I've seen Ficus pumila start nice and then take-off even in small spaces but the variegated ones don't do that in my experience and I've also found them more hardy to cold here (ie. the variegated ones have manners). Selaginella kraussiana 'Aurea' is a yellow form of the species, grows low to the ground and makes a nice groundcover. It is commonly sold in the tropical section in 2 1/2" pots. You can also use the species the same. It just adds to the overall affect of lushness and highlights the plants you are really growing. I've always found them growing well under the prop tables when I know I didn't plant them there 'cause they like the humidity and warmth. Wasn't the Wardian case used extensively during the Victorian era to cultivate oodles of delicate indoor ferns which were all the rage? Or is Wardian short for Edwardian?
Received a small Wardian case as a gift- want to fill it
I don't know if Wardian is short for Edwardian or not but they were definitely used for ferns. I think we can thank the Brits for these cases but I don't recall the history behind them. Most old photos of Victorian era homes do seem to have a fern in the parlor on a plant stand. I don't recall any photos of Wardian cases but the Victorians were collectors and if Wardian cases were good enough for them, we would have probably picked up over here in no time flat. Where do I get Selaginella kraussiana 'Aurea'?
If we lived in the same country I'd just pop over to the store and mail you one. I've seen them in Walmart, HomeDepot, most nurseries with a tropical section, Safeway, etc. Not sure out your way. Say, where is Midwest (US) anyways? Is that like a new state?
Ya, I know. The stakes are real high these days for mailing plants in and out of countries. Feigning ignorance won't get you too far if you get caught so you're wise to not send anything over the border. I've got a WalMart real close to me as well as a Home Depot but I'm not familiar with Safeway other than that it is a chain of gas stations down here by me. I can go poke around and see what I can find. I've got a few plant orders going in for tropicals and it very well could be available at one of those nurseries. Thanks for the thought though, I really appreciate it.
The Midwest is considered the cultural crossroads of the US as well as the "breadbasket". Better definition here-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midwest
Canadians have well defined Territories while we have the Pacific Northwest, the Southwest, the Southeast, the Rocky Mountain States, the Great Plains States, the Midwest, the East, the Southeast... and did I miss anything? Gets better, they seem to overlap at times and then they get broken down even more like the Midwest for example has been broken down here at DG into the Upper Midwest, the Central Midwest, and the Ohio River Valley. I grew up in Michigan and have property up there but now live in a Illinois real close to the Wisconsin border. So close that our kids go to school in WI and I do all of my shopping there. Wisconsin doesn't tax groceries and their tax rate for everything else is considerably lower than mine.
So what orchids are you growing and what are they potted in and how frequently are you watering them? Although you said you don't want "difficult" plants, there may be some other orchids that would be easy for you AND terrarium-friendly.
I have a question about copper trays. I have quite a few but hesitate to use them where I will be (intentionally or effectively) bottom-watering. I assumed the copper would have a negative effect on plant roots. I haven't researched it - just made a safe bet because some orchids would hate it. But then, if those orchids are noted for disliking copper, perhaps most plants don't care...
Hey keyring, please don't get overly impressed with the orchids I grow. This thread sums up how I grow orchids-
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/561646/
Scary, eh? In answer to your question, I water them once a week and steam them once a day. They are potted in Schultz's orchid mix with extra charcoal added and I do tend to toss in whatever else might be handy such as coir or rockwool.
A copper tray I would only use as a catch basin or a humidity tray. I'd stick potted plants in a case that had a copper tray as long as the plants had their own drip trays. The case I intend to make a terrarium out of came with a tray that wouldn't leech so I'm ok. Copper and orchids don't sound like a good mix to me although I've never researched it before either. I can tell you that copper and Nepenthes, Sarracenia, and Pinguicula are not a good mix and that I have researched.
I've started ordering for my Wardian cases-
I've ordered from the Violet Barn before and had a very good experience with them so I started there. Here are the plants that I'm going to try in the terrariums but if they aren't happy, I can move them to a counter top by my AVs-
Chirta Little Dragon
C. Silver Surfer
Codonanthe carnosa
Sinningea 'Peridot's Darth Vader'
Nephrolepis exalta 'Fluffy Ruffles'
Acorus minima
I'm getting ready to place another order and that will have a Creeping Ficus (Ficus pumila) in it. I got to thinking about how toxic it was and decided it didn't matter given it would be in a terrarium.
I'm looking to purchase these plants online, any ideas who might have them-
S. speciosa 'Regina'
S. eumorfa
S. consinna
Just ordered from here-
http://davesgarden.com/gwd/c/167/
Sinningia Blue Dandy
Streptocarpella Snow Flurry (for my counter top)
Lysionotus pauciflorus
Ficus pumila Snowflake
And here-
http://davesgarden.com/gwd/c/5362/
Goodyera hispida
Lepanthopsis pristis 'Gilt Soldiers'
Masdevallia andreetana
Masdevallia tridens
Pleurothallis amparoana
Miltassia C. M. Fitch 'Izumi' AM/AOS
Trying to place an order with Brennan's but something is messed up with their site right now.
http://davesgarden.com/gwd/c/4627/
Look what keyring did to me... her fault, she got me hooked when she sent me seeds ;)
That's gonna be one super full Wardian Case......... :))
Look above- I have one from my girlfriend, one from my neighbor who is also a friend, and one from my husband. That's three Wardian cases to fill. I started with one as a gift and the others sort of appeared once I showed an interest. Soooo, when are you going to try a few plants? There are places to order from in Canada! Links are above ;)
I solved the tray issue. I bought clear glass pyrex baking dishes and cut down a sterilite plastic shoe box from WalMart for another terrarium. I tried the copper but it didn't look to good in there. Way too shiny and it would have detracted from the plants.
oh yes, now I remember.....all this new snow has my brain in a fuddle.....hope you will post some pics when you have them all planted...
I was thinking of simply repotting them and sticking them in the terrariums. I got a little nervous about plants not blooming and I've got drip trays in the bottoms now so I should be ok.
Some of the orchids are being shipped soon with heat packs. We've still got snow too although much did melt. I think the others are going to be shipped later. Yes, I'll post photos! I'm really excited. I've purchased pretty much everything critter suggested and then keyring did me in with her photos. I truly wanted to use those Wardian cases anyway.
How is this going?
I am still waiting for my mini rhizomatous to die back so I can harvest rhizomes for you.
Did you get the seeds I sent a while ago?
And I need to touch base with you re: orchids and Chicago.....
Yes, yes, yes! I got the seeds! Do you have any e-mail issues lately or have you checked your personal feedback in your profile? I was thrilled to death with them. I did receive some of my plants and unfortunately, it was a big box with a very little heat pack and the plants took a major beating. Sort of depressing.
What's up with orchids and the Chicago area? Are you coming out this way?
well, I'd never checked to see if anyone had left feedback for me! thanks for letting me know.... LOL. and I hope you didn't mean yours to be a red X :(
The "issues" lately have been an insanely busy month at work. I was hoping for a slower time in April, but it looks to be about the same.....
Sorry to hear about the cold damage. Heat packs are tricky because it's also very easy to cook the plants. A big box with a small pack is actually a fairly good bet..... but winter shipping is always risky, what with boxes sitting on runways and flights getting delayed etc.
more by email....
Goodness gracious great balls of fire! How DO I CHANGE that horribly inaccurate big red negative I left for you? Help me please. I am so embarrassed. That was supposed to be a positive. I can't believe I did that. How absolutely absurd.
I need to ask you to hold off on the e-mail for a bit. I don't have any right now and haven't for a bit. Give me about one week to figure out how to get my e-mail working. I literally just got the new computer to go on line today. I am incredibly computer illiterate. I have photos of the plants I received but I can't get to them. This is really a horrible situation. I have a love/hate relationship with computers.
You are a sweetheart for sending me the seed. I am really very sorry about that feedback I left you. I hope people read the comments and figured it out but I must change that. Please let me know if you know how to do it. That's a priority with me right now.
Thank you ever so much.
hey, don't worry about it. I think people can read ;-)
I'll be in Chicago the last weekend of April, which turns out to be the weekend of an orchid bash at the botanic garden :-)
Hope you get your email situation sorted out.