Enclosure plantings

[Laurie]

My outdoor enclosure is pretty bare. I want to get some plants to put in there that are already mature. I do have some sprouts and clover growing for grazing, but I want bigger plants for shade. What kind of plants should I be looking for? Also, if I just want to run to lowes or a nursery for them, do I need to be concerned about them being grown in fertilized soil?

Thanks!

 

[JoesMum]

Remind us where you live and what your climate and soil is like!

 

[Laurie]

I am in upstate NY. My soil is sand on top of clay, lol. In the enclosure, I have churned it all together and it has a pretty good consistency now. Lots of sun!

 

[wellington]

I have and like hostas. They give great shade, they grow fast, and the torts can eat them, flower and leafs. They will come up every year. Most do great in sun, just make sure you get the ones that do. Some only do well in shade.

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Also, day lilies are great. Gives great shade and they can also be eaten. Just make sure they are day lilies.

 

[Itort]

A bush rose (not tea rose) would be good.

 

[Jacqui]

Even a tea rose is not bad, just may need a bit of care. With any rose, check on how many thorns it has. Some rose's are pure thorns, great roses, just a pain to work with in so many ways.

You have been told hostas and daylilies which are two of my "must haves" in each of my enclosures. Though a bit harder to find this year (atleast here) are rose of sharon or althea bushes, same bush two names. Those are great ones, beautiful blooms (it's hibiscus). There are the hardy hibiscus, with their platter size blooms. Even the bush hibiscus, if you can bring it in during the winter. I also always try to manage a grape vine in each enclosure.

Even many of the smaller annuals will give a smaller tortoise cover. Just remember, Russians (I am remembering correctly you have Brains the Russian?) are like mini sulcata and tend to eat anything and everything in their enclosure, so you may want to get creative and have the plant's base protected if within the enclosure, have it actually outside the enclosure but draping into it, hanging from a pot, ect..,

If you go with a bush like the Althea or rose, those (unless really small ones) can usually survive. I have not tried a hardy hibiscus in my Russian enclosure, so can't tell you if it worked with mine. I also have some tall grasses in mine.

Almost forgot, butterfly bush is another thought.

 

[lynnedit]

You can find dwarf Hibiscus, if not in a local nursery, then online.
I like the plants mentioned: hosta (make sure you get a smaller one, some versions can get huge), daylily. Stella d' Oro daylily is nice because it blooms for a long time.
Clumping grasses like Fescue or Carex are nice; my torts like to burrow next to them.

 

[Laurie]

Thanks for all the great ideas! Now, if I didn't want to wait for this stuff to grow, are these plants safe to buy from a nursery to plant inside the enclosure?

 

[Jacqui]

There is the question and there are many different answers to it. If I were talking a hatchling sulcata, I would wait. An adult Russian, I myself would start planting. Also depends what you get, like the bigger plants or ones he can not sit and gorge himself on are safer, then something he is going to eat a lot of and in a short amount of time. Some folks however will say, no wait until you have the plants for a year. So you have both ends of the spetrum like with most things in tortoise care.

 

[Laurie]

Thanks jacqui

 

[Len B]

I have a pair of adult russians that are new to me this summer, In their enclosure I planted 1 tea rose that they haven't touched, a couple different types of opuntia that they have taken bites of, but not enough to bother the growth of the plants, several types of sedum, they have eaten the leaves off the tall type that they can reach but not bitten the stem so the plants will still grow and come back bigger and thicker next year,the ground cover sedums are taken a beating but I think the root system will survive, yuccas that they haven't bothered, strawberry plants both wild and some that I grow for the berries no real damage to them as far as I can see, plantain that they love so it must be replaced as needed, I grow replacement plants in pots and also in the yard, sod that I got from the yard, I don't think I will need to cut it this summer, daylillies that haven't been touched, but they love the blooms from other daylily plants that I throw in for them,they also love the green cactus fruit if I quarter it for them, if not sliced they just leave it lay.---I have opuntia that will survive in upstate New York without special winter care, if you want some, "for shipping cost only"

 

[Laurie]

I have a pair of adult russians that are new to me this summer, In their enclosure I planted 1 tea rose that they haven't touched, a couple different types of opuntia that they have taken bites of, but not enough to bother the growth of the plants, several types of sedum, they have eaten the leaves off the tall type that they can reach but not bitten the stem so the plants will still grow and come back bigger and thicker next year,the ground cover sedums are taken a beating but I think the root system will survive, yuccas that they haven't bothered, strawberry plants both wild and some that I grow for the berries no real damage to them as far as I can see, plantain that they love so it must be replaced as needed, I grow replacement plants in pots and also in the yard, sod that I got from the yard, I don't think I will need to cut it this summer, daylillies that haven't been touched, but they love the blooms from other daylily plants that I throw in for them,they also love the green cactus fruit if I quarter it for them, if not sliced they just leave it lay.---I have opuntia that will survive in upstate New York without special winter care, if you want some, "for shipping cost only"

That would be awesome, Len! I will send you a pm Right now I have RT seedmix sprouting and I attempted to transplant a patch of clover I found growing in my yard. That's all that I have growing right now, so I sure could use some variety!