Date: Sat, 22 Nov 1997 19:15:38 +0000 From: Joe and Kathy Mazrimas <sundew@pacbell.net> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg4483$foo@default> Subject: Perry's request
Hi Nepenthes growers:
I like to contribute my experience with an experimental material for
growing not only Nepenthes but also other CP such as Cephalotus,
Darlingtonia and Drosera.But let me say first, that I grow my mature
plants of Nepenthes in a different medium than the experimental material
I mentioned above. I grow most of my large Nepenthes plants in living
sphagnum moss with a layer of perlite on the bottom 1/3 rd of a one
gallon pot. Since the moss is living and growing, the medium never
needs changing unless you do something to kill it.I give Nepenthes only
R.O. water and very dilute fertilizer( Miracid) 4 times a year.
Now for the experimental, I grow seedlings and 2-5 yr old plants of
Nepenthes in a German material made by Sera called Pond Water Peat which
has good properties for resisting the growth of algae. It also has
resistance to fungus because of its high humic acid content. Since its
obvious that this material is used for fish aquariums and ponds, several
members of the BACPS here in the San Francisco CP society decided about
4 years ago to do some experimenting. I was one of them.
The material is expensive, about $14.00 per pound. As a result, we are
relunctant to use it on big plants. However, we found that adding
perlite up to 50% seems to expand the product with somewhat less than
maximum desirable results. The material comes in a bag of little hard
balls of peat the size of pearls of different sizes. I would say sizes
range from 2mm to 6mm. It is important to soak this material for 3-4
weeks in R. O. or distilled water in a zip-lock plastic bag which causes
these balls to turn from brown to black.
The results are fantastic. Because of the high tannin content, all
plants have rich colors. The pitchers of N. sanguinea are deep red even
in a weak light environment.It takes a while for plants moved from one
soil to mix to get used to this new material. I estimate new growth
starts in a month.
I wish that we can find a source for this material that is cheaper than
I paid for it. We find that adding a layer of living sphagnum moss to
the top of each pot of this material makes the moss grow very green and
vigorous. And it looks nice.
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