Novice questions on highland terrarium

[Tropfrog]

Hello

My whife was pretty clear "no more terrariums in the living space".

However, I am the only ruler of the basement and I resently got a good payment raise to fund a project :)

so lets start planning with me!

The basement is non heated area that stays below 15 degrees year round and as low as 4 degrees mid winter. So I figured, why not try heliamphora terrarium?

I am not very experienced with cps and I have read a lot about heliamphora and recomendations not to start with Them. But I really think that I might have what it takes to pull it off when it comes to dedication, funds and a good growing space.

In my mind it would be possible to grow Them in a terrarium in the basement, just heating it up with Lights during the day in the winter and add some fans to chill it if needed in the summer.

What do you think? Did I get my research right. Is this a doable project?

Br

Magnus 

 

 

 

Edited October 4, 2019 by Tropfrog

[Tropfrog]

Not much activity here. 

Anyway. The idea came from sources saying that the biggest problem for heliamphora is if the substrate got too warm during the day. So I was thinking that light as the sole source of heat must be the most natural way of copying insitu conditions. But to be able to pull that off, it really needs to be cold all around it.

So In winter, I can just give the terrarium maximum light and pull the temperature upp daytime to a decired temperature. The plan is to add a temperature controlled dimmer function to the light. Just to stop it from overheating.

In summer the room is not more than 18 c. So i figured a on off temperature control for a fan that pulls the heat out in the top, replacing it with room temperature air from below would be enough.

But there are limits to everything. How low can I go in the winter nights and how high can I go on summer days? And for the cost of everything. How high in Winter days and low in summer nights?

Is this project even realistic with experienced growers view?

BR

Magnus

 

[carambola]

Heliamphora aren't as difficult as people make them out to be, but you have to get a strong specimen/clone (as with anything). I have been growing what I think is Heliamphora nutans x ionasii (I don't label my plants), bought from one of the forum members (I no longer have the messages so I can't tell whose it was or which species it is), on my windowsill next to some Adeniums, Vanilla, date palm, some kind of tree fern, etc (just to give you an idea of the variety of things that do well on a windowsill), and it's growing marvelously well. Unfortunately this summer I made a mistake in its watering schedule and didn't water it for two weeks, so it lost a lot of leaves and subsequently nearly succumbed to a mold infestation, but after giving it a good soaking, picking away all of the dead leaves, adding some fresh live Sphagnum on top and putting a bunch of Trichoderma in the pot as well (though I'm not sure if this last step really had any effect), it's now producing healthy leaves again. There's even a fern growing in its pot and it still doesn't seem bothered by it. I'd posted a picture of it in all its former glory last year, but it looks like it was lost during the forum 'crash' late last year. I'll see if I can dig it up again.

All this is essentially just to say that Heliamphora aren't as picky as people often claim. There's a lot of misinformation going around in carnivorous plant growing circles, and I think it's because people tend to believe the first thing they read (like people putting icecubes on the moss of their Heliamphora during summer to keep the roots cool). How much ice do they think there is to be found on those tepuis?

[Tropfrog]

Thanks a lot for your feedback, I appreciate it.

I live in an area with extremly little Light in the winter time. There are 4 months with almost no direct sunlight on the windowsill. To add on that, I heat my house with Wood, making it extremly dry and sometimes hot. I am sure heliamphora would die if kept under Theese conditions in the winter.

But I find your answer comforting any way. Tepui can get as low as a few degrees plus in the nights. So I would assume that the plants would like it.

I will start with the easier cultivars before moving on to more challenging species. 

Adding electronics to meassure and control is in most cases not necessary. But it is Another hobby of Mine and it can give some more possibilities to leave the house for a few weeks if needed

Br

Magnus 

[Tropfrog]

So, I have been thinking a lot about Light the last days. Most of my other grow projects utilize modern leds. However, I have experience with T5 Lights as well. In this situation where heat proboably is not an issue, I think that T5 might be the best option.

A grow accesory store nearby is selling armature with 6 24 watt plantmax 6500k lamps dirt cheap right now. The measurements fits the space awailable quite good and promises 1200 lumen on 600 Times 400. That is quite a lot of Light. But there are 3 switches controlling two tubes each. I think that this Light will serve the purpouse quite good, both lightwise as well as providing the heat needed during the day. If it gets to warm in the summer, i just need to fan the heat out of the terrarium.

What do you think? Am I on the right track?

Br

Magnus 

[Tropfrog]

Soo.....Things happens meanwhile. I couldnt help myself.......Purshased a Mars hydro sp 250 led light and a grow tent of 120*60*180. That might be sufficient for Helis and maybe some highland Nepenthes as well. We havent had much cold this winter, so the room I am planning to use has been at 10 degrees at lowest. 

Now I just need to clear space. Next update in a few months.

BR

Magnus