Well, if they're the same type that I grow, I emphatically recomend them!
This is from back in late July of '07.
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Mine were grown from plantlets and seeds from a neighbors seep up in my local mountains.
I made my own soil mixture from areas around my property and added many plants from my creek to replicate the environment.
I'd planned on using other plants, but the Darlingtonias grew too fast and took up all the extra room.
I also added several bags of NZ sphagnum and LECA pellets.
They've been growin' like this for many years and are way over due for an upgraded bog.
They grow at an incredible pace and are spreading as fast as they can.
They're much faster growing than the usual kind.
They're growing out through the drainage holes and have taken over the whole pool.
Not that I'm complaining! :~)
Although the nights almost always cool way down, they've taken 100F temps for many summers.
I have a reservoir in the back that I add cold water to for really hot days and it perculates through the soil and out the drainage holes.
The whole thing freezes solid during much of the winter(We're supposed to have our first major freeze tonight), but they come screamin' out of dormancy with a massive growth spurt in early spring.
I always thought that the coastal cultivar was far too touchy and turned a lot of people off of them.

That's way cool, Scott. I've been avoiding even trying Darlingtonias because the descriptions I've seen make them look far too difficult. One site even has a "buy at your own risk" disclaimer.

Thanks!!
I've been to several of the bogs along the coast and to many high mountain seeps filled with them.
The higher elevation ones are much more hardy!
They thrive in a very harsh environment.
Full exposure, winter and summer!
Although, there is always water running through the root system, or at least major seepage!
It looked to me, as though all of the ones commonly sold came from the protected mild climate areas of the coastal bogs.
I think that many people will have far more success with the mountain types that look to be coming onto the market.
Prices do look a little steep, to say the least, but if they will live...
That's not so bad.(I guess.)

I also gathered seed from those Pings that I posted back in August.
They were sown in my bog and should do well this coming year.
I also added seed from several native orchids and I really hope that the do something.
I'm really going to have to do more than just think about upgrading the whole system.
It's just grown too much to handle everything.
As it goes dormant for the winter, I'll have start doin' that upgrade! ;~)
Scott

I had a darlingtonia that I put out 4 the summer. I put ice cubes on the soil every day. I took it inside if it got really hot. but 4 some reason it died......

Were those ice cubes made out of distilled water?

I don't think that you actually must use distilled water.
Although you do have to have really good water.
You do better with good quality water yourself!;~)

I've lived in places with lousy water and places with great water.
I will say that I lost my very large collection of Sarracenia after a move to the S.Cal desert back in the '90's.
(I gave up and grew native desert wild flowers!)
I had lived very close to California Carnivores and had spent a lot of time lurkin' about and expanding my collection.
(Hmmm, I wonder if Peter would like some seeds and cutting from mine? I brought him some Nepenthes seeds from Borneo once. But, I think that he lost them all in a bad winter storm.)
Anyway...after my move, I couldn't keep up with their needs and lost everything!:~(
Now I have absolutely incredible well water and a climate that encourages dormancy.
So...temperate natives thrive for me.

My method for growing these was to run the water under the root system.
I have a large reservoir, with many small holes, hidden in the back.
I used to freeze ice buckets, overnight, that fit right in it.
It was large enough that it took all day to melt.
After a while I got tired of that and just added cold water every so often.
The whole thing is at a slant and the water trickles through the roots slowly all day.
(For 90F plus days, I refill several times! And yes, we do have a lot of hot days...although the nights always cool down.)
Under the peat and LECA mixture are larger rocks and the water trickles through them.
The cold water is at the root system, where it needs it.
Having the surface cool doesn't seem as necessary as much as the subsurface does.
But, that's just my opinion! ;~)

We've been frosting heavily all weekend, so they are likely headed for dormancy.
With all the fans going on the local vinyards, it sounds like an airport.
It's startin' to really get on my nerves!;~)

Scott

I don't think that you actually must use distilled water.
Although you do have to have really good water.
You do better with good quality water yourself!;~)
I can't really comment on using city water and all the chemicals that they add.

I've lived in places with lousy water and places with great water.
I will say that I lost my very large collection of Sarracenia after a move to the S.Cal desert back in the '90's.
(I gave up and grew native desert wild flowers!)
I had lived very close to California Carnivores and had spent a lot of time lurkin' about and expanding my collection.
(Hmmm, I wonder if Peter would like some seeds and cutting from mine? I brought him some Nepenthes seeds from Borneo once. But, I think that he lost them all in a bad winter storm.)
Anyway...after my move, I couldn't keep up with their needs and lost everything!:~(
Now I have absolutely incredible well water and a climate that encourages dormancy.
So...temperate natives thrive for me.

My method for growing these was to run the water under the root system.
I have a large reservoir, with many small holes, hidden in the back.
I used to freeze ice buckets, overnight, that fit right in it.
It was large enough that it took all day to melt.
After a while I got tired of that and just added cold water every so often.
The whole thing is at a slant and the water trickles through the roots slowly all day.
(For 90F plus days, I refill several times! And yes, we do have a lot of hot days...although the nights always cool down.)
Under the peat and LECA mixture are larger rocks and the water trickles through them.
The cold water is at the root system, where it needs it.
Having the surface cool doesn't seem as necessary as much as the subsurface does.
But, that's just my opinion! ;~)

We've been frosting heavily all weekend, so they are likely headed for dormancy.
With all the fans going on the local vinyards, it sounds like an airport.
It's startin' to really get on my nerves!;~)

Scott

Huh?
The darn thing told me that my first reply was rejected...
So I fiddled with it, changed the subject line and reposted.
Just when I started to trust GW again! :~)
Sigh...!

You shouldn't need ice water. They do fin even in 90 F heat in my planter:

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Wow, really? The way some people make it sound, you'd think that a warm summer day would kill them.

Huh. Maybe I should pick some up someday.

To be honest, I never had much success with store bought ones.
I haven't had any of those in years and since mine are of a local mountainous variety, I can't really say that they are all that easy.
Many growers, with far more experience than I have, had them grow for several years; only to watch them eventually fail.
I've seen some very ingenious methods, as well.

The important factors seem to be using high quality water, cool roots, nightly temp drops and very cold dormacy.
Mine have all of that just growing outside, so I don't have any worries.
Even during summers, the temps will drop 30-40F at night.
It could be 100F and still the temps will drop down into the 70's or lower overnight.
(Makes growing ripe tomatoes a bit of a challenge!) ;~)
My well water is very cold, year round, and is very pure with low mineral issues.
I have very similar rock and soil, on my property, to what they naturally grow on and duplicated much of the conditions.
I have all the natural factors and benefits, so I don't have quite as much of an up hill fight as others do.
Plus...
Mine are, as I said, totally different than the store bought clones!
I really do think that the availiability of this variety could be a major changing factor in the ease of growth for many people.

Scott

An acclimated plant that is well-watered, with good drainage, can take the heat.