My sister will be sending me some plants from Colorado that are native to that area. Do you think I will be able to grow those here in Vancouver? What do I need to do differently from other plants?
Some conditions are similar in the two climates, but some are quite different. Summer temperatures are similar but winter temperatures are much colder than our climate. Colorado is drier both in rainfall and humidity.
The most important difference is the soil. In higher rainfall climates like ours, minerals like calcium and magnesium are leached from the soil and they become quite acidic. In drier climates, like Colorado, there are still large amounts of calcium and magnesium in the soil and they are alkaline.
Plants that are native to lower rainfall climates are adapted to the alkaline conditions and sometimes do not grow well in acidic soil. Trees like Colorado blue spruce that are native to the mountains, where the soil is less alkaline, seem to adapt quite well here. Smaller plants, such as succulents, can be easily over-watered.
It is possible to make acid soils more alkaline by adding lime to the soil. In fact, this is recommended here normally for lawns and most vegetables and fruits. Lime has to be added repeatedly because our acidic water soon turns the soil back to its normal acidic condition.
I would recommend that you get two plants of each kind and plant one of each in large pots with artificial soil mix. The mix should contain plenty of bark dust or peat moss or both. This improves the drainage and air holding capacity. Add a generous amount of lime to the soil. You should add more lime at least once a year. Plant the other plant in normal soil with perhaps some additional sulfur. This will help you determine how adaptable the plants are to our soil conditions.
Find out which plants normally grow in full sun or shady conditions. Fertilize the same as you normally do for your own plants. You will need to pay closer attention to irrigation so you do not overwater. You will likely find that adding organic matter to the soil to improve drainage and air-holding capacity will improve the growth of succulents.
The most likely difference you will notice between the plants in the two different soils is faster and more robust growth in the artificial mix.
Take pictures periodically so you will be able to notice gradual changes.
