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Scorching British summer


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How did you British growers find the very hot temperatures this summer? I had a couple of friends travel up your way in July and they reported it was red hot there. What, if any, consequences did you experience with your CPs from the high temps? Were they beneficial or detrimental? Were they an advantage for those who grow genera outdoors? Was it a problem in terms of controlling temps for those with genera on green houses?

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The biggest problem for us was the very late spring and then sudden arrival of full on summer, a few garden plants just keeled over. A few Disas died as soon as summer came as well, but generally greenhouse plants can allways be taken outside or at least leave doors/windows wide fully open. It wasnt really that hot it just came very suddenly. About ten years ago we had some really hot weather, hitting a max of 37C down near heathrow where i was living, and i remember highland nepenthes growers complaining about it, but it didnt affect my plants much.

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It was needed after 6 poor summers. I can't think of any downsides from the hot July. Faster growth and it led to a bonanza of insects in August. I'm also seeing a good crop of autumn pitchers. In years gone by when the summer has been cool they have just sat there still waiting for summer to arrive, growing pitchers in late October that then get aborted because it's then too cold! The leucos have really appreciated the better weather.

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My plants appear to have missed out on the insect bonanza. Maybe I should hang half a pig outside next year :to_pick_ones_nose3:

Same here, a noticeable lack of insects compared to last year.

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It never really gets too hot here in the grand scheme of things. Visitors from foreign climes probably exaggerate reports because of the high humidity we get with it making it sort of feel hotter than it is. Although I had always assumed New Zealand had similarly high humidities What do you get down there?

The oft quoted (unsubstantiated) figure for the UK is about 60%

These Defra maps imply averages of 70-80+% relative humidity in non-coastal areas in summer (These are probably elevated by including the 100% you get when it's actually raining).

Having said that the thermometer inside the greenhouse recorded a peak Max Temp of 42.1 C this year which some temperate Drosera and Pinguicula grandiflora weren't too happy about! Just about survived.

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I,m also surprised of the lack of insects that some have had. All my pitchers have rotten due to the overload of insects that they have court. And it didn't half stink the greenhouse out of rotten flesh. I also think its been a great year for the plants fantastic colours. And strong pitchers better then last year.when they suffered due to the lack of sun.

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My big increase in insects was when we were presented with the second of the wheelie bins and the emptying of household rubbish alternating with recycle. It meant that food is the household bin sat for up to 2 weeks.That was a great year or so but alas it was about 5 years ago now. Insect levels are down in summer, people must be sealing up the waste food better and preventing the maggots. Has anyone else noticed this as the councils went for the fortnightly collection?

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It never really gets too hot here in the grand scheme of things. Visitors from foreign climes probably exaggerate reports because of the high humidity we get with it making it sort of feel hotter than it is. Although I had always assumed New Zealand had similarly high humidities What do you get down there?

Being a narrow north-south archipelago from ~35°S to 47°S and with a wide range of landscapes effecting weather, the NZ climate is variable to say the least. Here are the stats in English units for the region where I live (36°S). Note humidity....

auckland-climograph_zps6eeeb130.gif

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