69 replies to this topic

[manders]

Either albomarginata or very similar albo hybrid, went to my b&q today but couldnt find one

[mobile]

None in my local B&Q either.

[Phantom]

They had 5 at B&Q 'Extra' in Newport, Isle of Wight.

When I first came across this plant I did think it was a lowlander and did wonder if I should buy it or not - I don't have full lowland conditions at the moment, although I am in the process of setting up a lowland area (terrarium) in my garage. Anyway I did buy it with the thought that even if I couldn't give it ideal conditions it would still stand a much better chance of survival with me than it would while it waited to be moved to the 'bargain area'.

Just a word of warning to anyone new who picked one up because they wanted to try their hand at growing a nep...or indeed picked up any other nep (x ventrata) at B&Q.... don't forget it's in a pot within a larger UNDRAINED pot.

[Darkrai283]

Found one today at B&Q as well. It was among the "dieing plants" shelf. It was quite healthy though so I bought it. I dont know how to post pictures here so no photos until I know how to!

[manders]

Darkrai283, on 01 September 2011 - 18:59 PM, said:

Found one today at B&Q as well. It was among the "dieing plants" shelf. It was quite healthy though so I bought it. I dont know how to post pictures here so no photos until I know how to!

Went to a different store and found some today, although given where they were B&Q seem to regard them as some kind of mushroom.  Nice large plants so bought two, absolute bargain.  There was also one with a different leaf shape but no pitchers, regretting now not buying it so will probably nip back next week...

[mobile]

I found one remaining in one of the Aberdeen B&Q branches, so took it home. I noticed that they had other small Nepenthes too, which looked very much like ventrata.

Here's some pics of the plant I got:






It has a 'decorative' outer pot, which has no drainage:


Within that there is a standard plant pot:


The label states 'Peat content approximately 40%':


Not sure what the remaining 60% content is, but looks like a very moisture retentive fibrous mix, with no perlite or similar:


And here's the care instruction from the back of the label:


I like the 'Dress Size' and the petrol pump next to the watering regime

UPDATE: I un-potted it, in order to put it in a more free draining medium, and found that the roots were in a small plug of chopped Sphagnum moss and none of them had migrated into the potting mix. Hopefully they will grow into the new medium.

[Ether]

My local B&Q has Dionaea, couple of varietys, 3 variety of Sarracenia, and similar other CP mentioned above

Edited by Ether, 03 September 2011 - 19:40 PM.

[manders]

mobile, on 03 September 2011 - 17:39 PM, said:

UPDATE: I un-potted it, in order to put it in a more free draining medium, and found that the roots were in a small plug of chopped Sphagnum moss and none of them had migrated into the potting mix. Hopefully they will grow into the new medium.

Didnt get round to potting mine yet, but if they're anything like my red AW clone then they are really going to hate wet roots...

[mobile]

manders, on 03 September 2011 - 20:33 PM, said:

Didnt get round to potting mine yet, but if they're anything like my red AW clone then they are really going to hate wet roots...

hmmm... you could have wrung out the stuff mine was originally potted in. Hopefully I've caught it before too much damage has been done.

[Dave Evans]

mobile, on 03 September 2011 - 17:39 PM, said:

I found one remaining in one of the Aberdeen B&Q branches, so took it home. I noticed that they had other small Nepenthes too, which looked very much like ventrata.

I like the 'Dress Size' and the petrol pump next to the watering regime

UPDATE: I un-potted it, in order to put it in a more free draining medium, and found that the roots were in a small plug of chopped Sphagnum moss and none of them had migrated into the potting mix. Hopefully they will grow into the new medium.

Wouldn't it be nice if some of these enterprising folks took a couple of minutes to get someone who knows English to double check their work before it goes to print...?

In all seriousness, the soil is fine for such a small pot and probably preferred.  Using that dense soil in a large pot will prevent enough oxygen from reaching the roots because the air cannot travel through that much peaty soil.  In small pots, this simply isn't a problem since the plant will pull enough water out of the soil (replaced by air) in a short enough time that the root will not feel a drop in oxygen.  In large pots filled with wet, dense soil the center of the root ball can still have way too low levels of oxygen as the peaty soil actually eats up the oxygen entering the pot before the water/air reaches the roots.

Edited by Dave Evans, 11 September 2011 - 10:25 AM.

[manders]

Well one of mine is now in coir chunks, rather than the b&q death pot.

[mobile]

manders, on 11 September 2011 - 09:19 AM, said:

Well one of mine is now in coir chunks, rather than the b&q death pot.

Mine's in coir/Moorland Gold/perlite/rockwool cubes mix

[James O'Neill]

I haven't seen it in my B&Q. Only a couple of very sad looking ventratas and sarras. But I'll keep checking because albomarginata might be a nice addition to the collection.

[renef]

looks like europe and the uk is flooded with albomarginata





there doing fine on a north windowsil.

[Daniel G]

Went to mine a saw a nice looking one, but it was the sae day i got a (Sad from postage) Albomarginata from a trade anyway.
Hoping my fertilizer can have the same effect on this one as on my ventrata.

[Deadly Weapon]

At least one garden center in southern Finald also had it's part of N. albomarginatas.  

Edited by Deadly Weapon, 23 September 2011 - 14:24 PM.

[Flytyer]

I went into the local B&Q today and had a look at the CPs there. One rather sad Sara, several very dead Capensis and one Nep albomarginata - I came out with one double-capensis (which has lost its dew) and the Nep. I noticed that the tray they were all in was about 1cm deep in water, but (as has been mentioned already) the decorative pots they put the real pot into do not have any holes. In the case of the Nep, that would have helped things a bit, but all the plants there are looking pretty sad now. At least with me they'll have some chance at survival, I can imagine all the rest ending up in the bin  

[Daniel G]

I've thought of taking a care sheet to the local B&Q, to help them, and tell them that they're plants will last longer that way.

[mobile]

Daniel G, on 14 October 2011 - 17:51 PM, said:

I've thought of taking a care sheet to the local B&Q, to help them, and tell them that they're plants will last longer that way.

I suspect that they won't really care whether they last longer or not, they will just be looking for a fast sale. The store that I got mine from has them on shelves within the store with no natural light and only incidental artificial lighting, as there are shelves above them. They surely must know that plants won't last very long in these conditions. A similar situation exists with rented office plants, which are often placed in locations with inadequate lighting.

[mobile]

Mine's pitchering, albeit it a little slow: