Date: Fri, 01 Jan 1999 19:32:51 -0500 From: "Richard Brown" <esoft@ix.netcom.com> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg3$foo@default> Subject: Re:Sarracenia Winter Dormancy
Hey Everybody,
Happy New Year! Those of us living in South Florida are experiencing one of
the mildest winters ever. At my place, about a mile from the Atlantic Ocean,
I've had two nights drop all the way down to 52 degrees F in the wee hours
of the morning, and I've had one day actually never get above 75 degrees F.
Needless to say, I have not even put plastic up over my Nepenthes lathe
house yet. By the way, both the lowland and highland species seem to enjoy
the cool nights (typically upper 60's F) and warm days (low 80's F). It
makes one wonder if the majority of Neps couldn't be grown together under
one set of temps (excluding a handful of super-high altitude species).
Now to my question. Because of my wonderful natural Nepenthes conditions,
I'm having a really difficult time getting my Sarracenias to go to sleep! I
lost a bunch of them a couple of years ago to overly warm conditions- they
literally grew themselves to death. They were replaced with a small
collection of nice, select seedlings two years ago, and they have grown. To
"winterize" them, I place distilled water ice cubes in their pots every
other night, and sometimes even twice a day (Yes, it is labor intensive).
I'm getting some phyllodia, but some real pretty "winter pitchers" also.
They like the ice cubes! I've talked to a couple of Digest regulars about
removing my Sarrs. from their pots, rinsing them clean, putting the tubers,
sans leaves, into zip lock bags, and then depositing them for two months in
the lower regions of the refrigerator. I don't want to lose these babies.
Any comments or advice on this procedure?
Thanks in advance.
Trent Meeks
Pompano Beach, Fl.
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