9 replies to this topic

[Mujician]

Hi, the plants I like are sundews, pitchers and vfts. I just wondered if you the could help me out a little. I've done a lot of reading on the Internet just lately. For sarracenia, sundews and vfts, I should be leaving about 2cms of water in a drip tray. Nepenthes and cephalotus don't like standing in water. Is this correct? So, instead of standing them in water I plan on a layer of moss around the edge and bottom of a large pot for these two plants. Have I got this right? Thanks

[0rmus]

Personally I don't recommend leaving any of your CP's in a tray of water. I've found this keeps the medium too wet and increases the risk of rot and fungus.  I do recommend watering CP's with a tray until the medium has had a good soak and then letting it become the dry side of moist before watering again. Watering like this encourages good root growth and keeps the top soil drier and pest free. On hot dry days I do leave some of my CPs in small pots in a trays of water to stop the medium drying out too fast.

*edit* The above is for peat mixes, when using sphagnum as a medium, leaving it in a tray doesn't seem to do much harm but personally i still try to let things dry out a bit to encourage root growth.

Edited by 0rmus, 29 June 2012 - 08:05 AM.

[Daniel G]

In the summer i leave my Sarracenias in trays of water for a day or two, everything else just get's tray watered, only until it soaks everything up, no more.

[Loakesy]

I leave all of my Sarracenia, Drosera, Darlingtonia, Dionaea and Cephalotus in standing water (about 2-3cm) from March to November. They all seem to be doing fine on it too. The only losses I've sustained thus far have been from very harsh winters.

[alexa]

Ormus, I think you'd be going very much against conventional wisdom by not keeping your plants in water, especially in summer. There is no risk of rot or funguses if you keep your plants well ventilated.

Cheers
Alex.

[mobile]

I keep my Cephalotus in a saucer of water during the summer months. In the winter, I fill the saucer and let it drain before topping up. Nepenthes typically like it dryer, so they don't stand in water. What is the killer though is keeping them too wet when temperatures are low and ventilation is poor, as this can cause fungal issues.

[0rmus]

alexa, on 29 June 2012 - 17:08 PM, said:

Ormus, I think you'd be going very much against conventional wisdom by not keeping your plants in water, especially in summer. There is no risk of rot or funguses if you keep your plants well ventilated.

Cheers
Alex.

I’m just going off what I have read from some esteemed CP growers and what has so far worked for me. It’s not my intention to give bad advice. I guess this is one of those ‘each to their own’ things.

[alexa]

All opions and methods are welcome, thats how we learn new tricks. Sorry if I cam e over a little strong, that was never my intention.

Cheers
Alex.

[Mike King]

I find it helpful to sit all the plant pots on capillary matting. I always leave 2 to 3 cm of water in the growing season, but it always drops to zero within a day couple of days due to the high number of plants. This is what I do for Sarracenia and Dionaea

The advantage of using capillary matting is in the winter when you have to keep the plants just moist and no plant bacomes totally dry with the potential for loss.

For Nepenthes, you mustn't sit in water this way.

[0rmus]

I think the way I water requires a bit more effort and would be impractical with large numbers of plants but my medium and plants seem happier since adapting this technique.