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Post by donfranko on Aug 15, 2011 20:50:13 GMT -5
Hey, I have purchased my first Cephalotus. Cansomeone who has experience with these plants give me some advice the optimal growing conditions within Ontario? I have done some reading on the subject but nothing is conclusively given other 4-6 direct sun or 12-14 artificial light per day and the basic do not over water or fertilize. Please help!! Thank you, Franco
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Post by Rug on Aug 15, 2011 20:55:43 GMT -5
Personally I am not the guy to ask about this plant but there are pleanty of people here that have GREAT luck with it. I on the other hand have not quite grasped this one... for whatever reason.
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Post by Raymond on Aug 15, 2011 21:16:39 GMT -5
;D is this your first carnivorous plant
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Post by 31drew31 on Aug 15, 2011 21:26:22 GMT -5
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Post by lloyd on Aug 15, 2011 21:35:55 GMT -5
Any CP soil-mix. I like New Zealand LFS, distilled water, bright lights 16 hrs./day, high humidity.
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Post by H2O on Aug 15, 2011 21:36:23 GMT -5
Hello Franco, I'm sure others will help on the subject but I thought I would add something. I grow mine about 10-12 inches away from 6 4'T5HO for 12-14 hours a day. They are potted in 1:1:1 peat, perlite and 16 grit silica sand and they are in taller style pots. I have a tray that holds about 1 cm of water and sit them in that. I let the water dry up and leave it for 3-5 days before filling it up. I find that with the taller pots and letting the tray dry out for a while that rot doesn't seem to be a problem. Humidity isn't an issue with this plant as long as you aclimatize it. I also avoid misting the plants and letting the top growth get wet. Just remember not to soak this plant as once a it starts to rot theres no going back. Hope this helps and I hope other people share as well.
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Post by hal on Aug 15, 2011 21:42:57 GMT -5
Try not to move them around or repot them too much. I find they crash every time I repot them, then take 6 months to get back to where they were. Mine do best when they are in a closed tank with some water in it or in a cup with another cup overturned on it to make a mini greenhouse with high humidity.
I grow them under 4 x T-8 lights, about 6" away.
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Post by shoggoths on Aug 15, 2011 21:46:17 GMT -5
Like H2O said, I think acclimatation is the key. I think your first days are important. Choose a media (I use Charles Brewer mixte and water by the top / I like it more this way having trouble with the tray method...) and put your plant in it. Then check humidity for the first days. If your cephalotus close his pitchers, put a holed bottle over it to raise the humidity then, as the weeks passes raise the bottle a little bit at the time. After somes weeks you'll be able to remove the bottle. Then, let the plant in peace and be patient.
Shogg
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Post by donfranko on Aug 16, 2011 8:46:55 GMT -5
The advice is greatly appreciated. Also in my Cephalotus order is a Pinguicula Wesser - will I be ok to cultivate these plants together in similar conditions? I hear the Wesser makes a good companion plant with it's ability to fight off fungus gnats - any knowledge, tips or discretion on the matter would be extremely helpful as I am always hoping to learn and improve! Thanks again.
Franco
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Post by hal on Aug 16, 2011 9:09:58 GMT -5
I'd grow them in separate containers.
The P. weser's needs are quite different: -likes a medium low in peat, high in vemiculite and perlite -likes to dry out a bit between waterings -loves being misted -does not need high humidity -can take regular tap water
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Post by 31drew31 on Aug 16, 2011 9:49:21 GMT -5
Yup keep your 'weser' in a different pot, I like to use pure perlite or an APS/silica/perlite mix.
If your keeping your 'weser' and ceph side by side and your ceph is happy, your 'weser' will be too but not always vise-versa.
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Post by donfranko on Aug 16, 2011 10:18:29 GMT -5
Thanks , will do. Also what exactly is the "plant acclimatization" and what does the process entail specifically for the cephalotus?
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Post by H2O on Aug 16, 2011 11:24:15 GMT -5
Acclimatizing is the process of gradually changing condition for a plants. If your acclimatizing a plant to high light you would slowly move it closer to your lights over a few weeks (or moving it to get a little more direct sun). If your acclimatizing your plant to low humidity you would start with very high humidity (possibly a bag over the pots) and gradually let it have less humidity by either opening the bag a little or poking holes in it. Over a few weeks you would let the holes get bigger and bigger. Some people will open the bag up every morning and close it for the first few nights but that's being pretty picky.
Remember that acclimatizing plants just helps not to shock them. I've taken Cephs from very high to low humidity and the plants have lived, they'll usually just loose pitchers and stop growing for a bit. I your getting new plants it's highly suggested to acclimatize your plants to shock them less
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Post by quatchi on Aug 16, 2011 13:42:16 GMT -5
Whatever you do, keep them in a well draining medium (the mixes others have suggested are all good). I have mine in a large pot/container, so I don't need to water them as much. Whenever I water them, I water until water comes out the bottom and then let it all drain away. I water them about 3-4 times a month, and less in winter. I also use a toothpick stuck in the soil to indicate when I should water them. If the toothpick is wet all the way to the top, I won't water. I'll water it when it's less than halfway usually.
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Post by vraev on Aug 16, 2011 16:26:01 GMT -5
As people here have already gone through, just a few important notes again:
- Use a very open media. I use a media with orchid bark, perlite and peat. Sometimes I throw in a few chunks of charcoal...but its optional. - Don't fret about humidity.I used to grow cephs in 30-40% room humidity. If its that low, use a tray at bottom of the tall pot with pebbles and water. - Good light and low temps are important. Don't let temps get over 90F for prolonged periods. Also, inspite of what it may seem, they do seem to enjoy temps similar to highland plants...i.e., a measurable drop in night temp.
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