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

If you do run across it, I would be interested....

Sorry the reply is so late... catching up!

Donna

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-gardenchat@hort.net [o*@hort.net] On
> Behalf Of Chapel Ridge Wal Mart National Hearing Center
> Sent: Tuesday, December 27, 2005 9:57 AM
> To: gardenchat@hort.net
> Subject: Re: [CHAT] 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]
> > >
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