Lichen, grow some in your garden with a lichen slurry mix.
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James Kilkelly Rank: Site Admin

Joined: 30 May 2006 Posts: 2173 Location: West of Ireland
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Posted: Sun May 06, 2007 3:38 pm Post subject: Lichen, grow some in your garden with a lichen slurry mix. |
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Lichen, add some to your garden with a lichen slurry mix.
by GPI
In a previous article I wrote about algae and the problems that this growth could cause within the garden. But what happens when this algae teams up with a fungus, and the two start to live in a mutually advantageous association? Well, in that situation you get an interesting plant form known as lichen.
The next time you take a drive down a quiet country boreen, pull the car in and take a close look at the dry-stone walls bordering the laneway. Many of the age-old stones will display white growths possibly containing bright yellow or orange splashes. These growths are the lichens, growing where other plants would falter.
Lichens are tough devils; if there were an SAS for the plant world, they would be the first to enlist. Surviving on the bare minimum, they don't even have roots, instead preferring to absorb their food and water from the air around them. Because of this fact, lichens are famous bio-indicators, thriving in regions of low air pollution but becoming scarcer and scarcer in industrialised city areas.
Lichens can grow in locations that other forms of plant life would find uninhabitable, for example windswept roofs, old tree bark, sterile soil and sand. Another situation where lichens grow in abundance is on old carved stone headstones in graveyards. When I have occasion to attend a funeral in a graveyard, I am always struck by the contrast between the mourner's dark garb and the pings and flecks of white, yellow and orange lichen growth upon carved limestone.
I feel lichens have a place within the garden, because if they happen to be an accurate indicator of continuing low pollution within your site, there's no harm in being reminded of that. Lichen growth also adds a considerable amount of character to feature rocks, boundary walls, terracotta containers and stone garden sculptures.
If you would like to encourage this ancient form of plant life, then try this recipe for "lichen slurry".
Add one tablespoon of ground up lichen to one pint of natural yoghurt or buttermilk and mix well in a blender. Using a brush or sponge, paint this slurry onto the object you wish to act as a lichen host.
Fine-looking lichen growth is quite slow to form, but it is faster using the "lichen slurry" method, so sit back and be prepared to wait. While you wait, keep a close eye out for neighbourhood cats, and shoo them off if they even attempt to lick away your yoghurt/buttermilk and lichen coating. These hungry felines should not be allowed to rob your garden of its share of lichen.
Any queries or comments on Lichen, grow some in your garden with a lichen slurry mix., please post below.
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Last edited by James Kilkelly on Wed May 14, 2008 12:29 am; edited 1 time in total |
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pannaannap Rank attained: Hazel Tree

Joined: 18 Apr 2008 Posts: 22 Location: Galway
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Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 12:24 pm Post subject: |
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that's brilliant, i love them on stone features, especially the yellow and orangy ones.
how long do you have to wait for first lichens ater the application of the slurry?
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James Kilkelly Rank: Site Admin

Joined: 30 May 2006 Posts: 2173 Location: West of Ireland
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Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 12:28 am Post subject: |
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Lichens grow really quite slowly.
Expect anything from 1mm a year up to 1cm per year, and you won't be disappointed.
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medieval knievel Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood
Joined: 03 Sep 2007 Posts: 1010
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Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 7:54 am Post subject: |
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how long does it take to collect that much lichen?
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James Kilkelly Rank: Site Admin

Joined: 30 May 2006 Posts: 2173 Location: West of Ireland
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Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 9:34 am Post subject: |
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medieval knievel wrote: | how long does it take to collect that much lichen? |
Depends on where you live and how hard you seek the lichen out.
Country folk should have more ready access to lichen than city folk.
It also depends on what type of lichen you source.
For example with tube lichen the quantity can be gathered quickly.......
But crusty lichen will take a lot longer to gather......
Certain types grow better on certain material, plus certain types appeal more to a particular viewers eye.
Is there much lichen around where you live medieval knievel?
_________________ Gardening books.
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medieval knievel Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood
Joined: 03 Sep 2007 Posts: 1010
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Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 3:18 pm Post subject: |
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i'm in phibsboro, so i should be able to wander down to glasnevin cemetery to have a scout around; though i'd be wary about scraping it off gravestones.
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cooler Rank attained: Sessile Oak Tree


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Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 3:29 pm Post subject: |
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medieval knievel wrote: | i'm in phibsboro, so i should be able to wander down to glasnevin cemetery to have a scout around; though i'd be wary about scraping it off gravestones. |
Stay away from Micheal Collins headstone. He is buried there isn't he, or is it just a memorial and his body is elsewhere?
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JennyS Rank attained: Rowan Tree


Joined: 30 Mar 2007 Posts: 125 Location: West Cork, Ireland
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Posted: Wed Jul 15, 2009 12:31 am Post subject: |
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I've only just found this post (when Googling for something else) but if anyone is interested in the lichens we've got in Ireland there are nearly 300 species illustrated here: Irish Lichens http://www.irishlichens.ie/
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Liparis Rank attained: Orchard owner

Joined: 23 Sep 2007 Posts: 651 Location: Co. Meath
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Posted: Wed Jul 15, 2009 3:01 pm Post subject: |
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Don't know how I missed this thread before, I've loads of lichens growing on my land and always wondered how to encourage them to grow in places I particularly wanted them to. Thanks for that, and thanks for bringing it up again, Jenny.
Bill.
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JennyS Rank attained: Rowan Tree


Joined: 30 Mar 2007 Posts: 125 Location: West Cork, Ireland
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Posted: Wed Jul 15, 2009 5:38 pm Post subject: |
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Hi Bill,
If you're interested in identifying some of them post pics and I'll do my best!
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medieval knievel Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood
Joined: 03 Sep 2007 Posts: 1010
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Posted: Wed Jul 15, 2009 7:55 pm Post subject: |
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i painted some out of date yoghurt onto some of the stonework in the garden last spring, in the hope of attracting some moss. no luck yet...
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James Kilkelly Rank: Site Admin

Joined: 30 May 2006 Posts: 2173 Location: West of Ireland
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Liparis Rank attained: Orchard owner

Joined: 23 Sep 2007 Posts: 651 Location: Co. Meath
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Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2009 8:24 pm Post subject: |
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JennyS wrote: | Hi Bill,
If you're interested in identifying some of them post pics and I'll do my best! |
Thanks, Jenny, I'll get the camera going next dry day unless summer has gone.
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http://www.species-specific.com/orchid-forum/ |
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JennyS Rank attained: Rowan Tree


Joined: 30 Mar 2007 Posts: 125 Location: West Cork, Ireland
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Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2009 9:44 pm Post subject: |
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The good thing about lichen is that they're around all year, but some can look very different when they're wet compared to their dry state....... and be warned, they can get very addictive when you see them up large on the computer screen!
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Liparis Rank attained: Orchard owner

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