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Hello From Bedfordshire


Dan Williams

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My name is Dan and im new around here. Ive delved into carnivorous plants before, but always had issues inevitably. Im currently working on a temperate greenhouse to start my collection in. (Unluckily my tap water is 499 ppm. So thats a no go.) As soon as water collection is solved. Im hoping to start a small collection of plants. Should i start with bog standard (excuse the pun) varieties of each type of sarracenia and create my own hybrids or just start by buying crosses which have attractive traits and crossing them. If there are any notable plants that you want to recommend, im all ears. Also, how much rainwater should i be collecting to satisfy a 6x8 greenhouse?

TIA, Dan.

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Morning Dan. My 6x8 has two large water trays full of Sarries, Sundews and Flytraps. I top up the long tray (7 foot) with 1-2 gallons per day in hot weather, depending on evaporation. I also invested in an RO system last year (about £60) which copes well. Tap water here is around 360ppm and about 60ppm into the water butts (off the roof). There are some very good plant sellers on the forum which enabled me to start my collection off. 

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Hi Dan.  You should try to go to Paul McKeown's open day in Watford on August 3rd.  Hthe CPS website e has a superb collection including many rarities.  Details on the CPS website (www.thecps.org.uk) under events.

Dennis

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Hi Dan

What should you start with?  Anything you like! 

My passion is Drosera and Utricularia. But there's also loads of Venus fly traps, Pinguicula and Sarracenia in my greenhouse.  Plus some other stuff!

The greenhouse.  When you say temperate do you mean frost free, or local ambient?

My greenhouse is also 6 x 8.  I have 3 large water butts.  I think they're 210 litres each.  Last year's drought panicked me. I was buying RO water from my local aquarium shop to keep the plants going.  I only had one rainwater butt last year!

So, which of the huge variety of carnivorous plants appeals to you?

Guy

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Hello Dan

Welcome to the forum. I don't have a greenhouse and my tap water is safe which is good as I have 500+ cp's all growing outdoors. D. Capensis, D Binata and P. Grandiflora are good starter plants, I have found red vft's are not that hardy but most Sarras are. Invest in a copy of Savage Garden ( Peter D' Amato ) cp growers bible.

Ian

 

 

 

 

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@Guy I'm really interested in all the sarracenias and drosera. Will definitely be buying all the plants that grow in the UK and keeping them in a big garden or such. The greenhouse is completely ambient. But I will have a fan to circulate air. Especially as it hit 40c today! Really appreciate your feedback about the water. May get an ibc to store water in winter for the summer. And will get an ro unit in an emergency. What are some of your favourite sundews? 

Edited by Dan Williams
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10 hours ago, Dan Williams said:

@ian first thing I did was buy that book! Literally the Bible for cultivation. I may make a big garden in a pot at some point. Some sarras would look great on the decking. How do you find growing outdoors? Do you keep them in trays and do you get alot of pests? 

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Strong wind and heavy rain can be a problem having said that a few pitcher tips have suffered burn this week. Aphids can be a pain with minor damage from slugs/snail. Red spider mite is annoying too. On the plus side it is very satisfying to look out the window and see them all in their spender.

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I have a similar sized greenhouse and started collecting a few carnivores last year (I have a couple before that)- I now have a multi use with tomatoes on one side, cucumbers at the end and shelving the CPs (and chillis) on the other side. They all seem top get on very well and I no longer have any problems for fruit flies!.

I would suggest go for vigorous and interesting plants first. Many nurseries sell good selections as well as ones on here and on eBay. If you get some materials to make your own compost you can buy bare root and save money. As some Drosera and Utricularia self seed all over the place, you will acquire a range of these without asking for them- indeed if you see photos of Sarracenia for sale and there are Drosera in the same pot, ask and the seller will often give you them for nothing. Some you will never identify, but if they are nice plants, so what?

I have a water butt on one greenhouse gutter and the other leads into a bucket that I use for data to day watering when it has water in it.

 

 

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Hi Dan. To keep air circulation going I bought a couple of cheapo 12v 8" fans that run off a small mobile scooter battery. This is kept topped up via a 100 watt solar panel (also tops up other batteries). I had a 12v mister in there as well, to raise humidity when needed, but this has refused to work lately. Also this intense sun has resulted in some sarra's getting burnt lids, especially my poor old 'Goldie'. Live and learn eh? So some form of shade will be vital with some of the plants.

Chimaera is right about the self seeding Drosera. I have them in most of the pots and seed trays. Very vigorous some of them!

Edited by Keith
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