Matt9892

Hey :-) am from southeast... Kent.. Bout 30 miles south of London Matt

Em not sure about the spatulata would have to look it up later... But my binata is d. binata var. dichotoma or at least that's what the packet said..lol Yeah I heard fish flakes work.. Havnt tried it yet though.. I may need to test it if I get desperate in the winter..lol Matt

Congrats.. My D.intermedia still hasn't done anything :-( Am gonna get them indoors soon I think... Fingers crossed I have enough light Ect.. Yeah I didn't see much difference until like this lot of 5 weeks.. So you only have afew b4 they should start looking diff.. But they have been catching flies for a while now.. Some catch loads.. More than you are recommended to feed them indoors.. Which is odd... I need some other species.. But will prob have to wait now till like jan/February.. That will prob be best.. Did you decide about the springtails ? Matt

Hey here are my plants at 15 weeks old.. they are finally beginning to take the shapes ect of their adult forms :-) we will start with my D.Spatulata just because out of all of them these already look like their adult form then we will go onto D.Capensis although most are still small and normal one seems to have excelled ^^ so most the pics are of that one (you can see the little ones around him) this is of my "other" lot see how behind they are still Now comes my baby... lol its my fav one and is finally taking shape :-D I am soo happy with this one at the minute its my D.Binata. plus my normal 2 for size reference Hope you like all the pics ^^ Matt

Springtails I will say are a pain in the butt..lol you can't really use a pooter cause they seem to die, and getting them out 1 by 1 is next to impossible, usually I think you use a paintbrush or something like it to brush over the surface, this gets some in the bristles then kinda flick them into a frogs enclosure.. But this doesn't really suit for cp I don't think :-s I keep d.mels cause they are pretty much the smallest ff's you can get.. And they are easy to breed. The ones I have now I have kept going from last Xmas. They can be a little smelly at times.. But all you need to get them going is readybrek really, also a big plus is that they can't fly..lol Yeah the next update you should see a difference they seem to be at the point where they are beginning to look like their adult versions..not just some generic thing :-) And they will have less light indoors they are in a greenhouse atm.. I have bought some led herb bulbs for them indoors but these being my 1st plants am unsure if it will be enough, plus they will be heated from above Ect Ect.. But if they survive this winter I should be a lot calmer towards it next year..lol Matt

Hey :-) I don't think my intermedia are gonna do anything.. But you never know.. Mine are in the greenhouse at the minute.. Am currently debaiting how long before I get them indoors for the winter ( am leaving half and getting the other half in, call it a test really) so I wanna get capensis, spatulata and binata in for the winter as these dont really need a hibernation period.. (I don't think) just to see if I can keep them growing.. Fingers crossed. No I don't feed them atm just because they are in the greenhouse and catch their own food ( if you mean fertaliser then still no..lol) but I do have some cultures of D.mel flies indoors for when I do eventually get them in (from mantids) so even during the winter I will be able to feed them indoors :-) As I say just wondering when I should bring them indoors really (a lot of people say like oct, but being Britain am not sure if that will be too long) I think they will be due a 15 week upgrade soon (pics Ect) my binata is looking good as it has started growing "proper" leaves now ^^ but I think that's like a week or so till I do that... It's on a calendar somewhere Matt

Hey I was gonna post this on my other post about my dots (at 5 weeks old) but couldn't find it... oh well anyway here are my seedlings at 10 weeks old (I can actually see them without squinting now...lol) will start with vft, am a little worried about these as they don't seem to be growing really... D.Muscipula (standard type I think) : Next D.Capensis (alba) : D.Spatulala : D.Binata: am alittle worried bout these too.. as only a few came up and they are one of the ones I like the look of most :-s so fingers crossed for the little ones...lol and lastly just a couple of pics for a size reference.. (the pencil is a normal sized drawing pencil) that's all my seedlings for the min (I have some intermedia but none have come up I don't think).. so kinda pointless to take pics of them.. and also have afew diff varieties of vft but they havnt done anything either :-S anyway hope you like the pics this is my 1st attempt at growing any carnivorous plants... and the winter will be here before you know it.. so hopefully everything will be good... Matt

Lol I would but I am new :-p so don't have any seeds.. Just little baby plants.. I should really take more pics.. I think it's been like 5 weeks since the 1st lot I posted.. Matt

What temp does it need to go b4 they will start to hibernate then ? Must have been below 15c in there last night :-s These are my 1st lot as you can tell.. If I survive the winter.. Then I am sure I will be less worried for them next year..lol Matt

Intermedia isn't growing I don't think :-p (as in is prob not gonna) I wasn't thinking all winter more of like putting them under heat/light till oct.. Then back out into the greenhouse for the winter.. Just don't want them going dormant this soon... Yeah should have prob planted sooner but didn't get them till late (they are my 1st lot) Just don't want them dying on me :-( cause they are pretty small still atm.. Matt

Hey :-) Am a little worried about my little seedlings.. We have been having very.. Erratic weather lately.. Not much sun, and only due to get colder in the next weeks.. Am worried about my little ones either entering hibernation or well just plain out dying.. They arnt that old only like 10 weeks (ish) and are still pretty small. Should I bring them inside ? I mean I know they don't usually come inside until like oct but Britain is a crappy place especially when it comes to weather ? I have capensis, binata (only a few), spatulata, intermedia (don't think these seedlings have grown though) and a vft.. Well 2 seedlings to be precise (although these don't seem to really be growing). What do you guys think ? Matt

These plants are georgeous :-)

Nice plants :-D makes me wanna get more types...lol Matt

Nice plants.. Hopefully mine will be that big one day :-p Matt

Lol I forgot to say (I think) These are all 5 weeks after planting :-) Anyone have any info on how fast they usually grow ? Matt

Hey ^^ just thought I would show you some of my plants (or dots..lol) since you have all been helpful in their existence D.capensis 'alba': D.binata : D.Spatulata : D.Muscipula (standard I think): Some random cant remember which they were : a pic of the moss I have growing in there with them (I hope its good moss...lol): and finally a size reference to show how dot like they are (had to use a pencil because I had nothing else to hand, it is a normal sized pencil...lol): I hope you like my first ever pics of my first ever carnivorous plants I have tried to grow. and thankyou to you all for the help so far... but don't worry there are plenty more noob questions where those came from :-D Matt

They are seedling now I think :-p Well at least some.. Don't think intermedia is doing much atm Matt

Okay anyone know over what period you usually use to remove the bag (and stabilise the humidity levels) I would prefer not having the bags if it is possible, easier to keep an eye on them Ect... Or should they remain bagged atm ? I keep meaning to take pics..lol I think I can see one "spikey leaf thing" on some but they are still like dots...lol Matt

I mean if I leave it in the water butt for a while won't the minerals Ect dissipate ? Matt

I have a q about water (sorry if a little off topic) If I fill my waterbutts with tap water.. And let it sit for a while will it lose the minerals Ect and be ok for drosera ? If so how long would I need to let it sit b4 thinking of using it ? Matt

They are in trays :-) But I have to remove it over a week or 2 don't I to avoid sudden humidity changes ? I have been out there "weeding" today..lol I will take a pic when I can of what I think may be drosera.. Can't see much in the vft ones yet though... Matt

I am using rainwater (hoping for more rain soon..lol) and have them in a greenhouse so they get enough sun. I am using moorland gold cause it was the only peat I could get in my area :-s Matt

Oh, em afew vft, Drosera capensis, spatulata, binata and intermedia. I think that's it ( there are like 3-4 types of vft trap) Like XL and all red can't remember them all though Matt

I got some seeds a while ago now.. Fridge them for 6 weeks and planted.. It's been 4 week (on mon I think).. And well am not sure what I am looking for..lol I have loads of grass like stuff growing in them.. Is this a weed ? Also do I remove it or just leave it in there (am worried about messing with the soil if I remove them roots and all) I can see afew tiny green things on the surface is this what I am looking for ? Also them being covered with ziplock bags.. When do I think about removing the ziplocks ? How old Ect ? Or how big do they need to be Ect... Noob questions I know.. But well am a noob :-p Matt

They came in glassine ones I think.. So just shoved em in the fridge :-) In a box.. I assume they will be ok in a box ? Or should I leave the lid off ? I left d.spatulata and d.capensis out (I assume these don't need cold strat) Now I just need to order my perlite and I will be ready to go I think ^^ Matt