Frankie Posted September 15, 2016 Report Share Posted September 15, 2016 Hi all, I have joined to ask some advice please. Today in the garden centre I noticed 7 pitcher plants with the cacti, dry as a bone. I mentioned to a member of staff they should be with the fly traps and as they looked pretty rubbish she said she couldn't sell them and they went in the bin. After a little chat she agreed to let me have them, I keep nepenthes which I thought these might be but it turns out they are different and I don't have a clue what I am doing. Are they worth saving? Any advice to help save them? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie Posted September 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 15, 2016 A little update, I gave them a soak and cleaned up some of the dry pitchers to stop rot, they still look pretty sorry for themselves though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deltatango301 Posted September 15, 2016 Report Share Posted September 15, 2016 I think you will be surprised they are very hardy in their own way rainwater will give them life Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali Baba Posted September 16, 2016 Report Share Posted September 16, 2016 They look OK to me. I think they will recover in time with a bit of TLC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
North West Neps Posted September 16, 2016 Report Share Posted September 16, 2016 http://www.carnivorousplants.org/howto/GrowingGuides/Cephalotus.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blocky71 Posted September 16, 2016 Report Share Posted September 16, 2016 I hope your plants pull through Frankie, they are definately worth saving if possible, I'd say that little rescue gained you £70/£100 quids worth of Cephs at garden centre prices........ As said, Cephs root systems are usually pretty strong and it's not unusual for them to die back and regrow from the roots for a variety of different reasons..... They don't tend to like being fussed or moved around, semi shaded position tends to be best. Water from below allowing water to dry out between waterings so soil is kept moist but not water logged. Protect against minus temperatures in the winter although they can tolerate a few degrees below freezing . Reduce watering in winter too but don't allow to dry out completely. Keep us posted, I'm very fond of Cephs and congratulations for rescuing them, at least they have a fighting chance now with a little bit of Frankie tlc... Chucking them in a bin would have been such a waste. nice one chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tropicat Posted September 16, 2016 Report Share Posted September 16, 2016 i wish i could make a deal like that in my gardening centre !! Ty for your advice Blocky. Do any of you mist your cephs (or overhead watering)? Would you have advice for or against that? Good luck Frankie! Im curious to see updates! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie Posted September 16, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2016 Thanks everyone I am cautiously optimistic now and have to say already rather fond of them. I will update if and when I get any news. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blocky71 Posted September 16, 2016 Report Share Posted September 16, 2016 Hi Tropicat General advice is not to water from above with ceph's, even more so in the winter. Overhead watering can cause crown rot so it's safer to stand plant in water. I have watered from above if I've allowed the media to dry out to much but only then. I've never misted mine nor really seen the need. Frankie, are your Cephs being kept in or outside? Cheers chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie Posted September 16, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2016 At the moment they are standing in a tray with 3-6mm of water in my unheated greenhouse, this is where I keep my napenthes (as my husband banned them from the house when they got too big). They are in partial shade as it does get hot in there, and I didn't want to stress the poor things even more. I don't have much window sill space as they are full of lithops ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
partisangardener Posted September 16, 2016 Report Share Posted September 16, 2016 What causes crown rot is still debated. I do it with all my cephs watering from above summer outside and winter inside with no ill effects, as do many others. Some seem to have it with all the care you mention. In many plants the cause for crown rot is a deficiency of Boron. Bacteria and fungus take then the opportunity. I try now to find out if this is so for Cephalaotus and other carnivores. No conclusions jet, mainly because I never had this issue with my plants. At least they dont dislike it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie Posted September 16, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2016 That's interesting, I don't think the plants are showing any sign of rot just got too dry the main stems seem firm and light green. I am aware I need to make sure rot doesn't become a problem, would you advise pulling off all the moss that's grown up around for more air circulation? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dimitar Posted September 17, 2016 Report Share Posted September 17, 2016 (edited) 11 hours ago, Blocky71 said: General advice is not to water from above with ceph's, even more so in the winter. Overhead watering can cause crown rot so it's safer to stand plant in water. I water my Cephs more than 7 years this way and so far I haven't lost single plant caused by crown rot... Edited September 17, 2016 by dimitar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
partisangardener Posted September 17, 2016 Report Share Posted September 17, 2016 He does it different for a much longer time and has the same success. I dont know the reason but nut watering from above cant be it. It rains in the natural habitat in the colder time. https://forum.carnivoren.org/forums/topic/37361-makros-aus-dem-cephalotus-becken/ If you scroll down a bit you can see that his, are somtimes drowned for days by the rain they are subjected to. Most effective he claims is strong light in winter. Which I recommend too. They look better and get great colouring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blocky71 Posted September 17, 2016 Report Share Posted September 17, 2016 Okay Frankie Scrub my ' crown rot' comment. I water mine from below because it's easier for me ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tropicat Posted September 18, 2016 Report Share Posted September 18, 2016 Well both might be right. I read in an article that the watering method depends on the soil mix of the ceph. I have mine in peat with something unknown mixed in as far as I could tell. I havent repotted mine since i got them, but it seems to be a heavy mix. If you have a more draining mix i can imagine overhead watering is less of a problem, but im not sure that is the case. I have my ceph next to my nepenthes plants, which i mist daily. If that is dangerous for my cephs health, I will have to move it out of the way every time i mist my neps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie Posted September 21, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2016 Hi All Just a quick update, all are still alive over the last week a lot (up to 75% on the worst looking plant) of the pitchers and leaves have turned brown and started to shrivel off, however some remain green and firm and the centre of the plants remains firm yellow with a green tip. It wont allow me to upload any pictures to show you even though I have resized them to a tiny size ?? any ideas here and I can try again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deltatango301 Posted September 21, 2016 Report Share Posted September 21, 2016 3 hours ago, Frankie said: Hi All Just a quick update, all are still alive over the last week a lot (up to 75% on the worst looking plant) of the pitchers and leaves have turned brown and started to shrivel off, however some remain green and firm and the centre of the plants remains firm yellow with a green tip. It wont allow me to upload any pictures to show you even though I have resized them to a tiny size ?? any ideas here and I can try again. Put them on photobucket and link them to the post no need to resize 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie Posted September 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2016 http://s50.photobucket.com/user/frankiespix/library/?sort=3&page=1 try this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blocky71 Posted September 22, 2016 Report Share Posted September 22, 2016 Hi frankie If you copy and paste the 'IMG' link from photobucket your pic will appear in the post rather than a link. i think your Cephs look as well as can be expected considering..... I hope they reward you with some new growth soon, they have been known to sulk after being stressed and become almost dormant. Best of luck with the new brood ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tropicat Posted September 22, 2016 Report Share Posted September 22, 2016 Hey Frankie, I think you have done a great job at getting them in the first place and then again at fixing them up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie Posted October 5, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2016 (edited) Hi Guys I have growth!! Also thanks Blocky photos added Edited October 5, 2016 by Frankie adding a bit 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tropicat Posted October 5, 2016 Report Share Posted October 5, 2016 AWESOME!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blocky71 Posted October 5, 2016 Report Share Posted October 5, 2016 Nice one Frankie You must be feeling pretty smug ... A well cared for 'typical' plant will look every bit as good as most sought after clones. I see you have a little ' house' for them, protection from the elements is a good idea, make sure there is plenty of ventilation though as humid/ stale air conditions can promote mildew. Blocky 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie Posted October 6, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2016 7 hours ago, Blocky71 said: Nice one Frankie You must be feeling pretty smug ... A well cared for 'typical' plant will look every bit as good as most sought after clones. I see you have a little ' house' for them, protection from the elements is a good idea, make sure there is plenty of ventilation though as humid/ stale air conditions can promote mildew. Blocky Yes not ideal but my 1 year old is a keen gardener, she isn't the most gentle!! So when they go outside they need some protection from tiny fingers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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