Blocky71 Posted November 9, 2014 Report Share Posted November 9, 2014 So after a great summer in the South East and a much anticipated growing season most of my ceph's look pretty sorry for themselves. The burning question is do I try and do something or should I just leave alone and keep my fingers crossed. I guess with winter approaching fast I'm more concerned as some don't look like they'll make next summer. Hopefully here's some pics of how they looked before and now....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blocky71 Posted November 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2014 First pic is of a typical when it was looking ok and here as it is now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blocky71 Posted November 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2014 Another typical And now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blocky71 Posted November 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2014 My favourite hummers And now a bummer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blocky71 Posted November 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2014 This " slack " has been nothing but trouble, I've had it about 3 years now, it was a decent plant when I got it but it has died back several times mostly for no obvious reason but once from a minus 7 freeze. This pick is from last year And now after a long hot summer, wow look at the difference ha ha ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blocky71 Posted November 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2014 Big boy at start of season And now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blocky71 Posted November 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2014 Here's a German giant ( hypocrisy at its best ) It just refuses to grow, 2 years now and still smaller than when I got it...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blocky71 Posted November 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2014 Self grown typical seedlings germinated November 2011 ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blocky71 Posted November 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2014 A once healthy plant in the centre of the pot And now " migrating " to the other side of the pot..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blocky71 Posted November 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2014 Dudley Watts, has lost a few of its new pitchers but not causing me any real concern as it's sending up new leaves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malvo Posted November 10, 2014 Report Share Posted November 10, 2014 (edited) Well Blocky sometimes it's just better to re-pot and wait for the best, perhaps try some different mixes, maybe some more open mixes...but i wonder, could it be that the German that keeps getting smaller it is just simply put a bad clone? I mean for a few times i have something similar happen to me but with Sarracenia, over the years i obtained certain divisions that never thrived, or even (in some cases) developed perfectly formed pitchers...ever!! Could it be that a certain mutation might developed during the process? I understand that Sarracenia divisions, and the dividing of Sarracenia are different from leaf cuttings, but that is something that bothers me sometimes.... But then again, Cephalotus can be a moody plant sometimes. Edited November 10, 2014 by Malvo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pulsar Posted November 10, 2014 Report Share Posted November 10, 2014 id ask have you changed anything in the way you grow them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blocky71 Posted November 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2014 I wouldn't say they were genetically deficient Malvo, they were good, robust looking plants up until now, we'll all apart from the German giant, that's always been the runt of the litter. I have moved house 3 times this year pulsar, 6 months in each of the others and a couple of months here. They were only local moves though and showed no ill effects last 2 times. They've all been happy once in the pots and media they're currently in but are looking far from happy now. I know they sulk and die back without warning but this seems to be a steadier decline, gradually losing the pitchers till just leaves remain then the rosette of leaves begins to dwindle. I'm erring towards a complete strip back to bare root and repot in fresh media. I'd rather try something and fail than just watch them fade away. I've checked water butt and water tray tds, all ok there..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malvo Posted November 11, 2014 Report Share Posted November 11, 2014 I was only talking about the runt really Blocky :) As for the others, they can be moody and die back without apparent reason as you well know i have had that happen to almost all of my cephs this year, and i haven't changed a thing about the way i grow them, i recon it's just because we had a really bad summer, with allot of temperature fluctuation for instance. That constant moving about you did this year even if locally could be sufficient to maybe stress them out, but if that is the case, re potting them with just stress them further i think. So basically you have to make a choice, you could wait it out see if they react, and then decide what to do, or just go for it, and re-pot them all into brand new fresh soil. Personally i agree with you, i would go for it, and re-pot them all :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pulsar Posted November 11, 2014 Report Share Posted November 11, 2014 dont think the house moves would affect them really,i also believe cephalotus are way tougher than a lot give them credt for i know weve had a hot summer in the uk but no-where near as hot as australia can get,i ran out of water in the rain butts at home in may and until mid august we never really had any rain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blocky71 Posted November 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2014 Yeah, I had to rely on my ro unit a few times as rain was definitely scarce this year and with the moves etc I couldn't store enough up. My minds pretty much made up, I'm going empty the sadder looking plants out and see if I can salvage the root system into new media. I'll leave the rest alone for now unless they show any signs of ill health.... My main concern is that it's too close to winter for the plants to make any sort of recovery anyhow before the harsh weather sets in. I'm also greenhouseless now so am having to consider some kind of temporary shelter. Ideally I'd like to bring them indoors but the " trouble and strife" wouldn't be too pleased plus last time I did do this I had mildew issues.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blocky71 Posted November 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2014 Hmmmmm, after reading this I'm wondering if I'm to blame?, paragraph 4 states about " protecting " from heat . I think I spent most of the summer moving my ceph's around the garden to keep them in full sun for as long as possible. Anyone here had heat damage? Oops, forgot link..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harro Posted November 16, 2014 Report Share Posted November 16, 2014 This year I had the sam phenomennon. I moved my Ceph. to a south facing terrasse in april. Then at end of august some plants (Wilhelma, Typical, ) almost died but now they start to recover. Now they building new leafs and pitchers. Harro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus B Posted November 17, 2014 Report Share Posted November 17, 2014 Hmmmmm, after reading this I'm wondering if I'm to blame?, paragraph 4 states about " protecting " from heat . I think I spent most of the summer moving my ceph's around the garden to keep them in full sun for as long as possible. Anyone here had heat damage? Oops, forgot link..... Collectors Corner is not too far from me and yes I have to protect my plants from heat. We usually get several days over 40oC during summer. A few year's ago it got over 47oC two days in a row. I use shade cloth and deep trays of water to cool my plants in such weather as they prefer more mild temperatures of mid-twenties. Plants in small pots can get cooked at high temperatures and I have had a few die that way. Some of the growers in WA who are north of their natural distribution also use shade cloth to protect their Cephs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harro Posted November 17, 2014 Report Share Posted November 17, 2014 @ Marcus B Thank you for this information. On the terrasse I had for many days more than 40°C. Maybe this causes the harm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus B Posted November 17, 2014 Report Share Posted November 17, 2014 @ Marcus B Thank you for this information. On the terrasse I had for many days more than 40°C. Maybe this causes the harm. It would be likely. I put my pots into deep polystyrene tubs of water to keep them cool. If there are several days of heat then the water will need to be changed to stop it from retaining the heat. The roots need to be kept cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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