Calanthe 2013

[Margaret]

Thank you for all your comments. Yes it's C. reflexa and I'm pleased to know it is flowering at the right time.  Could I water it with our Thames tap water if it doesn't require acid conditions?  If it is a heavy feeder would adding a little blood, fish and bone to the compost be a good idea?
Steve, when the slugs and snails damage precious plants I water with liquid Slug Clear which is very effective. I pick up the dead snails in the morning and put them in the Council compost.
I know the Cuphea viscosissima growing in a sunnier part of the garden is not an orchid but it looks similar and is so very, very easy!

[SteveC2]

I use Lincolnshire tap on my plants and that's pretty hard so Thames tap should be fine!  Our limited rainwater is far too precious for these

Call me soft, squeamish or stupid, whatever. but I don't like slug clear.  Sure it is effective but there's too many dead bodies to collect and I worry about the birds, hedgehogs, frogs etc beating me to them.  Despite the high slug population, or maybe because of it, we have all of these in the garden.  Guess there must be better things to eat than huge orange / brown "mother" slugs.

[Margaret]

Thames tap water will make life much easier, thank you Steve.

I share your concern about using chemicals in the garden because of possible harm to wildlife. I am careful to keep the slug clear to a minimum and I collect any 'bodies' early in the morning.  However, I have a few plants, miniture hostas and some codonopsis that wouldn't make it through the soil in early spring without a little slug clear. It kills the tiny black slugs under the soil. My back garden is heaven for molluscs, damp and shady but, thankfully, there are plenty of fat frogs and town birds.