Comments on: SANTE FE – BOTANIZING THE SUB ALPINE ZONES WITH NARGS MEMBERS

By: Matt Mattus

Matt Mattus — Wed, 24 Sep 2014 18:23:06 +0000

In reply to DC Tropics. DC - I am not certain of that identification. I was hoping to share the photo with Panayoti, but we were unable to catch up after the event. I would appreciate any help

By: DC Tropics

DC Tropics — Tue, 23 Sep 2014 21:39:27 +0000

BTW regarding font size, it's easy for the user to increase it on their own monitor by either holding down Ctrl and using the mouse roller, or Ctrl plus the "+" key.

By: DC Tropics

DC Tropics — Tue, 23 Sep 2014 21:35:52 +0000

Great photos but are you certain of the Corallorhiza i.d.? The fruits don't look right for an orchid–you're certain it isn't Epifagus or another orobanch?

By: Matt Mattus

Matt Mattus — Mon, 08 Sep 2014 06:51:33 +0000

Oh Terese, what a nice comment. Well, I started with houseplants ( and, as I am seriously thinking about not heating the greenhouse for part of this winter, may be having a house full of them again!). One we built the greenhouse, we realized that we rarely had house plants in the house anymore. Over the past few years, a few have been finding their way back in. As for your situation, I have a few friends who raise plants in the city ( New York) in high rises, and one way they fight the lack of humidity and the higher populations of insects, if to have a growing room – a large closet or a cellar, or an unused bedroom with racks of grow lights, and mecury halide lights (sp?). Plants are kept in trays of gravel or moisture wicking material under these lights, and the racks are covered with clear plastic, like a shower curtain, which helps keeps the humidy high, Plants can go into this grow room for recovery and health, like a sauna or a spa, and then be placed back into the rest of your apartment for their 'work', for display. Fig trees like ficus are very prone to spidermite. Do you have a terrace or a deck where they can go out for the summer?

By: Unknown

Unknown — Sun, 07 Sep 2014 10:21:02 +0000

In reply to James.

Dear fantastic Matt,
I have never commented before, I should have told you long before how much I enjoy your blog, but shyness got in the way. There is something I really wonder, and need advice about. I am curious about how you grew certain houseplants before you had a greenhouse. You must have wanted to grow so many species – but didn't, or tried anyway?
I live in a very small apartment on the bottom floor in the middle of Sweden. I have five windows, all facing south-east. I do not have a balcony. In the summers I have to use an AC so that my old dog does not pant to death. This makes the air dry and let the pests in, mainly lice and worse spider mite.
I like leaves more than flowers, I love the ginkgo and the fig, ferns and asparaguses, tropical plants. I do have a fig tree inside, and it works, for the most part. Spider mite loves it, devours it. They then move to the rest of my precious and to me, and in Sweden, rare plants. I am quite sure that would I remove the fig, the pests would move in for other plants.
The simple solution would of course be to move, get a house, a quality greenhouse, but that is economically 5 or 10 years away from me.
I use an "insecticide" (don't know what to call it) for the pests that is the most eco-friendly, friendly to the plants and me. I shower my plants once a week. I mist them twice a day.
My question is: did you ever battle this before you got your dream? Are there any tricks you could share with me?
Do you think a humidifier could make a difference? (Yes, maybe also obsessive but consider me nerdy already.)

Best,
Terese

By: Matt Mattus

Matt Mattus — Fri, 05 Sep 2014 17:00:02 +0000

In reply to James. Good point James. You are not alone in thinking that this font is small. I have to admit that I sometimes get lazy (composing these posts so quickly in between other projects early in the morning) and I use the caption feature to write text rather than the body text size.

By: James

James — Fri, 05 Sep 2014 14:34:20 +0000

This is the first time I visit your blog and I like your write ups about botanizing forest and congrats for being voted as president of the North American Rock Garden Society But, I suggest to adjust your font or text size because I can hardly read your text because it's a little small. Just suggesting but good read! 🙂

By: Susan in the Pink Hat

Susan in the Pink Hat — Thu, 04 Sep 2014 01:15:18 +0000

In reply to Susan in the Pink Hat. It certainly sounds like it was amazing. I wish I could have come!

By: Matt Mattus

Matt Mattus — Wed, 03 Sep 2014 22:07:56 +0000

In reply to Susan in the Pink Hat. Susan, it wasn't like they were mean, just trying to bite their tongues a bit. In the end, I think he actually learned more than we did, which isn't a bad thing. After all, there were many experts on the trip. Everyone was well behaved and had a great time. Including the Penstemon Society members.

By: Susan in the Pink Hat

Susan in the Pink Hat — Wed, 03 Sep 2014 19:57:49 +0000

Your comment about the ranger made me laugh. This happens a lot on forays wit the local plant societies. At the Penstemon society meeting, they made sure to get the research botanists out there for us.