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Pinguicula macrophylla


Joseph Clemens

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It seemed to me more like the roots pulled the entire base of the plant into the soil. I know when I first planted it I just dropped it onto the dried LFS, making no attempt to really get the roots into the media.

So, let me see if I understand this right:

Your medium was dried LFS and you simply just laid the plant on top without burying really any of it roots included....

and the plant's roots grew down into the medium pulling the entire base of the plant in with it?

If so, I am sure this would make a fascinating time lapse photo shoot. :D

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That is exactly what it seemed like to me, my media is actually 1:1:1 Peat:Perlite:Dried LFS, with a top dressing of more Dried LFS, probably about 2.5 cm of top dressing. I may have tucked the roots into the LFS, but no way did I bury them as far as the plant is right now. At most I got the roots as deep as the top of the plant is now.

Repot in fully dry medium ?

I wouldn't go with totally dry media. I think that would pull moistier from the plant, causing some dehydration. I would moisten it some.

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I've never let any of my Pinguicula ever get very dry at all, the driest they ever get is when there is no longer any free water in their trays (tray system). Most of the time, year round, they are almost floating in trays of water. In my conditions I find none truly "need" a dry winter. :shock:

I rarely lose any to rot. My hypothesis is that Nematodes, the vectors for Pinguicula rot disease are inhibited by chitin eating bacteria from powdered insects I use for supplemental Pinguicula feeding (Nematode egg shells are composed predominantly of chitin); and higher levels of UV light are reported to repel Nematodes.

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Pingman, don't you grow all your pings under lights though? Our winters are pretty cold and in greenhouse conditions with temperatures dipping below freezing any plants kept in there that are left damp just rot away in no time at all.

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Yes, I am currently growing all my CP under fluorescent lights. Initially it was to be temporary, while my greenhouse was being constructed. But, since my wife has become a paraplegic, lost her job, and I gave mine up to be her caregiver, our current fixed income does not permit initiating the running of the greenhouse (it is basically a one-way switch). I look forward to one day completing the greenhouse, but only once I have managed to set aside enough funds to maintain its operation for at least one year. It will be good to rediscover greenhouse growing after needing to use artificial lights for so long.

I may continue using them regardless, since I have discovered them to be an outstanding method of providing sufficient PAR light for excellent growth, and a sufficient source of UV light to inspire the plants to color up nicely, while possibly contributing to the supression of Nematodes, the harbingers of Pinguicula rot diseases.

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Shelia that's interesting. I don't keep mine as wet as Joseph, but when Vic came over he mentioned that he keeps his much drier than I do. But of the several hundred plants I have I doubt whether I've ever lost more than two to rot. It must be the frost you get. I get a light one, but that's all. Perhaps the cells break after freezing by you all and that hastens rotting. I guess one should really keep location in mind for this genus.

Interesting info on this thread.

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I currently keep all my Mexican Pinguicula in a very free draining substrate and leave them to dry out completely over the winter months. I have still lost one to rot this year and frost would certainly kill.

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  • 9 years later...

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