Beautiful plants! Keep up the good work :)

Very nice plants. Probably the best I have seen. If you ever want to trade one of your paradoxa please let me know. Email me phal677@yahoo.com

Interesting medium on the pings. I think I'm seeing LFS, charcoal?, and sand. I've switched all my pings to perlite, vermiculite, charcoal, sand, and peat in clay pots. Roughly equal parts of each, but slightly less charcoal. It appears that they are growing slightly slower, but they seem to have more/stronger root systems.

I'm curious about the use of charcoal in the potting medium for carnivorous plants. I have a couple mini bogs with peat/sand/perlite with a sphagnum top layer. I drain these once or twice a week and add fresh R/O water. There is an odor, most notably as it is draining. I presume that this is from bacteria in the mix. Is it okay to use charcoal in the medium to help control the smell? or anything else?

good freaking lord your plants are happy (and your camera expensive)!

extreme congrats man, they all look stunningly happy and healthy. two of my plants were rescues, so obviously the fortitude of them is going to be sub-par, but my vft is bouncing back with 21+ long and lean heads, snapping up flies and earwigs like no ones business.

although my asian pitcher isn't as happy. i was about to inquire as to how you got your ventrata so healthy looking? like i mentioned, mine was on its death-bed in a tried out slab of sphagnum, with mostly withered and aphid-chewed leaves. am i crazy? no. i'm from a part of canada where we only have VFT, and all others are either imported ($45 for the legalities/don't send to canada) or sent across from BC ($35 minimal order) so i jumped on it. its gotten many new and healthy looking leaves, which are slightly fatter than the others, but its one and only pitcher is barely two inches long and still hasn't opened up yet and its been an entire month. any ideas, o grower of happy plants?

just to keep you in the light, i have 3 1500 lumen blue light fluorescent bulbs 2 feet from my set up, the temperature is a nice and warm 70+ and they recieve lots of misting and water in their tray, using only the finest no sodium/no mineral bottled waters, in addition to 12+ hours of light a day.

the vft has taken to this quite favourably and has sprung at least 16+ new heads since i bought him and grown substantially, but the nepenthe seems content just growing standard foliage.

also, there is a faint faint white dusting sometimes on the sphag of the nep. i've given it adequate ventilation and ensured the water i'm using (which the VTF loves) is no sodium and no mineral.

sorry to ramble, but your ventrata is the kind of nep i'd love mine to grow into one of these days. it looks super healthy!

x.

Thanks for the comments everyone.

joeb004,
For my Mexican pings I use equal parts of LFS, peatmoss, sand, and vermiculite. Top dressing of dried LFS.
My other pings I keep out the vermiculite out of the mix.
I have never used charcoal for any of my plants.

xpochian,
Yes my camera was expensive, but I've been doing macro photography since the late 80's. I can take my sisters less the half the cost camera and take great pictures with it as well. I've learned a lot of tricks over the years.
You make it sound like you have your Nepenthes in a tray of water? Neps like moist soil and hate soggy water logged soil. Their roots will rot.
They also like airy soil mixes. I was going to experiment with different soils but have not seen the need. My neps grow great with a mix of equal parts of LFS, peatmoss, and perlite. The plant is in a 14" hanging basket for size reference. It has been chopped twice now since I've had it, the cuts were close to 4' in length each time. I've had the plant close to 2 years now.
The plant grows as a windowsill plant in a south facing sliding glass door.

I think you might like this nep as well.
{{gwi:556703}}

Here is a link that might be useful: My CP website, more pictures of plants.

ahh, i knew i left something out. actually, i checked and the nep is potted completely in sphagnum, and it does sit in a tray, but it rarely has more than a few dribbles in it, literally, as its just to catch the excess. i'd say the tray, which is roughly 6' across, has a teaspoon of water in it, on a good day.

pure sphagnum. should i repot? i happen to have some leftover materials, sands and perlite/vermic.

and yes, that is a wonderful specimen. i love the black 'fangs'

i also can't help but notice the one and only head the nep has made hasn't opened after over a month, and the 'lid' as it were, is starting to brown slightly, i don't know if its colouration, or what, but there was liquid in there and now there isn't (i could tell because i held it up to a light).

any thoughts? this is the same nep i mentioned in my previous post.

xpochian,
In case you did not know, the nep I posted with the black fangs is Nepenthes hamata. This is my favorite nep. I decided to spend the money for this plant in mid July of last year.

I think I've heard other people having success growing neps in pure sphagnum, so you can continue to see how it goes.
How long have you had your nep?
I have noticed that neps seem to take around 2 or 3 months to re-establish themselves after the shock of shipping and new conditions.
It was a terrible sight for a little over 2 months when I got my hamata. It had 5 or 6 beautiful pitchers on it when I got it. In a matter of hours the pitchers on the plant where dying. Once the plant settled into the new conditions it has been pitchering for me non stop.

well, i've probably had it for nearly two months.

and lo and behold, i get home from work, not 10 hours after posting and the only pitcher is half grey and brown.

i'll leave it in pure sphagnum for another few months and repot if there is like no improvement at all.

elgecko, I did not know you had so many plants! Nice pics!

Has your Pinguicula flowered? I have mine growing in a terrarium. I am planing to place it outside, for it has not flowered.

xpochian, is there any way you can place a photo of your Nep?

awsome wonderful plants, im so jelouse, but those plants rock, i want mine to come out like that!

seems to me that you have in ths photo D.burmanni and not Drosera sessilifolia as you wrote.
Arie

xpochian,
I'm not sure what is the problem then. Hopefully it will settle in for you.

Byron_1,

I have not had my P. esseriana, P. grandiflora, or P. moranensis flower for me. I think it takes 2 or 3 years for the P. grandiflora to flower. I started it a year ago as gemmae, so maybe this year.

Yes, I have a few plants. Here's my growlist:

Byblis liniflora

Cephalotus follicularis - Hummer's Giant
Cephalotus follicularis - Typical

Darlingtonia californica

Dionaea muscipula - Big Mouth
Dionaea muscipula - Cup Trap
Dionaea muscipula - Czech Giant
Dionaea muscipula - Dentate Traps
Dionaea muscipula - Fang
Dionaea muscipula - Red Dragon
Dionaea muscipula - Typical

Drosera adelae
Drosera aliciae
Drosera binata possibilities, ssp binata, binata var dichotoma, or binata multifida "Extrema"
Drosera binata possibilities, ssp binata, binata var dichotoma, or binata multifida "Extrema"
Drosera capensis 'Albino'
Drosera capensis (red)
Drosera capensis - Typical
Drosera filiformis ssp. filiformis FL Red
Drosera regia "Big Easy"
Drosera rotundifolia
Drosera sp.'Zimbabwe, Chimanimani Mnts'
Drosera sessilifolia
Drosera spatulata

Petiolaris complex - Drosera paradoxa

Pygmy - Drosera "Beermullah"
Pygmy - Drosera nitidula ssp allantostigma
Pygmy - Drosera occidentalis ssp. occidentalis

Tubular - Drosera peltata

Drosophyllum lusitanicum

Genlisea lobata
Genlisea violacea 'Giant'

Heliamphora heterodoxa x minor

Nepenthes bicalcarata
Nepenthes 'Emmarene' (khasiana x ventricosa)
Nepenthes hamata
Nepenthes rafflesiana
Nepenthes x Rokko clone A x Nepenthes hamata (seedlings)
Nepenthes 'ventrata' (Nepenthes ventricosa x alata)

Pinguicula esseriana
Pinguicula grandiflora
Pinguicula lusitanica
Pinguicula moranensis

Sarracenia 'Dixie Lace'
Sarracenia flava - Red Tube
Sarracenia leucophylla
Sarracenia leucophylla "red"
Sarracenia minor (Long County GA.)
Sarracenia oreophila
Sarracenia purpurea

Utricularia aurea (aquatic)
Utricularia calycifida 'Asenath Waite'
Utricularia gibba (aquatic)
Utricularia longifolia
Utricularia sandersonii
Utricularia stygia - South Tyrol (Italian name for it: Alto Adige), Italy (aquatic)
Utricularia tridentata

Seeds Awaiting Germination / Stratifying / To Sow
Drosera hartmeyerorum
Drosera montana var. tomentosa

shalon,
D. burmanni and D. sessilifolia look a lot a like, but it is D. sessilifolia.

That is quite a list! I have a few carnivorous plants like Sarracenias and Flava types, and a Heliamphora Heterodoxa X Minor, and the Sundew.

The most extesive list I have is in the VFT department. I have over one thoulsand plants now. It is difficult to get one VFT with a very distinct feature. I have a large trap purple plant which is different, for no where I have seen this one. However, it is now growing with almost the same color as the royal red.

I have another that bloomed as a seedling, and another that grew climging higher and higher like the nepenthes. But, I cutted the seedling stalk to prevent it from getting weak, and the climbing VFT stoped climbing once it started getting larger. Now it grows a strange bulb where it kind of grows all over instead of nicelly packed.

Byron_1,
I hope to grow the Heliamphora heterodoxa x minor. This is try 3 and 4 for me. The only CP which seems to be eluding me. My buddy sent me 2 plants to try since he knows I'm having troubles with this one. My first one was on it's way out when I received it and the second attempt I think I rotted it by too much water.
I have only had the 2 new ones a week and a half so it's hard to say yet how they are doing. One is in a 70% perlite, 25% LFS, and 5% peat moss and the other is in a 60% sand and 40 % peat moss mix. I'm watering them more like my cephs which get less water then most plants. Hopefully the 3rd times a charm?

As for VFT's my typicals looked pretty rough the beginning of the year and cut the flower stalks off them. I have been pollinating some of my other VFT's that have been doing well. I've been crossing Dentate Traps with Red Dragons, Red Dragons with Dentate Traps, Red Dragons with themselves, Dentate Traps with themselves. I will sow several seed from each cross and see what I get and keep anything that looks nice.

The first Helliampora I have had is the one I have now, which I have devided a few times, so now I have five.

I have never killed one. After I got it, it just took off.

I have mine growing in a mixture of about 50/50 of spagnum moss and perlite. I never leave water at the bottom of the pot like VFTs becaue they say that this is not a good idea. So they are always moist, but not so much that there is water at the bottom of the pot. When I water, I let the extra water come out of the pot so the plant media is moist but no water is at the bottom. I have the pot on a small stand and the whole plant, pot and stand inside a terrarium.

I have it growing next to the air conditioning. Do that and I do not thing you will have any problems. It is a very eazy plant to grow, when grown in terariums.

Oh, and they love florecent lighting as much as VFTs.

as previously promised, here is the nepenthe that i have, as well as one my girlfriend rescued from home depot, as in her words "it had cute babies and they need to be loved." hah.
we're not expecting these to win any awards, but i was hoping after a month or so, mine would at least like me enough to radibly go into a frenzy of dying.

we also pruned and repotted hers, as i weighed that leaving it in its dried-raimen like sphagnum would've meant instant doom. it also has a chop-stick splint and is now potted into 50/50 perlite and peat, although i'm still not expecting it to live the week; the fools at the 'depot told us that the plant was perfectly healthy and would perk right up with some water and HAMBURGER MEAT on a toothpick. water and hamburger? this isn't a kitten or anything! i can't believe the utter lack of knowledge on their behalf. i'm thinking about writing colesantis, the grower of the plants and asking them to put on all of their boxes "ATTENTION FOOLS - NO HAMBURGER MEAT, ONLY INSECTS!" as people can't seem to get their facts straight.

anyhow, on with the show...

{{gwi:556705}}

pitcherless, but seemingly happy nepenthe

{{gwi:556707}}

another of the same

{{gwi:556709}}

lisa's rescue - note the two tiny sprouts

{{gwi:556711}}

a gift from lise that took 9 weeks to finally get sent from BC, arrived just in time, as i was in the middle of fighting off poison ivy.

{{gwi:556714}}

my nep and vft, and lisa's vft - she's becoming more enthralled with cp as the days go by!

Your Neps look healthy, I think that the problem of no pitchers may come from a lack of sunlight and moisture.

You have to slowly adapt them to more sun. Your VFTs need to be adapted to more sun too. Expecially the one on the right.

Your sundews appear to have been a few days in total darkness. They also should be gradualy placed in full sun.

Elgecko,

Nice plants, where did you buy the Hamata from?

you seem to be able to control your nepenthes' growth very well! how does it grow up like that? are you supporting it with anything? mine flops over, it is too long! you said that you've chopped it twice since you've had it......how do you do that? i'm afraid to cut mine. it's sprouted two little baby plants though, so I think it's okay to do now. is it okay to let your nep grow or do you really need to cut it?

count_d,
I purchased my plant from Tony at ExoticPlantsPlus.com
the home of Par O Bek Orchids!
http://www.exoticplantsplus.com/

thespirals,
I keep it growing up by using the metal chain of the hanging basket. By moving some of the leaves to the inside of the chain and letting the plant then rest against it, the plant grows more upwards. Once it gets past the metal chain I have large s hooks which I then use orchid flower spike clips to clip the nep vine to the s hook.
You do not need to cut your nep. I do it when it reaches the ceiling which is 3 to 4 feet from the hanging basket.
I would not cut it till you have new growth at the bottom of your plant which you say you do. My first time cutting the plant I was about 12" above the soil for my cut. Cutting the plant usually causes more basal shoots to form which will make your plant bushier, as they grow. Also usually a node below the cut will start to grow. Seeing the effects of cutting the plant from the first time, the second time I cut it was much closer to the soil, but I had several new basal points growing which were several inches tall by then.
You end up with several new plants to trade away if you try to root your cuttings.
Below is a link to rooting nep cuttings. This is the way I do mine and have great success, only have lost 1 cutting.

Here is a link that might be useful: Rooting nep cuttings

Here's a picture before I cut it last time.

{{gwi:556717}}

Byron_1,

i understand the need for more sun. i've been exposing the vft and the 'dew very gradually to sun, but its hard since i have a basement room and asides from running them upstairs every few sunny days (which i gladly am doing) i don't know of other ways, as i've heard a window ledge isn't enough.

i've also heard the hybrid nepenthes that retail chains peddle can be extremely slow growing and fickle, especially with any environmental changes (water, humidity, sun), is this true?

xpochian

Hi, well my plants are also in the basement on a window ledge that only gets brief sun during the day (hardly any).
I am using 2 x 40 watt Verilux tubes for them and the all seem quite happy.
I think I could use more lighting though and they would gladly accept it though, the flytraps have nice red traps inside but not to the extent of plants Ive tried in full sun, same goes for the D. Capensis.

Are you currently using any form of artificial lighting for them?

Cheers

Sheldon

Thank you Mr. Elgecko.

Sheldon,

i don't know the exact wattage to the tee, but i do have dual low-wattage fluorescent bulbs trained on them. they output the soft blue spectrum and have a lumen output of about 1550 each, and i have an all blue-incandescent grow bulb that's about 500 lumen or so. i know natural daylight usually dims around 5k lumens or so, and they have shown remarkable improvement since i've bought the dual 1550 bulbs. they're also set up in front of a small mirror, for what thats worth, as i figured errant lumens would get directed back into the plants. or then again i might be confusing physics with biology.

oh, they also get about 2 days a week of sun, when its not cloudy, and i think that's improved them as is, as the vft's baby shoots have a slight reddish cast to them.

but any other suggestions hints would be appreciated.

wow, that looks a lot more like my plant:P thanks for the info!

Well, what I am dying to know elgecko, is how you managed to get your ceph to become literally a pile of pitchers like that??!!!

Mine had none at all through winter and I was pretty happy that it now has 4 with some tiny ones on the way. Summer is rapidly running out here though :(

Any tips?