Date: Wed, 07 Oct 98 21:50 EDT From: dave evans <T442119@RUTADMIN.RUTGERS.EDU> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg3238$foo@default> Subject: Re: Darlingtonia pot size
Dear Scott,
> I just acquired a Darlingtonia in a three inch pot which seems really tiny
> for it. The plant has pitchers up to five inches tall. A couple question:
>
> 1. What would be an appropriate pot size to transplant to?
I would say one large enough to hold a cold water stream and it's
banks. Seriously, Darlingtonia can grow to have leaves about three
feet long, but I haven't hear of anyone getting them this large
in cultivation (it's pretty rare in the wild too). However, a three
inch pot just won't do. Darlingtonia's roots don't seem to go very
deep, but the plant spreads at the surface so that it will quickly
(give an adult plant a year in a sixteen inch pot and it will take
over) fill up any size pot you give it, if it's happy.
> 2. When would be the ideal time for transplanting?
Probably spring (as for most plants), but I think you can transplant
this species most anytime, just make sure the conditions are to it's
liking after the move. (they seem to need cold water poored through
soil at least once or twice a week, even every day when the temps
around the plants are approaching the lower 80's F.
> 3. Should I use a plastic or clay pot?
I saw a neat way of cultivating this plant recently. The grower
lives in New York City and the summers are far too hot for this
species so he placed it in a nice sized *unglazed* clay pot which
in turn sat in a tray of water with other CP's like Sarracenia. He
positioned a fan to blow air right onto the clay pot with Darlingtonia
thus cooling the pot as water evaporated off of the unglazed clay.
He had a second pot further back with a weaker breeze reachng it and
the plants in that pot were not as happy (more brown spots, ect.)
I say you have to figure out how you can cheaply (you can spend
as much as you want, I like the cheap part) meet this plant's needs
in your local conditions, and that will tell you what sort of supplies
you need.
Good luck,
Dave E
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