Post by roraima on Nov 11, 2014 23:10:31 GMT -5
I've been growing Cephs for four years now and there is a time of the year that I've come to dread like no other...and that time is now!
I grow my Cephs (3 different clones) indoors under T5 HO lights, every fall after a vigorous spring and summer growing season my plants inevitably suffer a sharp decline. New pitchers and leaves quickly yellow and die, while existing growth becomes spotty, diseased, and dies. Like this:
All well? Not if you look closer.
I grow my Cephs (3 different clones) indoors under T5 HO lights, every fall after a vigorous spring and summer growing season my plants inevitably suffer a sharp decline. New pitchers and leaves quickly yellow and die, while existing growth becomes spotty, diseased, and dies. Like this:
The plants struggle through the fall and winter, sometimes completely dying back only to be saved by healthier growth in the spring. Nonetheless some plants have suffered serious setbacks over the years and I feel very lucky I've never actually lost a plant.
The first couple of years I blamed the collapse on over watering and vowed to leave my Cephs much drier come fall. Well last year I did just that but the fall decline happened just as badly. With over watering eliminated as the cause I began to suspect the decline was related to overfeeding my Ceph with FDBW, a technique I used to compensate for the lack of prey in the fall and winter.
Well this fall came and I didn't fertilize at all and yet the annual Ceph crash happened right on schedule (the above photos were taken today), I was starting to feel truly frustrated.
As luck would have it around the same time I was introduced to another local grower who has a giant, healthy, Ceph that he grows in his south facing windowsill all year round. We live in the same city, in older draftier houses, our general cultivation techniques were the same, yet his Ceph never suffered through any winter setback even though he kept his in a tray of water even during winter!
Well I thought that it must either be that he had some amazing disease resistant clone or that the natural light and airflow of the window sill growing might be playing a substantial role in his success. I've always been hesitant to mess around with any major experiments with my Cephs but I finally have a few back up clones now, and I was so frusterated that I thought why not try growing them under natural light by my south facing window during fall and winter.
Well it's been a little over 5 weeks and I'm very surprised with the results.
I'm watering enough to keep the Sphagnum happy and fertilizing as usual.
New growth looks strong, healthy, and hairy!
The first couple of years I blamed the collapse on over watering and vowed to leave my Cephs much drier come fall. Well last year I did just that but the fall decline happened just as badly. With over watering eliminated as the cause I began to suspect the decline was related to overfeeding my Ceph with FDBW, a technique I used to compensate for the lack of prey in the fall and winter.
Well this fall came and I didn't fertilize at all and yet the annual Ceph crash happened right on schedule (the above photos were taken today), I was starting to feel truly frustrated.
As luck would have it around the same time I was introduced to another local grower who has a giant, healthy, Ceph that he grows in his south facing windowsill all year round. We live in the same city, in older draftier houses, our general cultivation techniques were the same, yet his Ceph never suffered through any winter setback even though he kept his in a tray of water even during winter!
Well I thought that it must either be that he had some amazing disease resistant clone or that the natural light and airflow of the window sill growing might be playing a substantial role in his success. I've always been hesitant to mess around with any major experiments with my Cephs but I finally have a few back up clones now, and I was so frusterated that I thought why not try growing them under natural light by my south facing window during fall and winter.
Well it's been a little over 5 weeks and I'm very surprised with the results.
Even the diseased growth (left and middle) has stabilized and is no longer degrading while the new growth (far right) is large and healthy.
I'm watering enough to keep the Sphagnum happy and fertilizing as usual.
New growth looks strong, healthy, and hairy!
Although I've shown pics from only one plant the benefit of the move has been the same for all clones.
I realize that there's a long way to go before spring but I'm quite optimistic that the switch to natural light, photoperiod, and increased airflow has helped alleviate my Ceph seasonal affective disorder.
Thanks for looking.
I realize that there's a long way to go before spring but I'm quite optimistic that the switch to natural light, photoperiod, and increased airflow has helped alleviate my Ceph seasonal affective disorder.
Thanks for looking.