New member - help needed
WALLACEFJ@aol.com
Mon, 6 May 1996 07:50:20 -0400
Hi,
My name is Jon Wallace. I'm a teacher and new to this list. I've beengrowing
CP for about 10 years now in tanks with fluorescent lighting. I got started
because I found that the 'bizarre' or unusual attracted studetns attention (I
teach high school 'potential drop-outs') and so besides CP, I have an insect
zoo, do radio astronomy, etc. I've recently been trying to expand my
collection of a few dozen species to add more exotic plants. My most recent
success has been with Drosophyllum from seed - it just bloomed and set seed.
I was amazed to note the seed pods burst open!
I'm having problems and wondered if you could help. Several plants (D.regia,
binata, filiformis and now Pinguiculas) have started turning black on the
tips and eventually dying back to the roots. The moss on many plants has
turned black, hard and 'crusty' and alsae/slime mold growth has increased. My
thoughts are that the reverse osmosis water I started using to save money on
buying distilled water has done this. I recently got a conductivity probe and
the water tested fairly salty. I'm going to scrub tanks and pots and soak
everything in distilled water up to th crown of the plant but wondered of
this was really a disease (fungus???). Should I transplant everything? I had
a couple of plants (D. ordensis) that had mealy and sprayed these with
Schultz's (a water-based insecticide) (malathion WP etc. aren't available
around here). It killed one plant but the other has 'survived' so far.
I'm also looking for sources and growing tips for more exotic CP. Last year I
got a Heliamphora and it seems to be dying. I keep it as cool as I can and
water from below. I just got Aldrovanda. I've been preparing water for a year
but the plants are 'decaying' away. I used boiled peat and spring water, with
a pH of about 6. I'm also interested in giving Genlisea, Polypomphlox (I know
they are now considered Utrics. but I wanted you to know the plants I'm
interested in), Ibicilla, Probiscidea, Roridula, Brocchinia, etc. Any growing
tips or sources would be appreciated. Sorry to be so wordy. Thanks a million!
Jon