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Post by lloyd on Mar 16, 2015 22:38:56 GMT -5
Well my microbogs suffered through the coldest month on record in Toronto. Our garage was around -5C for weeks on end and I think had lows of -8C or so when it hit -25C or so outside. Usually the ends of the pitchers turn brown and die and I prune the dead bits off in the spring. This year it was so cold for so long the leaves/pitchers became all leathery and the Sarr's looked really bad. I suspected they were all dead. Finally this night it rained for a few hours and the temperatures were around 6-8C or so. I find this is ideal for Sarr's coming out of dormancy. Out in the rain and light wind with mild temperatures seems to really re-hydrate the leaves and clean all the winter dust off. Anyway I pruned lots of brown and seriously crinkly bits off and the Sarr's seem like they might be Ok in the spring. The VFT's, pings and dews look like they've gone to plant heaven. We'll see when it gets warmer. Back to the garage for the night after their pre-spring spa treatment.
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Post by roraima on Mar 17, 2015 0:21:57 GMT -5
Glad to hear the Sarrs seem to be OK. If your VFT's are indeed dead I have some of their progeny grown from seed you were nice enough to giveaway last Fall. Come Spring I'd be more than happy to send you some nicer seedlings from the batch to continue the line
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Post by H2O on Mar 17, 2015 0:56:06 GMT -5
Glad to hear that they might be coming around, crazy winter for you guys!
I'll add a handful of Pings, Flytraps and Drosera to roraima's package, what's a microbog without all the little things too?
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Post by lloyd on Mar 17, 2015 9:12:33 GMT -5
Thanks!
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Post by Devon on Mar 17, 2015 9:19:15 GMT -5
Sorry about the flytraps and 'dews. Nice that the Sarracenia made it, though.
I can donate a few interesting seed grown flytraps (not grown by me from seed) as well.
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Post by shoggoths on Mar 17, 2015 12:16:57 GMT -5
Good luck Lloyd.
My garage usually stay under -4C for all winter. My plants are frozen solid. Last year, everything made it so don't despair.
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Post by lloyd on Mar 17, 2015 13:18:29 GMT -5
Do you usually get the "leather" leaves on the sarr's?
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Post by lloyd on Jun 30, 2015 17:18:01 GMT -5
I noticed some of the Sarr's weren't looking great in one of the microbogs. It was overflowing with rain so I decided to drain it. Interestingly the TDS was ~ 320 PPM and super dark and peaty coloured. One other was ~ the same and one was ~ 510 or so. The other two were super healthy looking. All there is in them is sumidero balls, mineral wool, peat and perlite. Only Zero TDS water ever goes in. I imagine the TDS is organic acids from peat breakdown. Anyway, I drained them and refilled them with Rainwater. It's been raining a lot so I have lots of rainwater stored up.
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Post by vivgrows on Jul 1, 2015 1:12:42 GMT -5
Oh, that's where our West Cost rain went. I am having to ration my rain water out here.
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Microbogs
Jul 1, 2015 7:36:59 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by lloyd on Jul 1, 2015 7:36:59 GMT -5
For whatever reason, the "water job" seems to have helped, the plants have perked up.
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Post by lloyd on Nov 21, 2015 20:51:53 GMT -5
Microbogs in the garage on Thursday night. I still open the garage door during the day to give them some air and light.
I bought a low reading thermostat and a fairly good space heater with 700W 900W and 1500W settings with safety features. I plan to set it to 0C with a 1 degree C differential and use the 700W setting. That should be fairly good for power consumption and avoid hard frosts.
Hopefully I will avoid the die off like the one from last winter.
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Post by lloyd on Jan 4, 2016 21:44:13 GMT -5
Well the weather has finally changed and the microbogs are back in the garage after being out till X-mas. It hit 29F this am, so tonight I plugged in the heater at the 700W setting and the garage seems to be staying at 32F despite the -12C outside temp.
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Post by lloyd on Jan 18, 2016 17:37:55 GMT -5
The heater seems to be keeping the garage at 32F. The plants do look better, greener, better turgour, healthier. I think the colder (freezing) temperatures are tolerable to temperates but also lead to excessive dieback and rhizome rot.
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Post by stevebooth on Jan 19, 2016 8:22:29 GMT -5
The heater seems to be keeping the garage at 32F. The plants do look better, greener, better turgour, healthier. I think the colder (freezing) temperatures are tolerable to temperates but also lead to excessive dieback and rhizome rot. Agreed - Due to the lack of a green house up until this year I have never kept my plants above freezing for the last twenty odd years, due to them being outside all year. However this year I genuinely thought that as I had a greenhouse the indoor plants would out perform the outdoor plants, but as it has been so warm over here the temperatures have been above freezing till the last couple of nights and there is no visible difference between the plants. Still there is still Feb and March to come! Cheers Steve
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Post by lloyd on Jun 28, 2016 12:43:16 GMT -5
My Microbogs (mostly flavas) smell strongly of honey, just like my indoor Helis and Drosophyllum. Anybody else notice this?
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