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Thread: What are your Natural Interests?

  1. #1
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    What are your Natural Interests?

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    Not that there are unnatural interests, but I want to probe and find out if forummers here have other areas of natural pursuit besides aquatic flora and fauna. I myself enjoy a wee bit of HDB gardening (particularly plants in the aroid and ginger families), some casual birdwatching, readings on evolutionary science (Dawkins, Gould, Midgely, Lorenz etc), and the biodiversity of Southeast Asia in general.

    I hope you will share your thoughts and queries on all these (non-aquaria) related nature topics.....

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    I do have some HDB gardening going on in my flat. Not that I am a particular pro at it but still they are doing alright. Most of my potted species are of the cactus family. Currently, I am trying to populate the marsilea crenata in pots.

    Cheers
    Vincent

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    I am currently growing mostly aroids like Aglaoenemas, Money plants, Spathyphyllums, Alocasias as my unit gets very little sunlight. Also have some emmersed echinodorus and crypts, the latter grown in glass jars/containers with a plastic wrap on top to retain humidity.

    Vincent, was your Marsilea obtained emmersed? I can't seem to get the submersed form to re-convert back to emmersed growth.

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    Hey budak.

    I have 2 batches of marsilea, one emersed while the other half submersed. The emersed batch does pretty fine. The half submersed batch dies off, but I spotted new leaves sprouting this morning. Utter elation.

    The soil I used to grow the the marsilea is a potting mix with peat moss, coconut husk, rice husk and burnt soil. I am using normal garden fertilizers and once a week dose of NPK.

    I do have some orchids growing in my corridor, I am kind of facinated by them as well.

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    Speaking of orchids, I went to Murai farmway hoping to find some fertilizers for orchids. I browse through their shelves and found out that orchid fertilizers are nothing but 30%N, 30%P and 30%K. I told the attendant that I think I can come out with that mix myself.

    Cheers
    Vincent

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    Vincent,

    If I am not wrong, the Botanic Gardens is holding a sale of orchid and some other plants this Sunday at the Visitor Centre..... would be interesting to go and perhaps ask the staff there about their fert regime....

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    Hey,

    I would certainly do that. Is it at the Orchid Centre where you have to pay admission to go in?

    Cheers
    Vincent

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    See the announcement here. The visitor centre is accessible via Cluny Road, and there is a free carpark under the main admin building. The website's events pages also lists upcoming courses for growing orchids and houseplants, but these cost about $80....

    You should go and see the renovated Symphony Lake (where concerts are held). It's now done up as a proper marsh habitat with several aquatic and swamp plants, and there are many fish species too.

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    I think I should. I am a regular visitor to the botanical gardens before my little one is born. Now it is about time to bring him to stroll the parks. I will be heading down there this Sunday with a friend of mine who is also an aquaria and orchid fan.

    Thanks
    Vincent

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    Sorry to butt in on the enthusiastic orchid discussion;
    will the sale only be on this sunday?

    Orchids seem to be some of the most viable floweringplants for the HDB environment.

    currently searching for affordable cattleyas.

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    I started keeping aquatic plants emerse some months ago. I only focus on echinodorus and cryptocroynes.

    So far, I have E. Ozelot, Marble Queen, Oriental, Rose, Uruguayensis, Parviflorus. A Barthii and Rubin is still under conversion period in my kitchen.

    For the crypts, I admit I dont have a conducive environment for them. They are potted and place along the corridors too, recieving 4-5 hrs of sun light. Species that I have are Wendtii 'tropica', Costata, Beckectii, Griffithii, Griffthii from thailand, Cordata var Blassii, Cordata var Siamensis, Lingua, Pontederiifolia, Pygmaea, Ciliata and Parva. Of all, only Wendtii 'tropica' had the best growth.
    人的一生﹐ 全靠奮斗﹐ 唯有奮斗﹐ 才能成功

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    I could not resist the temptation and bought a spider orchid at the pasar malam store near my place

    Cheers
    Vincent

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    Actually, how would you define what is nature and natural?
    "For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for nature cannot be fooled" - Richard Feynman, 1986. Rogers commission into the Challenger disaster

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    Nature is the environment and Natural is outcome of living on and struggling to survive.

    But in our case, we are talking about 'Natural' in our makeshift 'Nature'.
    人的一生﹐ 全靠奮斗﹐ 唯有奮斗﹐ 才能成功

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    Re:

    [quote:777e95e2aa="lorba"]Nature is the environment and Natural is outcome of living on and struggling to survive.

    But in our case, we are talking about 'Natural' in our makeshift 'Nature'. [/quote:777e95e2aa]

    Thats what I thought too No offense, but strictly speaking, I think plants in pots aren't natural And to add on, fishes in tanks aren't natural either
    "For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for nature cannot be fooled" - Richard Feynman, 1986. Rogers commission into the Challenger disaster

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    Of course not, I think so too. But, hey, can't help it!! I can't be digging out a chunk of bukit timah to enjoy the little bit of 'Nature' within reach.
    人的一生﹐ 全靠奮斗﹐ 唯有奮斗﹐ 才能成功

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    Re:

    From the view of physical science, there is nothing in this world that is Unnatural, as long as the law of physics (and its progeny chemistry and biology) are obeyed. The only "Unnatural" things or events would by definition those that goes against these laws, e.g. turning water into wine (without the aid of grape juice and oak barrels) or Microsoft going open-source (*ahem*), i.e. the "Supernatural".

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    Re:

    [quote:4ea7b786a3="budak"]From the view of physical science, there is nothing in this world that is Unnatural, as long as the law of physics (and its progeny chemistry and biology) are obeyed. The only "Unnatural" things or events would by definition those that goes against these laws, e.g. turning water into wine (without the aid of grape juice and oak barrels) or Microsoft going open-source (*ahem*), i.e. the "Supernatural".[/quote:4ea7b786a3]

    That's another definition too, but a bit overly wide since that would mean that you will have to accept everything under the sky that is in accordance with the laws of physics like facism, slavery, murder as "natural". There would not be anything unnatural if you believe that everything has an explanation that is in accordance with the known and yet-to-be-discovered laws of physics. If that's the case, such believers could talk about ANYTHING in this thread.

    I think lorba's definition is the "popular" definition here, or the definition as most of us in this forum understands it.
    "For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for nature cannot be fooled" - Richard Feynman, 1986. Rogers commission into the Challenger disaster

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    Re:

    To add on, one must also avoid the mistake of equating "natural" with either good or evil, at least from the point of human welfare or that hazier concept called morality or ethics. The argument of "unnaturalness" appears to be a convenient label for things that some people disapprove of, which seems strange, when much human activity could be considered as going against the grain of nature, in the sense that man exercises control over his environment and own physiology beyond that which is determined phenotypically, as is the case with most other creatures. Is not the wearing of clothes "unnatural"? What more artificial contraception, or the practice of religion and belief in the afterlife?

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    Re:

    [quote:e969d44250="budak"]To add on, one must also avoid the mistake of equating "natural" with either good or evil, at least from the point of human welfare or that hazier concept called morality or ethics. The argument of "unnaturalness" appears to be a convenient label for things that some people disapprove of, which seems strange, when much human activity could be considered as going against the grain of nature, in the sense that man exercises control over his environment and own physiology beyond that which is determined phenotypically, as is the case with most other creatures. Is not the wearing of clothes "unnatural"? What more artificial contraception, or the practice of religion and belief in the afterlife?[/quote:e969d44250]

    Yep, I wasn't equating the definition of natural with good or evil, but I was trying to show how contreversial that definition you posted might be. Sorry fo the misunderstanding.

    That's why I believe its difficult to generally define natural/unnatural.

    However, if we base our definition on the "popular" definition posted by lorba, I'm actually curious as to how one could say they love nature and yet their hobby is pulling out parts of nature from their natural environment into artificial ones?
    "For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for nature cannot be fooled" - Richard Feynman, 1986. Rogers commission into the Challenger disaster

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