Re: CP digest 440
Robert Allen (Robert.Allen@Eng.Sun.COM)
Thu, 17 Aug 1995 12:57:00 -0700
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>>
>>Topic No. 6
>>
>
>
>>G'day everyone,
>> I have just joined this group and would like some
>> advice,
>>re. Cobra lilies. A brief background: I live in Canberra, Australia.
>>I have been growing cps for about six years. I grow VFT, lots of
>>Sarras, Cephalotus and Droseras. I grow these outside, all year
>>round, in full sun for nearly the whole day. They are exposed to the
>>rain and this is supplemented by tap water. About a third of the
>>Sarras are in pots in trays and the rest are in big undrained tubs
>>that act as mini-bogs. I use 3 peat: 1 sand.
>> Now to my questions: growing medium?, amount of light?
>> &
>>watering method for Cobra lilies? -Is sphagnum better than peat and
>>sand? -Most books recommend less light than for Sarras, is this
>>necessary? I was contemplating putting the Cobra in a spot with about
>>three hours of morning sun and then full shade for the rest of the
>>day. -It would seem that keeping the roots cool is essential (hence
>>the old methods of applying ice!). From my reading they also seem to
>>dislike stagnant water, which rules out using a tray, or has anyone
>>used the tray method successfully? Does this mean that you water them
>>from above? Is it preferable to use a styrofoam or terracotta pot,
>>rather than black plastic?
Grow them in clay so you get at least some evaporative
cooling. In my experience here in California, where
it has gotten 80-100 F this year temps aren't as critical
as people seem to think with this plant. What is critial
is to leave it the heck alone once you pot it up, until
it either dies, or grows. Mine took 2 years to start
growing much after I transplanted it when I bought it.
Nowadays it's growing prolifically in a tray, in a clay
pot full of longrain dead spaghnum. I douse it when
I remember, every few days, but the rest of the time
it just gets tray watered. Use a large wide pot, like
a bulb pot, since the roots aren't deep, but the plants
do spread rhizomes in a wide area. 3 hours of Sun should
be fine, that's what mine gets.
Don't use peat/sand. Use spagnum if you have it, even
rehydrated dried longgrain stuff. You just want something
that drains well. Years ago I grew mine in pea gravel
& peat and it did ok, but I don't think the mix is that
critical as long as it drains well.
Robert