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(Another) Hello from Bristol!


MGarland

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Hi all,

Just thought I would introduce myself.  I've always been interested in carnivorous plants, but am a very newbie grower.  A few years ago I had a couple of cape sundews which were fun for a couple of years, and a venus fly trap which I kept for about 3 years until it failed to come back in the Spring.

Now that I have a greenhouse (unheated), I plucked up courage to give it another go.  I bought a couple of cape sundews, and a couple of 'spathulata' sundews which I hope to put outside permanently.

My biggest question right now is compost for a hopefully expanding collection!  Buying it from a specialist seems really expensive so I am keen to make my own, but I don't know where to start.  Sundews like a peat and sand mix apparently, but I'm not sure where to buy either (The local garden centres don't seem to stock peat, and I have builders sand but apparently this is too limey).  Where do I start?  Or am I forced to buy the expensive stuff from the specialists?

All help appreciated,

MG

Edited by MGarland
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Welcome MG. It sounds as if you're off to a good start and know the basics.

You may have to ring around a few garden centres and/or nurseries to try and find a good supply. The bigger, more independent garden centres usually stock at least some form of peat, but you'll struggle to find it at 'retail park' stores such as B&Q, Homebase etc.

Shamrock peat is a known brand people usually find. Just try and check the bag description to make sure it's peat from sphagnum, not sedge peat, and has no additives/fertilisers added.

Sand is also best bought from a garden centre/nursery as 'horticultural sand'. There is much less chance of it being contaminated with salts/additives, even if it does cost a little bit more. Builders sand is too soft anyway; you want a coarse grain to open up the peat mix a little.

Hope that helps.

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Hi and welcome to the forum.

You'll also want to get some perlite which can be bought from garden centres and nurseries but will be quite expensive. Buying in bulk from the internet is much more cost effective.

My preferred compost mix for sarracenia is 4:2:1 of peat/perlite/sand. Others will recommend different ratios.

Happy growing.

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Hello and welcome as others have said Shamrock peat  Perlite and Horticultural sand. Although some growers only use peat and perlite for Sarracenia .Martins mix ratio is good starting point.

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Hi all,

Just wanted to thank you all for such a warm welcome.  I'm still very nervous that I'll do something wrong and kill the plants, so it is reassuring to know that there are such knowledgeable people on here who are prepared to answer questions so quickly!

Thanks again,

MG

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Hi and welcome to the forum.
You'll also want to get some perlite which can be bought from garden centres and nurseries but will be quite expensive. Buying in bulk from the internet is much more cost effective.
My preferred compost mix for sarracenia is 4:2:1 of peat/perlite/sand. Others will recommend different ratios.
Happy growing.


Slacks classic ratio, this is my mix too!
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Welcome! I started growing everything in pure peat, since I couldnt get anything else. It worked for a while but I noticed in time with some plants it became 1 big block of peat. I have managed to find perlite now and mixed that in and my plants seem happy again. I buy sphagnum when I'm in England, because I can't find it in Holland. I only use that with my nepenthesesss (neps).

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