Well, after receiving 3 VFT bulbs (supposedly 3-5 years old each) from Peter
Paul's nursery last summer, these are my results. 1 died outright. The
other two remained spindly and incapable of catching meals. Now, those two
have overwintered in my greenhouse, and are now sending out new healthy
leaves. The plants are smaller than when I got them, but the leaves are
stubbier, thicker, greener, and much healthier now. One thing I
noticed...the new traps it produces are viable and have turgor, so the
plants can now catch their own meals. A good save for a very disappointing
start. No more orders from Peter Paul's. They are not the company they
were in 1980, when I could get all kinds of healthy CPs of many diverse
varieties from them. I remember their bare root N. Khasiana and Cephalotus
plants did wonderfully...and they were beaucoup cheap back then. Now, they
don't have anything unusual.
I bought an S. Purpurea off the nursery shelf last summer. It has survived
well in the greenhouse, and gone mostly dormant this winter. The plant is
largely still green and healthy, with a new trap now beginning to form. The
only thing I've done to this plant is keep its pitchers filled with water.
That seems to have made a big difference. Earlier attempts to grow
Sarracenia met with failure, largely due to the fact that I didn't keep the
pitchers filled with water.
Of two Cephalotus I have grown, one died and the other has remained healthy
but has not grown much. I got it last summer at a BACPS sale and have been
careful not to repot it or anything. It seems to like the plastic dome I
have put it in, and enjoys the humidity and protection from any cold air or
drafts. I'm hoping to see some good growth out of it this year.
My big experiment will be happening soon, when I attempt to sprout 10
different varieties of Nepenthes seed. Since even mildly hot temps in the
greenhouse, and related greenhouse slime and fungus, can kill them...I've
decided to sprout under flourescent lights for a change. I have no idea as
to their viability, but hope for the best.
So far, this has been a very pleasing and rewarding return to this hobby.
CPs, at least in my book, are as cool as any orchid and are great fun. The
ants that occasionally scout out the greenhouse keep getting drawn to the
Nepenthes plants and most seem to meet their doom in an N. pitcher. I'm
looking forward to a great growing year, now that I understand how to
control my greenhouse environment. I'm even going to experiment with letting
some of the plants trap naturally by putting them outside at night in the
summer.
Have fun!
---Steve