Date: Wed, 10 Mar 1999 08:52:13 +1000 From: "Mark T. Bachelor" <bachelor@gateway.mggs.vic.edu.au> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg733$foo@default> Subject: RE: D Binata black tips
>I was seeing the same in my cool house (60-80 degrees + 60% H) for D. Binata
>and D. Multifida. Once moved into a terrarium with 80 degrees F and 80%+
>humidity, the new stalks were much thicker and no black tips.
>>>
>Now that's interesting. My plants are in the house, which is unheated
>during the day, (I'm at work) and most of the night. The temperature
>is probably around 15 degrees C or less (around 60 F). Maybe I need to
>bring these plants into the office, for all-day heat.
>
The main reason the D. binata gets black leaf tips is a lack of humidity and
warmth. The southern sub-species such as D. binata binata only grow during
the warmer part of the year (mid-spring to mid-autumn) and often get black
dried out leaf tips when the humidity drops due to a hot north wind. Plants
growing in sheltered areas avoid this problem and can maintain their leaves
even when the spagnum that they grow in starts to dry out on top. Being
kept at 15 C or less the plants are probably wanting to go into resting mode
during which they should be given less water (as in not sat in a water
tray). If you want them to grow at their best they require temps of 25-35 C
and to be sat in water deep water trays. During the summer I can have
plants upto their crowns in water. This helps them to cope with temps above
35 C.
Tropical plants such as D. binata multifida are better kept in a hot house
with nepenthes. High humidity, constant temperatures and bright light
produce a pink tinged plant with a tangle of long sticky leaves all year
round. Once again they like their roots wet as they grow beside water. The
only problem that I have with this set up is the fact that they spread like
weeds. Given plenty of direct sun D. binata multifidia produces masses of
pink flowers on 30-40 cm long stems. Oh, one other problem, when the long
leaves hit the walls or roof of the hot house they can go black due to being
cooked on the hot plastic, which is why I hang mine in the middle.
Regards
Mark T Bachelor
Biology Technican
Melbourne Girls Grammar School Voice: +61 (03) 9866 1676
South Yarra, Victoria, Fax: +61 (O3) 9866 5768
Australia 3141
National Science Week, STAV Family Day Co-ordinator
Lab Techs' Branch of STAV, South Yarra & Moorabbin Regional Rep.
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