I just bought a pot of Bletilla striata var japonica alba. It has almost nothing above ground yet, but the woman at the nursery checked and it has lots of healthy roots. What conditions does it need here in rainy Vancouver? The soil in the pot is mostly very coarse sand. My garden soil is not bad for drainage, but probably more peaty than sandy. Should I mix lots of sand and or pearlite into the area I'm planting it in or just a bit extra. How big an area do I need to amend? Any suggestions for companion plants? What about pests; are the squirrels, moles or slugs likely to eat it? Do I need to plant it in a wire mesh 'basket' for protection?
Plant it out in a warm spot, with the pseudobulbs near the surface. I friend in Tacoma had a small patch of a pale ("white") form for years in full sun and ordinary soil near the west-facing part of his house. He referred to it as "that lily" and may have pulled it all out a few years ago.
