Picavorus

True, we are very lucky to have extremely soft water round here. Highest it’s ever tested here is 61.

The TDS of our tap water only measures 47 straight from the tap

Really fed up as can’t manage to get down due to a nightmare unfolding here

Interesting that they’ve now changed their mind about fertiliser being added. My pitchers are growing nice and straight, apart from a couple along the edge of my polytunnel where I think the wind has blow the cover against them.

Even more annoying is that their website says it is pure Irish peat. http://www.vitaxgrower.co.uk/product/irish-peat/

****! Looks like some repotting is needed here too. Strangely the vfts that hadn’t done well in Westland peat have really perked up in the vitax

Winter is firmly back around here - icy cold and wet

Hopefully, me too

Thanks, I’ll top them all up, so that they can benefit from the extra water. To be hoped not Alexis, although the snows are now forecast for Monday, but fingers crossed they’ll miss us.

I’m wondering how people especially in the UK are going on this year with regards to re-filling water trays. Currently, I’m still just sparodically watering to keep them damp, but the plants are starting to wake up so really need the trays filling. The only concern I have about doing so, is that we’re forecast another bout of severe winter weather so don’t want them to freeze totally solid. The weather this year is so erratic, one week the temperatures in the polytunnel are pretty high and the next they’re in the minuses.

I wouldn't worry, mine are all frozen solid too in an unheated polytunnel.

I'm in the Peak District and keep most of mine in a polytunnel. However I have a few large planters outside all year containing Darlingtonia, Sarracenia, Pinguicula and Drosera. They manage fine, although I am debating moving them to a more sheltered location given this extreme cold snap.

I'm planning on trying the mix that Mike King uses on my mature Sarracenia this year, but not for the seedlings and vfts.

Thanks

Has anyone used Vitax Irish peat? I'm wondering what it's like and whether or not it is worth buying. Seems good value, and locally sourcable (almost everywhere around here seems to sell Westlands, that's if they sell peat in the first place)

I use the old fashioned method of pen and paper kept in a file

I've some Capensis, along with Sarracenia and Pinguicula Grandiflora that live outside all year round in a planter, they usually grow back from the roots in the spring. The Capensis, Bintata and Filiformis usually die down in my polytunnel over the winter and come back from the roots in the spring.

Working from the links now, evil caterpillar doing that to the poor Nep.

I can't get any pictures either, and no URL showing

I've kept rooted trees in planters for several years, I'd get a plastic planter that's as large as you'll be able to manage when full to give the plant some room for growth. I usually try to get a couple of years out of Christmas trees before they become too large to manage, just make sure you keep it well watered in summer and it should do fine.

Merry Christmas Everyone

I didn't measure the temperature over these last few days, but know it's far too cold for me! Everything is still frozen solid - so sat indoors sowing pots of seed to take up to the polytunnel in the morning

That doesn't make any difference to this particular plant

Just thought I'd share a photo unusual young sarracenia, growing on one of my main benches, so it gets good full alround light levels. It currently has 2 pitchers both are identical in the colourings that haven't started to go dormant yet.

I'd snip it off, otherwise it weakens the plant. I've had a few flower stalks pop up just recently and snipped them off.