Hello! :) Question included...

[Vivarium-Gardener]

Hello Everyone!

I'm not much of a gardener, I do grow & dry ornamental gourds, and I have a 7 & 22 year old Cacti, but I'm more of a Vivarium Gardener, hence my username.

I have a question:

I am currently building a "RainForest" Vivarium for Tomato frogs.

Problem is, I was supposed to be purchasing the aquarium today(and planting my ground cover plants, TODAY), but my employer did not pay me, and I think I may have to wait until next week for my pay, so I cannot purchase the aquarium yet.

SO, problem is, I already have my ground cover plants, what do I do!!??

I have no suitable containers to plant my GC plants in, and I will have to wait at least a week for the aquarium, is their any way to keep them alive without planting them?

I was thinking of washing off their roots, and placing them on damp cardboard in a sunny location outside/inside???

Any help will greatly be appreciated!

Thanks,

~Royce

Here are the plants:

 

[lynpenny]

How about sticking the roots in a glass or jar of water? that could keep them going for a while.

 

[Vivarium-Gardener]

Thankyou for the reply!

How long will that keep them alive for? More than a week?

~Royce

 

[Kya D]

OR maybe you could plant them in a pot and put a baggie domed up over them to form a greenhouse for them for a week.

AND welcome welcome. It is good to see you here.

 

[Kya D]

I had to look up Vivarium but it appears to be a terrarium but on a much larger scale. I bet yours will be beautiful when it is finished.

 

[Vivarium-Gardener]

Thankyou Kya D!

Also, thanks for the welcome, I just finsihed filling out my profile, this is a wonderful forum!

Yes, a Vivarium is 1. On a larger scale than a Terrarium (in most cases), but 2. Has a humidity reading of 70% or greater, a Terrarium is the opposite of a Vivarium in the sense that it is dry (less than 50% humidity). I will be keeping my Tomato Frog Viv at 85% to mimic the high humidity levels of the Madagascar Rain Forests. But now I'm off topic

So, even though these plants are crawling plants, I could plant them in an upright pot (covering some of the leaves and most of the roots with damp soil substrate) then put a plastic bag over it to create a green-house effect? How would I water them? How long will they last like this?

I appreciate the help, and I'm sorry for all the questions, it's just I don't want these plants to die before I can get my Viv!

~Royce

 

[Kya D]

Royce I think that they will keep growing for quite some time depending on the type of plant... and when they need water just place the pot in a pan of water and let it wick up then take it out. With the baggie (greenhouse) it should not need to be watered much at all for a while

 

[Flower4Yeshua]

Hello and Welcome to the place...I think Lyn hit the nail on the head...they will keep for a bit of time that way ...Enjoy and please keep us posted...love the pic's...

 

[Vivarium-Gardener]

Thankyou Flower4Yeshua!

Okay, well here's an update:

So, the plants sat bare for 2 days, I assume this didn't kill them because they were still green.

Here's the only pot I had:

Here they are, they still look fine?

The soil (in my composting/worm culture container):

There, planted! I used clothes hangers to hold them upright:

There white garabge bag on top:

Put in front of my patio door (makes an excellent window ), with the pot set in a plastic 2" high tray filled with water:

My Cacti: (The large one is 22 years old and the small one is 6 years old.)

Any suggestions/improvments?

Thanks,

~Royce

 

[Randy]

Don't let the sun hit the little greenhouse. That would cook your plants.

 

[Vivarium-Gardener]

Huh? No sunlight? How will they grow?

In my Vivariums for the plants to grow I use full colour spectrum fluorescent lighting, and the plants (vines, broms, etc.) grow great, but how will anything grow/remain alive without sunlight/appropriate colour-spectrum lighting?

 

[Kya D]

I might have used a clear bag but for a week or so I think that will be great. Once the soil is wet take the pot out of the tray with the water in it.... you should not put them in hot sun like Randy said but you can put them in a north window or in indirect sunlight.
I think you will be pleased with them in a week or so. I wouldn't keep them in the bag any longer than you must

 

[Flower4Yeshua]

I think what Randy is saying is they are very tender right now...so if the sun is out too long and hitting the greenhouse the heat and light just might burn the starts as they are tender at this stage

 

[Randy]

Yep, that's it. Indirect sun should be fine.

 

[Crabbergirl]

Welcoem Royce. Nice to have you with us.!