Date: Fri, 08 May 1998 11:01:13 -0700 From: Doug Burdic <dburdic@presys.com> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg1559$foo@default> Subject: Re: VFT culture
Kong, Gary wrote:
>
> Two views on VFT culture:
>
> 1.)
> > I recommend you get it out of the small container ASAP. Plant it in
> >a 6 inch pot using a sand/peat mixture. With a 6 inch or a 1 gallon pot you
> >can stand the pot in a shallow tray (1 inch deep) of water all the time.
> >The roots of this plant need some room to develope and a 2+/- inch pot is
> >not big enough.
> > Set the plant outside so it can catch it's own food and sunshine.
> >VFTs do not do as well under lights as they do out-of-doors.
> >
> >FWIW. - Carl
> >
> 2.)
> >You'll need to provide a very humid
> >atmosphere, so you may choose to cover half the opening with some sort
> >of plastic wrap. If placed outside, never expose it to full sunlight
> >with the top even partially covered, or you'll fry it. If you keep it
> >inside, a good east window should provide sufficient light to keep it
> >alive, but you probably won't get the nice coloration that plants grown
> >in full sun exhibit. Experiment...
> >
> In my experience, pampering these plants like they were some sort of
> hothouse flower will certainly weaken it, if not kill it. I agree with
> Carl. Grow it outside making sure the growing medium is kept wet during the
> summer. If you don't fill your pot to the top with soil--I find living
> sphagnum works best as a top dressing--the local humidity provided by the
> damp substrate within the high walls of the pot is enough, even if grown
> outdoors. Mine are exposed to FULL sun from sunrise to about 3:00pm, when
> nearby buildings block the direct rays of the sun. My plants have never
> been happier. They are sending up asparagus-like flower stalks, multiplying
> from the rhizomes, trapping their own insects and growing larger and larger.
> At one time, I did grow these same plants in a terrarium and they were
> spindly, maintaining three traps per plant, at most, before the fourth would
> send the oldest to its early death. Full sunlight definitely mimics their
> ideal natural habitat--frequently cleared by brushfire, but if kept in a
> enclosed glass container, you will fry them. Let them breathe.
>
> >There are several good books on cp out there which would be well worth
> >your time & money to purchase. Peitrapaulo's book is a good one to start
> >with, or either of Adrian Slack's if you can find a copy.
> >
> "Growing Insect Eating Plants" by Adrian Slack is a much better guide, plus
> it has oodles of neat pictures. Check your local libraries--I doubt if
> you'll find it in a bookstore.
>
> Gary
========================================================================
Hello,
All good advice here, but you have to consider all the variables such as
the natural ambient humidity of the geographical location in which you
live, i.e. growers in Phoenix, Arizona wouldn't be pleased with the
results of just potting them up, placing them in full sun and hoping for
the best; 'crispy critters' don't go over well at plant shows. When
living in southern Oregon where the humidity is extremly low and summer
temperatures that can reach 112 degrees F., I tried this with my VFTs
potted up with spagnum(short lived in that heat) on the soil surface and
the pots placed in deep trays of distilled water in an attempt to
increase the humidity while in full Sun. Results: After two days, the
plants were almost dead. Now I'm living on the Oregon coast where one
would think that the natural humidity of our area would provide an
excellent environment for this type of culture right? Wrong. The hot dry
summer winds that gust through our area, mixed with the sand blasting
effects since we are located right in the middle of the Dunes National
Forest, combined to stunt & 'pit' the new growth and reduce the trap
size. The good news was that the coloration WAS excellent, but it didn't
make up for the sandblasted, malformed and wilted leaves. Rule of thumb:
Success in growing various species of cp outside, is directly
proportional to your location and the natural climate of your area. I
chose to get a greenhouse after numerous failed attempts in growing them
without the protection of a controlled environment. Without a doubt, I
do envy those who live in areas where this is possible, but it just
won't work for all locations, so I say again...experiment and compare
your local environment with that which they experience in their natural
habitat. Take this information for what it's worth, since I've only been
growing these plants in large numbers for 30 years.
Good Growing & Good Luck,
Doug
Douglas Burdic
Florence,Oregon
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