(Knocks..) Is the Cepholotus Doctor in?

15 years ago

Ok. I picked up this ceph about... A year ago. It was doing Awesome- Nice red traps, multiple growing points.. It was doing fine until.. 3 or so months ago when the traps started to loose their red.

I figured it was something to do with the time of the year.. Couple of the traps had died so I picked 'em out, figuring they die sometimes. No big deal.

Well, as you can see, things have gotten worse.

It's become obvious it's not in the optimum growing conditions.. So. What do those of you who do it well.. Do?

I'm at the point where if you tell me what to get or make or whatever.. I'll do it.

Since I'm sure someone will ask.. Conditions it's in now? Dude usually sits in about 1/4" to 1/2" of rainwater in a windowsill, there's three 23 watt 'circline' fluorescent bulbs hanging about 6" away, and it gets "overspray" from a 250 watt 20,000K metal halide which is about.. 2 feet away.

Next to it are a few flytraps & drosera.. Who incidentally don't seem to be very dewy.

Temps are 75ish days & 65ish nights.. Humidity ranges from 40 to 70, depending on how much "liquid sunshine" we're currently getting here in the Pacific NW.

Any suggestions / advice will be greatly appreciated.. As I'd really rather not loose this guy.

Comments (7)

mcantrell
15 years ago
The drosera not being dewy is another warning sign, but I don't have any experience with Cepholotus to say.

Thoughts:

- Are your other Rainwatered plants ok? Perhaps your rainwater has become contaminated?

- What's the temperature near that Window? Is it getting too cold for the plants?

- Have you checked for root rot? Are you letting the trays dry out in between each watering? I have several Drosera with that symptom -- they stopped making dew and slowly wilted away, when I removed them from their permanently waterlogged pots, I discovered the peat moss around their roots stunk to high heaven and the roots were swolen, deformed, and translucent.
Krstofer
Original Author
15 years ago
ya the rain water is fine.. Unless the air has been contaminated. Here in Oregon from about mid october till... may ish it pretty much rains non-stop. Yes.. The joke around the place is "What's the Oregon state flower? ... (wait for it) Mold!"
yeah, it's true.

Anyway.. It doesn't get below 60 at any place in the house.

Root rot could be the problem! Coz no... I wasn't letting the trays dry out. But forsure I will now!
Not too much mind you, but some.

So I'm going to give that a try & we'll see what happens.

~ Thanks for the advice!
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Nevermore44 - 6a
15 years ago
Definitely the water tray. I wouldn't keep the tray holding any water at all. I just water mine until the media is damp. But don't have it sitting in water.
mcantrell
15 years ago
Yup. I flood mine until the water tray fills up, but I only do that when I notice the tray is empty. Keeps the soil wet but not super soggy.
petiolaris
15 years ago
I keep mine in mounded media of sand and peat, with a top layer of LFS. I water from overhead, ~every few days. The pot sits in minimal water.
garyfla_gw
15 years ago
Hi
So this type CP never goes dormant?? I was checking the climate in Cape Albany was surprised to learn that it even drops below freezing there,so obviously the plant would go dormant.
Have wanted to try the ceph as the climate seems quite similar to s. florida maybe even a bit colder.
So dormancy is NOT required like the VFT??
gary
mcantrell
15 years ago
Yes, they do need a dormancy period. In the US, right now probably isn't a great time to be buying non-tropical CPs, due to the temperature. Tropicals maybe.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cephalotus