16 replies to this topic

[Calluna]

Hello,
I'm pretty new to CPs, I've mostly kept cacti and ferns  before, but decided to branch out into something exotic.

I am currently studying Biology and am a volunteer at the Natural History Museum. I also work at Evans Cycles.

I've currently only got a Drosera aliceae , but I am interested in any CP that is willing to grow on a south or east facing window sill, any tips?

Edited by Calluna, 27 June 2012 - 20:46 PM.

[Richard Bunn]

It would be best to go for the south facing window.

Good beginners window plants are:

Droseras = capensis, aliciae, binata

Sarracenia = Pretty much all of them. Common starter plants are flava varieties, leucophylla, Juthatip Soper is a lovely hybrid with fantastic colouration

I have some easier highland Nepenthes in my window also, these include glabrata, Ventrata and ventricosa

Venus flytraps will do really well if you can provide the cool rest period.  

In the east window I'd put some mexican Pinguicula hybrids such as Wesser and Tina.

[agreendream]

Hey, and hello from London South.
You will get lots of great advice here. The south facing I am sure will give you plenty options.
I will have some D binata I can split up and give you some soon.

[Trish]

 Calluna, on 27 June 2012 - 20:40 PM, said:

Hello,
I'm pretty new to CPs, I've mostly kept cacti and ferns  before, but decided to branch out into something exotic.

I am currently studying Biology and am a volunteer at the Natural History Museum. I also work at Evans Cycles.

I've currently only got a Drosera aliceae , but I am interested in any CP that is willing to grow on a south or east facing window sill, any tips?

Welcome, I'm a newby here myself and most CP's love sunshine so you should choose the south facing window you will be able to grow lots of different CP's, other members have listed some plants for you and Im sure expert growers will give you advice.  
This is a very helpful forum so you came to the right place
Welcome
Trish

[Loakesy]

Welcome aboard!

[Richard Bunn]

I've just had a brilliant idea! ((That never happens) why not get on to Ian and Dianne salter here on the forum who are currently giving away little collections of plants for free you just have to pay £6 for postage. I know they still have some left. If you ask nicely they'll probably stick in a sundew for you as the boxes have been  Sarracenias and venus flytraps.

[jimscott]

Welcome to CPUK!

[alexa]

Welcome aboard. Good idea of Richard's, an instant collection.

Alex.

[Calluna]

thanks every one. I will defintely look into Dianne and Ian's offer.

@ agreendream. I'd defintely be interested in some D binata. I can swap for a Gasteria sp (succulent) if you wanted.
@Richard Bunn. Thats a great selection! I love the idea of having some Nepethes on the window sill.

I think before I go wild with any more new plants, I need to source some better water. can I use the distilled water sold by Robert Dyas (et al)?

If I buy from growers the plants will arrive as plugs right? So I need a ready supply of 'compost' I was thinking supersphag and perlite, does this sound suitable?

[Richard Bunn]

You're quite right about sourcing a plentiful supply of suitable water before getting more plants.  Distilled water is totally fine but I'm sure would work out costly.  Reverse Osmosis water is also perfect, you can get this at a lot of tropical fish places, especially if they stock marines.

The majority of plants bought from growers, and most nurseries, are sent bare root.  That is that the roots are wrapped in wet kitchen roll and then cling film and the whole plant put in a bag.  You'll need suitable growing mediums which varies depending on the genus of plant you get.  It works out far cheaper to get your own supplies and mix it yourself. There are practically as many recipes for potting mixes as there are people who grow them.  Success can vary from person to person. Below are some recipes that I use:

Drosera, VFT's, Utricularia - 50:50 peat and silica sand (try and get 3mm sand as your stock supply) (see special VFT bit at the bottom too)

Sarracenia - 2 parts peat, 1 part perlite, 1 part sand

Darlingtonia - 50:50 sphagnum and perlite (if you can get live sphagnum then use it but supersphag etc is perfectly fine)

Mexican type Pinguicula - equal parts peat, sand, vermiculite, perlite (don't use vermiculite on any other genera as it's toxic to all but pings)

Nepenthes - I haven't cracked this one yet and am not happy with the mix in the basket that I planted all of my Neps in a few months ago.  Ask Cedric as all of his Nepenthes are stunning. I know he uses live Sphagnum, I'm just not sure on the rest of the mix

Cephalotus - 2 parts perlite, 1 part peat


A couple of people on the forum have been experimenting in replicating VFT native soil as it has pine needles in.  4 or 5 plants have been grown in different ratios as well as the standard mix to see which is best. 50:50 peat and pine needles is a clear winner. I've put a few bog standard VFT's into a large glazed pot using just that mix to see how I get on with it as they were doing crap in their previous mix (which I suggested at the top) as I think I pressed the mix down too much, it had gotten really dense.

[WeXi]

Welcome  

[Calluna]

 Richard Bunn, on 28 June 2012 - 21:34 PM, said:

lots of great advice

thanks for the compost pointers, very useful.
my housemate can et me some distilled water from his lab, so thats now less of a problem. Now its just window sill space...

[Richard Bunn]

What outdoor space do you have? If it were me I'd be thinking about every single opportunity to put a plant somewhere.

[Calluna]

 Richard Bunn, on 01 July 2012 - 23:09 PM, said:

What outdoor space do you have? If it were me I'd be thinking about every single opportunity to put a plant somewhere.

Not really, I live in a flat, and the communal gardens are intensly manicured.

On the bright side it is raining, so there will be some nice soft water for my D. alicaea

[Richard Bunn]

Do you have a balcony?

[Calluna]

Not even a balcony

[Richard Bunn]

Oh dear you are limited. Once your windowsills are full you're going to have to resort to terrarium growing.