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Discuss water requirements, "soil" (growing media) and suitable planting containers

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By Naja002
Posts:  246
Joined:  Fri Jul 01, 2011 8:57 pm
#134575
Hey Everybody,

As I've stated previously....I've been having serious issues with sun-scorching on newly acquired plants. Tired of it, and have been tossing ideas around in my head for awhile to come up with a solution for my situation....and something that may be adaptable and beneficial for others.

Shade cloth is actually pretty expensive to acquire for small applications. Bug screen is not really self-supporting, so a frame would need to be built. Just one issue after another really.

I picked up some Craft Lattice months ago for the drain of my original soak station. Since then, the leftover has just been collecting dust. It dawned on me that it is self-supporting (to a degree), it's translucent nature should allow plenty of indirect light in, the square openings will allow direct light in and, also, airflow. Considering that my plants are outside in the Planter Bog...there is ample opportunity for airflow.

Other benefits are that it's readily available, inexpensive, adaptable, and safe and easy to work with...Image

So, here is the prototype:

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And, some results! Image

This first picture is of plants that were received and planted into this pot 1 week BEFORE I built and started using the Shade Hut....and they are still looking very rough:

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Last Tuesday I received some more plants. I planted them and then added the Shade Hut. Here is what they look like after 1 week...keep in mind that the scorched plants above and these newer plants have all been exposed to all day sun, at least 1 frost and freezing/below freezing temps:

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Same pot, same media, same placement, same care...universe of difference. Image Image

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So, it works. The craft lattice is basically self-supporting and can be adapted to a variety of situations. Image

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I'm not quite sure what step 2, 3, etc are going to be. I'm trying to sort that out now.
Last edited by Naja002 on Wed Mar 21, 2012 11:31 am, edited 4 times in total.
Naja002 liked this
By Naja002
Posts:  246
Joined:  Fri Jul 01, 2011 8:57 pm
#134576
The construction process is really pretty simple and straight-forward....however, I'm going to offer a simple "How to" in order to help some along. Keep in mind that this needs to be adapted to your pots, your situation, etc. This lattice can also be used in between a pot(s) and a window just to help block some sun while a plant(s) settles in...Image

This is what I've done and what I've used:

Picked up a pack of craft lattice at walmart--6 sheets = 13" x 10" each = $3:

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Gathered some twist-ties and cut them to useable size:

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Started attaching sheets together. 3-point attachment seems to work fine:

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I knew I would need 3 sheets....so:

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Took an empty pot, wrapped the lattice around it to find the snug point, and attached the sheeting together:

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The was some overlap, but I didn't really want to cut any of the sheets, so I just attached it together with the overlap...a 5-point attachment worked well:

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Placed a sheet on top, for the top, and attached it at two points that allow for a swivel...for opening the top:

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Last edited by Naja002 on Wed Mar 14, 2012 1:01 am, edited 3 times in total.
By Naja002
Posts:  246
Joined:  Fri Jul 01, 2011 8:57 pm
#134577
Attached a large twist-tie to the "front" to keep wind from blowing it open, and as an easly "latch":

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Just a look at the completed top:

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And, the almost completed unit:

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Next, there needs to be a way to set the height of the hut above the plants/pot. On the first one I just used cut pieces of twist-ties--4-point--to set the height. I just twist-tied them all at the correct height...and they just "hook" onto the rim of the pot. I guess I will need to take some pix of it and add to this thread. On this pot I just used a couple of small zip-ties and a 2-point level. I found where I needed to place the zip-ties...and then put one on opposite sides. Works fine, but not everyone has small zip-ties lying around:

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Basically the Shade Hut just slips over the pot, the zip ties (or twist-ties) catch on the rim of the pot and support it to the preset height. On these Shade Huts the whole unit can slide on and off, but the "latching" top is very handy for a quick peek inside.

These are plants that I received yesterday. They are in a different pot with their own shade hut. I will keep them in the updates of this thread also:

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Last edited by Naja002 on Wed Mar 14, 2012 1:20 am, edited 2 times in total.
By Naja002
Posts:  246
Joined:  Fri Jul 01, 2011 8:57 pm
#134578
Another variation can be seen here in my The Planter thread.

Here is the end result:

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These Shade Huts are, of course, temporary and just used for acclimation of newly transplanted plant(s). I now have to figure out the next step...which I will document. I can't just pull the Shade Hut and expect wonderful results. I need to continue increasing their exposure...without over-doing it too quickly.
By Naja002
Posts:  246
Joined:  Fri Jul 01, 2011 8:57 pm
#135460
Well, nobody likes my little shade hut. :cry: ( :mrgreen: ). Well, my plants like it, and so do I. Image

Here's an update:

First the plants:

The 2 pots have been sitting where they were. I changed the one to a different version of the shade hut....I'll likely change the one with the original shade hut also...next week or so. I'll leave it for now, because the small Grun are showing a bit of stress:

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The scorched plants are finally starting to show some return of life...ya can't see it in the pic, but it's there...just small. The other plants are about the same....slightly worse for wear, but nothing like what they would be without protection. So, this is 3 weeks for the 2 scorched plants (1 unprotected, 2 protected), and 2 protected weeks for the others. The yellow Justina Davis leaf is not yellow like that--it's just the pic:

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The other pot is on 1 protected week right now. The small Grun are showing the worst wear, but they still look GOOD! compared to without the protection:

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A quick look at the new variation of the shade hut. It's just 2 of the dowels cut in half to make 4 support posts. Cut out "cross-hairs" at appropriate points and slide the lattice on. Not a big deal, and ~$4 will make 6 of these:

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I've been replanting. Trying to get the Limestone laden Quickrete Pool Filter sand out of my life. Been using these newer versions to give the already-acclimated plants a break while they settle back into their new home:

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These can be slowly raised and lowered, angled to increase/decrease protection...and they have already weathered some pretty treacherous storms/winds. Once I get a bit further along, I will replace the half dowels with full-length dowels in order to continue raising the lattice up to offer less and less protection before I remove it entirely:

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May or may not seem like over-kill, but I definitely needed to do something...and this works: For the plants, for me and for my wallet. Image
Last edited by Naja002 on Wed Mar 21, 2012 11:59 am, edited 1 time in total.
By pieguy452
Posts:  2460
Joined:  Sun May 22, 2011 11:09 pm
#135468
I think its a great idea, Naja!


An innovative one as well, it takes out the need to keep your plants inside or in shade for weeks. I have tried to shade newly acquired plants with an umbrella, but the day I take them out, they get burned. I sometimes give the plants full direct sunlight for a couple of hours, then move them into shade, but its hard when you have big pots filled with sand to monitor every day!


I like your idea because it seems effective, simple, and cost friendly

And you can put your plants right outside when you get them and keep them there without having to worry :)

Keep us posted!
By Naja002
Posts:  246
Joined:  Fri Jul 01, 2011 8:57 pm
#135471
pieguy452 wrote:I think its a great idea, Naja!


An innovative one as well, it takes out the need to keep your plants inside or in shade for weeks. I have tried to shade newly acquired plants with an umbrella, but the day I take them out, they get burned. I sometimes give the plants full direct sunlight for a couple of hours, then move them into shade, but its hard when you have big pots filled with sand to monitor every day!


I like your idea because it seems effective, simple, and cost friendly

And you can put your plants right outside when you get them and keep them there without having to worry :)

Keep us posted!

Agreed on all counts, pieguy. One really nice thing about it is that if ya "forget" about the plants....they'll be just fine until the next day...or the day after...or....whenever you can get to them. Same with adjusting the amount of light they receive...I am finding it all to be very user-friendly.

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By Dubstep13
Posts:  1165
Joined:  Sun May 22, 2011 9:15 pm
#135508
its nice to see someone eles other than me who grows outdoors
thanks for this method and idea this will really help me out a lot
By Grey
Posts:  3255
Joined:  Mon Jul 26, 2010 3:48 pm
#135515
That is an awesome method! I've been looking to get some craft mesh myself for other reasons but can't find it anywhere... d'oh.

I'll definately keep this design in mind when I'm finally able to move my venus fly traps outside (waiting for my seedlings to get older and larger, then I'll pot them in a pot and keep them in the back garden). Thank you for sharing!
By Naja002
Posts:  246
Joined:  Fri Jul 01, 2011 8:57 pm
#135900
Dubstep13 wrote:its nice to see someone eles other than me who grows outdoors
thanks for this method and idea this will really help me out a lot
ImageImage



Grey wrote:That is an awesome method! I've been looking to get some craft mesh myself for other reasons but can't find it anywhere... d'oh.

I'll definately keep this design in mind when I'm finally able to move my venus fly traps outside (waiting for my seedlings to get older and larger, then I'll pot them in a pot and keep them in the back garden). Thank you for sharing!
ImageImage

Sometimes the things that I post are just for novelty...like the planter bog. In other words, I don't really expect people to even want to copy it. It's just what I'm doing for my own reasons, yadda, yadda, yadda. But other times I post with the hope that maybe it might help someone else out...or spark an idea of their own. Image I see it as a way of giving-back. Image And, as Steve noted in the other thread: seems this stuff is getting as versatile as duct tape and baling twine! :lol:


Daniel_G wrote:Amazing!
You must be the best DIY-er on the forums!

How about we settle on "the most-picture-posting DIY-er"? :lol:



Here's the update for this week...plenty of pix:

Ya'll know what the original shade hut looks like. Well, these plants have been in the original shade hut since 3-12-12:

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For some reason the grun and 1 of the razorbacks are showing the most stress:

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Yet the other razorback and the spider are doing much better:

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Best I can tell is from the placement of the pot. Seems that the spider and 1 razorback get some evening shade from the planter bog reservoir and I guess the others do not.... :idea:



Last week I switched the other pot to the newer style shade hut, so let's take a look:


New growth on the 2 scorched plants:

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The stand-up trap on the Justina Davis stalled, but has started up again...growing the teeth for the trap:

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Today I switched the support posts to the full-length dowels. I did another pot a few days ago:

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BTW, I've been updating this on Tuesdays...at weekly intervals. I think I'm going to move the updates to the weekends, so I can just update this when I take pix of The Planter, etc...
Naja002 liked this
By Naja002
Posts:  246
Joined:  Fri Jul 01, 2011 8:57 pm
#136827
Just another quick update:

I added Bristletooh and Big Vigorous to the original style shade hut on Monday (6 days ago):

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The Bristletooth is definitely coloring up:

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Hard to see in the pic, but the Big Vigorous' are settling in and taking off...very impressive to me:

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The scorched plants are still hanging in there:

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Slow-n-Steady:

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Just a quick view of the other plants. They look slightly "Drier" as I expose them to more and more direct sunlight. What I am getting at is probably easiest to see on the Justina Davis up front...the older leaves are slightly yellowing and giving it a "drier" looking appearance:

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The stand-up trap has finished opening, new growth all around...things are good so far.
By jaester
Posts:  334
Joined:  Sun Sep 11, 2011 10:11 pm
#138319
First and foremost, thank you for this wonderful idea. I have implemented the hut on one of my planters after acquiring a Justina Davis. It's been about 2½ weeks ago and I am wondering how long should I keep the hut on?
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