re construction: We spent days digging and shipping CP'S to various CP network members private bogs or institutions to safeguard these beauties. It was sad to realize how poorly certain key players of PROMINENT authorities in the national field of CP conservancy initially supported our rescue mission! Let's only hope that in the future they will respond more swiftly and effectively to these emergencies and provide better asssitance and permitting in a timely manner! Not hundreds but THOUSANDS of CP's growing in this county road ditches were already growing there some 30 years ago when I lived in Bay County!
In the interim, my private collection has sustained many blows from both botritis infections and a failing irrigation system while I was away but I didnt give up! After great advice from Brian I recovered what survived and my CPS are happiest I ever saw!
Altho most folks growing Sars. in zones 7 or 8 show litlte or no problems keeping water filled dishes during growing months, here in SW Florida near Sarasota-- HUMID and rainy zone 10A-- one has to be very careful with rot problems and since I permanently removed the dishes from the pots and replaced ALL soil medium and installed an irrigation timer flushing clean rain water from my underground sistern, just enough water EVERY DAY during the growing season (1/4" flexhoses flooding entire top of pots for about 2 minutes per DAY) it resolved about 95% of the problem! New growth and spikes show healthy vigor and crown rot has just about disappeared. Lke before, I gradually taper off irrigation as late fall approaches and plants start to show signs of dormancy.
Also per Brian's advice, carefully introducing live peatmoss and other natural mosses and other varieties of plants found in their native habitat, the chemistry and dynamics of the soil best resembles that found in the wild. Altho these plants and bog grasses DO pump more water out of the pot, I'm convinced it adds more air and beneficial aerobic flora to the soil negating any ANAEROBIC bacterial infestations such as botritis,etc! I was also told that live peatmoss naturally acidifies the PH of the medium. Im convinced that everyone should encourage the growth of ANY natural mosses and peat to their container garden! Furthermore, it "showcases" CP's spectacularly, adding interesting dimensions to the dish!
In addition to more frequent rainwater flushes mimicing seepage bogs really, both CP's and Mosses have flourished like never before! So I am slowly reintroducing young plants from various online nurseries while nurturing old specimen back to health.
Should you run into problems ask the EXPERT Brian Barnes and DONT GIVE UP! ;-) The rewards are so worth it!!
I will post pics shortly!
Cheers! Serge
Looking forward to some pics!