Re: Back Home! now Cathy's book and ph questions

Donna,
years ago FG ran a short article about "instant bonsai".  Purists would
think it disgusting, critics turn their nose up at it, but the guy really
had a fun, easy way of doing it - and on the cheap.  I'll see if I can dig
it up if you're interested.

Kitty
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Donna" <gossiper@sbcglobal.net>
To: <gardenchat@hort.net>
Sent: Monday, December 26, 2005 9:33 PM
Subject: RE: [CHAT] Back Home! now Cathy's book and ph questions


> Well Jim....
>
> Not sure what arrangements where made over Cathy's place, but here, John
was
> building the layout and then it is my problem to plant and care for it.
>
> I never realized how hard it was to do. Trying to keep things small, but
> make them 'look' like they are in scale with his train and buildings and
> yes, hardscape. For instance, I need to make a tree that is under 2 ft
tall,
> yet looks like a 100 yr old tree, not some seedling or bush. That is where
> the bonsai pruning comes into effect.
>
> I suppose it depends on what train era you are also creating. You also
have
> to work within the trains- which causes problems - like where you dig,
don't
> mess up the gravel roads and train track areas- not to mention there is no
> room to stand, kneel, or do much either without hitting something! Of
> course, I attempted to plant as he went along so some of these problems
> wouldn't happen, but then the curve was too tight, so that tree has to
move
> scenario happens...oh well.
>
> Of course, all of this is personal taste. Many of the railroads just have
> some ground cover and stick a rose bush here and there- which looks so out
> of place!
>
> We are trying to create a miniature view to scale. It is a lot harder than
I
> thought! I am now running into a problem with the leaching of 'stuff' out
of
> the rocks and killing plantings off. They just can't take the ph swing.
>
> Next time you are at Disney, see if you can talk to the gardeners that
make
> those miniature towns... I would love to get some advice from them!
>
> Donna
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: owner-gardenchat@hort.net [o*@hort.net] On
> > Behalf Of james singer
> > Sent: Monday, December 26, 2005 5:32 PM
> > To: gardenchat@hort.net
> > Subject: Re: [CHAT] Back Home! now Cathy's book and ph questions
> >
> > If you wanted to go bonsai, you could plant them in pots and bury the
> > pots, then pull them out once a year and root prune them. Kind of a
> > modular-design idea. Sounds like a lot of work, but it would likely
> > help with weed control and allow you to change the landscape by simply
> > swapping the pots around. Might also minimize any influence landscape
> > rocks [or anything else, like moles, voles, and gophers] had on the
> > growing environment.
> >
> > Guess this means it would be a predominantly hardscape construction,
> > but what else is new?
> >
> > On Dec 26, 2005, at 5:07 PM, Donna wrote:
> >
> > > And I will be your first customer! :)
> > >
> > > Actually, there are not any plants 'just' for garden railroads. Also
> > > comes
> > > into play is your zone, and everything else a gardener has to put up
> > > with
> > > while browsing books and magazines.
> > >
> > > Cathy you should spend the winter reading about bonsai plants...
> > > especially
> > > the pruning/training of same. Start with naturally small leaf plants
> > > and
> > > plan on pruning them to death to stay small.
> > >
> > > Another issue is all the mountains and rock formations they want to
> > > add. Not
> > > much room for roots at/just below the surface, so rock garden plants
> > > are
> > > also a choice as long as they allowed drainage issues into those
> > > mountains.
> > >
> > > Another killer of the garden railroads is the stones they use. Darn
> > > stuff
> > > leaches out into the growing sections, so plan for it depending on
what
> > > stones Gary uses. John is using lime stone bases for the crushed
> > > ballasts.
> > >
> > > This winter I plan on learning more about the ph of soils and what
> > > happens
> > > when exposed to chemical changes from rocks over periods of time. Can
I
> > > nurse a plant thru the first year of ungodly ph swings? How long does
> > > this
> > > nightmare last? Should plants that need that only be planted, then  3
> > > years
> > > down the line they all die since they are now not getting all that
> > > since the
> > > rocks are no longer leaching it out? (HA! Probably no time, anyone
> > > here want
> > > to give me a crash course or at least answer my current questions?)
> > >
> > > Donna
> > >
> > >
> > >> -----Original Message-----
> > >> From: owner-gardenchat@hort.net [o*@hort.net] On
> > >> Behalf Of Cathy Carpenter
> > >> Sent: Monday, December 26, 2005 2:24 PM
> > >> To: gardenchat@hort.net
> > >> Subject: Re: [CHAT] Back Home!
> > >>
> > >> You may just have an idea there. One more thing for my 'to do' list!
> > >>
> > >> Cathy, west central IL, z5b
> > >>
> > >> On Dec 26, 2005, at 10:06 AM, james singer wrote:
> > >>
> > >>> Sounds like a book waiting to be written, Cathy. And since it
> > >>> appears that you're going to have to research the plants, make and
> > >>> keep good notes.
> > >>>
> > >>> On Dec 25, 2005, at 11:05 PM, Cathy Carpenter wrote:
> > >>>
> > >>>> My one frustration was that there does not seem to be
> > >>>> anything published that focuses on garden railroad plantings.
> > >>>
> > >>> Island Jim
> > >>> Southwest Florida
> > >>> 27.0 N, 82.4 W
> > >>> Hardiness Zone 10
> > >>> Heat Zone 10
> > >>> Minimum 30 F [-1 C]
> > >>> Maximum 100 F [38 C]
> > >>>
> >
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> > >
> > >
> > Island Jim
> > Southwest Florida
> > 27.0 N, 82.4 W
> > Hardiness Zone 10
> > Heat Zone 10
> > Minimum 30 F [-1 C]
> > Maximum 100 F [38 C]
> >
> > ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> > To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@hort.net with the
> > message text UNSUBSCRIBE GARDENCHAT
>
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