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Post by vraev on Nov 30, 2006 17:04:08 GMT -5
Hello guys,
Now this is an issue that is going to pop up exactly in 3 weeks from now.
As most of u know...I am in univeristy res where I have my small grow area. My VFT's are all finally adjusted and growing WONDERFULLY and I love them. The nep is slowly acclaimatising....a few half size pitchers when I got the plant have now grown and opened. I am happy that none of the existing ones went dry.
Now 3 weeks from now....I have TO HEAD HOME for christmas. The res is CLOSED for 2 weeks or so....10-12 days to be exact. So I am planning of taking the entire terrarium + lights + nep home.
Now the issue is...It has taken around 4 months finally now they are adusted and I am moving them for 10 days. The biggest difference is ...I don't know.....the humidity in terrarium will be ok considering it is a terrarium even though its open. The lighting it will get the same artificial lighting as here...since i am taking the lamps......But what else would affect them.
If anything...it wil affect the nep since at home it is obviously less humid and a different climate. I will have however more sunlight at my disposal ...but for 10 days....I don't know if the nep will be stressed again.
I cannot under any circumstances leave it here in res for 14 days. I wouldn't be able to enjoy christmas if I did....I would always think about the plants.....even If i did....it would definately NOT BE ENOUGH TO FILL UP the terrarium with water till the top of the peat layer...i.e., flood it and maybe fil the nep container too...since 14 days is too much to be enough....
But again the main prob is I cannot live away without ensuring the plants are being cared for. I spent so much time with these and as Peter Da'mata said " PPL who grow CPs get attached to them as they are pets".
Do u think that the 10 day short stay at my home will again stress all the plants??? is there any factors I can modify to minimise it???
cheers,
varun
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Post by insectivore on Nov 30, 2006 17:41:47 GMT -5
Hey! For you question... Yes the plants will be stressed if you move them around, Temperature fluctuations, humidity,etc etc... Theres no way you can get to your Res.? Cya
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Post by vraev on Nov 30, 2006 19:42:42 GMT -5
no way. Seriously.....the university is locked down during those days to students.
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Post by vraev on Nov 30, 2006 19:44:25 GMT -5
to consider it...this will keep happening for next yr as well....and even later.....I finish my second sem in 4 months...I go home for 3 months and again come back to uni for another 4 months + 10 days at home + 4 months again.
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Post by insectivore on Nov 30, 2006 20:36:22 GMT -5
Well your plants aren't going to be the happiest during the moving but once everything is stable they should be fine! The edvice I can give you is this: When moving, try to keep your plants as protected from cold as possible, try to reproduce the same growing/lighting/humidity conditions as at your place. Good Luck in advance! Cya! P.S. Remember that even if you happen to loose a plant, its not because your a beginner or can't grow that kind of plant. Even the pro's loose plants just ask Tom, Syble, Flytrap, Myself, Etc..Etc.. You gotta stay positive even tho it's hard sometimes!
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Post by lloyd on Nov 30, 2006 21:50:47 GMT -5
If your residence is like my son's was, they turn the heat way back during vacation, so you should definitely take them. How about buying some big plastic bins at Canada Tire. Put the plants in securely, mist them, maybe a baggie or two of hot water and off they go. You can leave them in the bins at home, just opening the top enough to regulate temperature and humidity.
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Post by vraev on Dec 1, 2006 0:36:09 GMT -5
that sounds about right...they do turn off the amenities. Apparently the fridge is the only one thing left and allowed to be turned on.
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Post by jay on Dec 1, 2006 7:33:48 GMT -5
nepenthes are really tough, seal it in a clear plastic bag , the growth might slow down a little. take the plants home with you , and your fly traps should be going into dormancy right about now anyway, take your plants home avoid uneeded holiday stress.
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Post by vraev on Dec 1, 2006 10:36:28 GMT -5
well...VFT's are skipping dormancy this year. They are fresh off TC from rick keehns...purchased in september. I am planning to take them all the way till next winter before gving them dormancy. However, should signs show up of them slowing down...I'll put em in... ....Right now...they are at the peak of their growth. The 3 VFT's except the dentate are pumping out traps really well...and these are the biggest I have ever seen on the plants. Nepenthes...is one I am concerned. Ever since I got it 2 weeks ago...it finally settled and finished making the 2 half grown pitchers. I was happy that NONE OF THE PITCHERS have dried since I hae got it...which technically should mean that it wasn't too stressed out. I guess the ride home should be kinda careful but at home..they will still get their full window light.
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Post by mabudon on Dec 1, 2006 10:44:25 GMT -5
Yeah, like Jay said, there's enough holiday stress already, your plants will be fine, just keep a positive mind about it and maintain your rigorous care of them and they will be totally alright, these plants are nowhere near as "sudden death prone" as some folks would have you think
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Post by vraev on Dec 1, 2006 13:39:43 GMT -5
Thanks for the support everyone. As you might understand...I wasn't going to leave my plants away from me for 10 days under ANY circumstances...unless there was someone taking care of them.....I guess...I'll just take them back....and again try to provide similar conditions as much as i can.
I am confident that the VFT's will pull through. I am really confident about these beautiesnow. The only aspect I am yet to be ok with is dormancy...I'llfind out about that in feb when 3 of the fly traps come out. Apart from that...they have adapted to me. It will be just sad to see if they slow down..because...they are growing soo well....the traps are amazingly responsive...really fast and the bottom dwelling traps are scarlet red fading to the edges. After all that effort...the light, water and so on...they were finally accepted. Now I am aactually planning on getting a 6$ replacement bulb for the sunlight desklamp....just in case. its hour life is 10000....but I just want to keep one in handy if the plants are showing signs that the light is dying off.
The only concern ...the pitcher plant....as I said....will not have the lamp that is giving it the light now....it will be fully getting sunlight from a big north facing window that is very bright....but I wil see once I get home if I can do something else.
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Post by vraev on Jan 2, 2007 0:20:01 GMT -5
Guys...update since its almost the end of my holidays...all the plants barely even noticed the shift....they are kicking well...I guess it took around 6 days or so ..but no blackened leaves or anything.....THE PITCHER PLANT suffered the most....ONE pitcher started drying up and the old drying up pitcher that was on before increased its speed in drying up. But apart from that leaves are growing and all.
the problem will be that I am moving back tomorrow and lol...maybe its another week when my plants have to readjust to uni environment. The only BIG issue is humidity + light. The dorm room is a lot drier + brighter compared to the table where I kept the plants at home which is in a dark location but outside the washroom which gives it constant 60% humidity.
Hey...I was wondering...what if I keep a shallow bowl with regular tap water near the pitcher plant.....kinda around it....will it increase the humidity enough to make it pitcher??
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Post by insectivore on Jan 2, 2007 7:36:47 GMT -5
Hey! What you could do is put a water saucer under it and raise it out of the water with rocks or lava rock marbles! My mom did this with a ventricosa that she had on a windowsil and got very good results! Good luck! Cya
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Post by vraev on Jan 2, 2007 12:21:27 GMT -5
But the pot already has a dish under it attached to the hanging basket itself
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Post by lloyd on Jan 2, 2007 13:38:10 GMT -5
I doubt you could raise the humidity significantly in a room heated with central air. However putting trays of water around couldn't do any harm. Daily misting might help. I imagine the air is probably centrally humidified to some extent.
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