Date: Tue, 11 Mar 1997 01:05:43 -0500 From: "Paul V. McCullough" <pvmcull@voicenet.com> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg880$foo@default> Subject: New member!
Hello,
My name is Paul McCullough, and I'm a long-time fan of CPs. My
earliest recollection of CP interest was ordering a VFT from the
Johnson-Smith catalog when I was only 10. Of course, the plant died due
to my early ignorance of CP needs. I expect we all cross this hurdle.
My next CP experience was an egg-shaped terrarium that included a VFT
and a S. Purpurea- this whole package was purchased from Edmund
Scientific, in NJ, USA (Back in the late sixties to late seventies,
Edmunds was one of the only CP sellers in the area... they no longer
sell any CP, but there was a pretty respectable assortment available-
Drosera, VFT, Sarracenia, Pings, and of course, the Darlingtonia.)
Needless to say, this terrarium, which was purchased and setup in the
fall of that year, quickly failed.
I lost interest until my mid teens when I purchased a plastic indoor
mini greenhouse. (Same model seen on the Peter Paul webpage) This unit
had twin lights, water wick, etc. In it, I grew (Very successfully) D.
rotundifolia, D. intermedia, S. Minor, S. Purpurea, and about six VFTs
which grew from sections of a VFT bulb that I thought had expired!
Sphagnum also thrived in that little terrarium. The whole experience
was wonderful until I went on a summer vacation for two weeks and left
my older brother in charge of them. He unwisely choose to water them
with tap water for the entire two weeks- against my instructions- and
none of my plants recovered.
Since those days (I'm now 36) I've purchased various CPs and had good
and bad experiences. The worst was when a squirrel decided that my most
successful batch of VFTs looked too tasty to pass up (I moved them
outside for the warmer seasons.) and very quickly uprooted and ripped it
all to shreds. Hasn't anyone gotten a hybrid big enough to take care of
squirrels, yet?
I've decided to move my efforts back up a notch and also to try
growing these indoors again. Two weeks ago, I purchased a Klima-Gro
indoor greenhouse (This company is present at almost any flower show-
they usually show them growing orchids); it has two flourescent bulbs, a
timer, a soil temperature control, a soil water ratio probe, eight
sliding panels, and a six inch deep tub for planting. I can't remember
the dimensions right off, but I think its on the order of 36"W x 24"H x
28"D (I won't get the unit for a couple of weeks yet). Should be plenty
of room for a good selection of CPs, eh? Anyone else use a Klima-Gro?
I'm interested in hearing suggestions on what I should plant; my list
includes 3 VFTs, 3 D. Capensis, 1 D. Spathulata (SP?), 1 D. Intermedia,
a couple of Pings (not really sure which variety works best), 1 S.
Purpurea, 1 S. Psittacina, 1 S. Minor, 1 S. Rubra, and maybe a
Heliamphora. I was thiking of adding a Darlingtonia, but everything
I've read ( a lot of catching up ) seems to indicate that the Cobras
don't like temps warmer then 70 degrees. I've also got D. Adelae on my
alternatives list, although this drosera evidently can become
gigantic...
Anyway, any advice on this would be appreciated.
Cheers,
Paul
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