Any help or advice before I buy some plants for my windowsill?

[DanF2000]

So I woke up this morning getting a real urge to get some carnivorous plants. I'm at University in my 2nd year - I'll likely be staying here for the next 3-4 years due to cutting my family out of my life due to personal reasons, and I'll likely be repeating the year due to mental health issues. Anyways, I'll be staying here for a while, so I've started my own little windowsill plant collection! I've got an Aloe Vera plant, an unnamed succulent and a Kalanchoe plant so far, all going to be repotted soon once I find some good compost for them on Amazon.

The carnivorous plants I'm thinking of getting are Nepenthes Ventrata (https://www.hantsflytrap.com/nh001-nxventrata-small-105-p.asp), Drosera Aliciae and Drosera Capensis (might get 2 Capensis with this deal: https://www.hantsflytrap.com/cl31-drosera-collection-3-1586-p.asp.) I've heard they all are pretty hardy/hard to kill, and I've got a north facing windowsill which generally gets a good amount of sun, albeit being the UK and the weather fluctuating a lot. I've linked a picture of the windowsill, and there should hopefully be enough room for 3-4 more plants!

I was just wondering if anyone could share some help or advice for looking after these? I'm in the north, well, Huddersfield, so the weather is generally cooler than in the south. Some specific questions I've got

1) Would keeping the windows open and radiator off generally be the best idea to look after them and maintain a general temperature?

2) When I get them, should I repot them straight away, leave for a few days or would they be alright for a few weeks/months?

3) I'm thinking about getting this to water them with. Would this be alright and how much water do you reckon they'd need? I don't know if this 2.5 litres would last me a few weeks, a month, etc. https://www.amazon.co.uk/CarPlan-DIW250-De-Ionised-Water/dp/B00FRIH094

4) Because the windows don't open fully, there generally haven't been any flies or bugs coming in. I mean, I've only been here since September so who knows about the Spring/Summer months, but will they generally be alright without getting insects as food?

5) About humidity. I generally don't know the humidity of the room, but I reckon it's pretty low? Should I get a water sprayer and fill it with the De-Ionised water and spray them everyday/every few days?

6) Overall can these be as low-maintenance as the succulents, only just watering when the tray they're in is looking low?

7) Are these the best plants to look after in my scenario (Ventrata, Drosera Aliciae and Capensis) or do you have any other recommendations? 

I'm free for any other help by the way, and I'm hoping to order them today!

UPDATE: I ended up buying the Nepenthes Ventrata, Drosera Aliciae, Drosera Capensis and Pinguicula Guatemala, as well as a ZeroWater Water Filter!

Edited March 25, 2021 by DanF2000

[Yunzi]

For 1. On a windowsill - Mexican pings will probably do fine. The Drosera might be ok. capensis is pretty bombproof and my alicae lived but didn't thrive on a S facing window.  The Nepenthes.... ehhh ...you've got it now, so good luck but I think it might need higher humidity.  Turning the radiator off might be ok but no point letting yourself of the plants get too cold!  If you're a comfortable temp then the plants probably are too

2. They're probably fine if you got them from hants - hes an excellent grower. Repot next year if needed.

3. this is fine - but will run out quickly. I see roofs and drainpipes in your picture, any chance of sticking a container under those when it rains to collect rainwater. It will make things cheaper.

4. If the windows open a crack in the summer - flies will get in. Otherwise dont worry about it.

5. See point 1.  I dont' spray pings or drosera.

6. No - the drosera need to stand in water in the summer months and be kept damp in the winter. The ping will be a bit more forgiving in the winter but likes summer water to sit in. 

7. Mexican pings I think are the easiest windowsill plants to grow.

 

[DanF2000]

20 hours ago, Yunzi said:

For 1. On a windowsill - Mexican pings will probably do fine. The Drosera might be ok. capensis is pretty bombproof and my alicae lived but didn't thrive on a S facing window.  The Nepenthes.... ehhh ...you've got it now, so good luck but I think it might need higher humidity.  Turning the radiator off might be ok but no point letting yourself of the plants get too cold!  If you're a comfortable temp then the plants probably are too

2. They're probably fine if you got them from hants - hes an excellent grower. Repot next year if needed.

3. this is fine - but will run out quickly. I see roofs and drainpipes in your picture, any chance of sticking a container under those when it rains to collect rainwater. It will make things cheaper.

4. If the windows open a crack in the summer - flies will get in. Otherwise dont worry about it.

5. See point 1.  I dont' spray pings or drosera.

6. No - the drosera need to stand in water in the summer months and be kept damp in the winter. The ping will be a bit more forgiving in the winter but likes summer water to sit in. 

7. Mexican pings I think are the easiest windowsill plants to grow.

 

Thank you! So I joined the r/SavageGarden discord and asked a few questions there, and they recommended me the ZeroWater Filter as well as a lamp holder (https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07KT7W3L5) and the Sansi 36W LED (https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B082PSBP68). The filter and lamp holder arrived yesterday and I checked the water TDS here - it's 55-60 PPM which apparently the Ventrata can take fine. As for the lamp holder, I've linked it and the shelf I'll probably be growing the plants on. Still debating whether to grow the plants on or below the shelf next to the extension cable though...

I've been told the Ventrata doesn't need too much humidity to the point where I'd have to spray it, and the Drosera and Pinguicula will be sitting in water so that gives them a good amount of humidity. As for the water, again - it's around 55-60 PPM which is perfect and I can imagine that one filter will last me a long time, maybe half a year or even up to a year? I can't collect rainwater since it's public property and I'm just renting it - anyone could knock the container or move it

And yeah, about how I said "low maintenance", I meant as in once everything is set, you don't need to do much to keep them growing. Just make sure they're standing in 1-2 cm of water and get around 8-12 hours of light from the lamp.

I reckon I'll grow the Drosera and Pinguicula under the grow light and Nepenthes on the windowsill for now (when I get them) and see how they react. Since they easily show signs they're getting too much or not enough light, I can always adjust the growing situation.

By the way with things like dormancy, how much light would I need to give them in the winter months compared to spring to autumn? I'm guessing somewhere like 10-12 hours between March to October, 6-8 hours in November - February? Thanks again for the help!