Just my 2cents on the apparent hardiness of Drosera binata.
Last fall I put an extra 4" pot of it in my outdoor raised bog bed and it
not only survived the winter but grew quite well and flowered this year.
Last year we got to 17F one night and it stayed below 32F during the day
with other night temps in the upper teens and low twenties for at least a
week. The temps the week before this drop were in the upper 40F range. I
know that D. binata is root hardy here but the large terminal bud actually
survived intact. I was surprised at that.
Point being is you never can tell sometimes about how hardy a plant is
until you test it yourself. All my Sarracenia and Darlingtonia spend the
winter outdoors either in raised bogs which will freeze solid or in pots
which definitely freeze solid at least once or twice for a week at a time
with no ill effects. If there is snow I will attempt to bury the pots and
bog under several inches as this helps a lot in protecting the plants.
Usually when we get really cold weather in the Puget Sound region we have
no snow....just very cold winds which freeze the soil solid very quickly.
Generally we don't more than 2 maybe 3 weeks in a row of such
weather....then it warms up to 34-40F and rains.
I admit that I don't expose my seedlings to freezing temperatures until
their second year. I grow them under lights in a greenhouse to get as much
size on them as possible.
On the point some have made about UltraViolet (UV) light. Recent studies
have shown that Botrytis (Gray Mold) needs a very specific wavelength of UV
in order to sporulate (produce spores). Several polyfilms are now marketed
with UV absorbing compounds in them that screen out the necessary UV
wavelength, thus inhibiting the spread of botrytis in a greenhouse. Very
clever approach to disease control.
Wishing all CPr's a Safe, Sane, and Happy Holidaze and Prosperous New Year.
Scott
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Scott Gregory Vergara USDA Zone 8 Ave Min Temp 10-20F Record low
0F/hi 104F
Botanical Resources (Specialty Nursery, Horticulture Education/Training,
Consulting)
P.O. Box 669
Burley, Washington 98322-0669 USA
svergara@pacific.telebyte.com, HORTULANUS@aol.com
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