Date: Sat, 05 Aug 2000 08:23:43 -0400 From: "John Phillip Jr." <johnatthebeach@home.com> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg2363$foo@default> Subject: Darlingtonia media
hello everyone,
One more message about Darlingtonia media/methods. I used to "attempt"
to grow Darlingtonia in peat, peat/perlite, sphagnum and
sphagnum/perlite mixes, generally with mixed to poor results. Within the
past several years, I switched to a much more open media, consisting of
Long fibered sphagnum, Sponge rock, perlite, and expanded clay balls or
pellets. The Sponge rock looks like perlite, only a much larger size{3/4
inch), and the expanded clay is either brown or white( I believe they
called the white stuff by a different name}, but very porous.
I mix the above ingredients fairly equally, but add a little extra long
fibered sphagnum at the end usually. {I tend to do things more by "feel"
that actual recipes} I grow them in either plastic or clay pots, and
grow the plants indoors under lights. While I do not get those wonderful
2 foot tall pitchers we see pictures about, the plants grow respectably
and send out runners, coloring well if I can put the plants where they
also get some direct sunlight, near a window. When the weather is
excessively hot, I water a few days with Ice water, but otherwise have
them sitting in deep saucers, where I fill them 3/4 of the way up, and
slowly let the water level drop over a few days. I never let them dry
out!
One more note: I have noticed that one hardware/lumber/home building
store stocks bags of both granite dust and granite chips for building
purposes. I have this on my list of media to try with these plants,
given that their natural habitat is often in seeps in granite ledges and
the like. Anyone out there have any experience with this as a medium?
As always, remember that what works for me may not work in different
growing situations elsewhere in the world.
thanks,
John Phillip
Rhode Island, NE coast of the USA
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