Kellie’s enquiry in the last issue of this journal set me thinking. I reprint a section of her email as a reminder:
I would like to put these pots outside in a sunny area (front-n-back yard). I have no garden, so these pots-n-plants will be the feature. I am not a good gardener and have only been in Bali for six months.
Kellie’s area is fully paved and doubtless there are many homes here with a similar problem.
If you are one such ‘gardener’, some solutions follow:
Pots: The best from the plant’s point of view are plastic. These range from tiny ‘starter pots’ to huge tubs, priced according to size. Advantages are: (1) – Suitable for immediate planting without pre-treatment. (2) The root ball retains water better as evaporation only occurs from the top surface – much reduced by a 5cm+ layer of mulch.
Three colors usually available – terra cotta, dark green, black. Utilitarian black is often cheaper. Colors do fade in Bali’s strong sun. If you dislike the look of plastic, buy a slightly bigger ‘ornamental’ pot to mask it. Unglazed pottery is very porous and evaporation from all surfaces is rapid.
Paving: Plain concrete, or pre-cast pavers in a variety of shapes in small sections which ‘key’ into each other. Concrete is often rather ‘weak’ so a small section (say 30x30cm+) may be easily removed so a small tree (eg: Frangipani) may be planted directly into the ground beneath; likewise a section of the pre-cast pavers. Expect to find a layer of sand over the soil under these.
A paved area may be ‘broken up’ by removing a small area, planting a single, low-growing ground cover here and there. As this plant gets bigger it collects dust and humus, often making rootlets on adjacent paved areas. These may be used for propagating.
No dig Water Feature: A large, shallow, ceramic bowl on top of a plinth can serve. Rippling water is very soothing and cooling. Small ‘fountains’, including a small, re-circulating pump are available. Buy a small water-lily and a submerged water plant. Better in a shady spot; a small quantity of water can quickly become very hot. You will probably need to top-up the water level on a daily basis during the dry season. If you want fish, choose very small species (eg: tetras).
Walls: The wall itself is often over-looked as a planting area. Bare walls reflect heat, so cover them up; best plants for this purpose are those forming ‘adventitious’ roots (like Ivy) attaching themselves to the surface. The most-grown here is the creeping fig (Ficus pumila) – easy and quick growing. Beware! Keep it regularly trimmed. Left untended, it transforms itself into a big tree – usually upon reaching the top of the wall.
Piper betle (daun sirih) is easier to grow and control; just as fast to cover; with attractive, heart-shaped, glossy green leaves. It can be quite exuberant when established, but is easier to cut back (stout scissors will do). Other attractive flowering creepers are the scarlet or blue passionfruit vines (Passiflora coccinea/Passiflora coerulea), or the pink/white coral vine (Antigonon leptopus). Neither are invasive, but they usually bear their flowers at the top of the plant.
Orchids: Most orchids do well on walls, though you will have to attach them with nails and wire/twine. Bought in small pots or in coconut fiber, these also send out roots which attach themselves quite firmly to walls. They also like to grow in the crotches of trees.
Ferns: Most ferns will grow on walls; during the wet season they will often arrive un-announced, germinating spontaneously in any available crevice. The stag-horn fern is easy to find here, usually growing on a slab of wood or tree-fern. Of course, these need moist, shady conditions, but many withstand several hours of exposure to the sun. A birds-nest fern (Asplenium nidus) will grow happily on a wall, tree-trunk, in a pot, or in the soil.
Plants for Pots: Just about anything which grows in the soil, will grow in a pot here – even trees. In time, they will outgrow the pot (some do it faster than others) and must be repotted into a larger container, or ‘divided’ and replanted in the same pot. The divisions may be given away or otherwise disposed of.
Some which grow quite happily in the same pot for many years are the anthuriums (colors: red, pink, white). One anthurium grown for its attractive, large, green-veined-white leaves is (Anthurium crystallinum). It bears curious, small, brown flowers.
Caladiums also do well. In temperate climates these are raised as houseplants, here they are a common ‘weed’ - as common as dock-weed in the West. I acquire these by digging one small tuber from a wild patch which multiplies rapidly.
Please send all your gardening questions to
E-mail: gardendoctor09@gmail.com
