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Post by Apoplast on Jun 3, 2013 21:14:06 GMT -5
Hi all - I am excited to report I just finished setting up my first Aldrovanda bucket today! Here is a shot of the bucket - it's got a lot of development to do. I planted it with miniature cattails toward the top of the shot and calamus which you can see at the bottom of the shot. Plus some salvinia to help shade out algae and suck up some nitrogen. And what would this post be without a shot of the new little Aldrovanda plants floating in with their new companions. You can see them there floating with the salvinia. So happy. Thanks for looking!
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Post by clarion on Jun 4, 2013 13:33:27 GMT -5
Looks nice. :-)
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Post by Raymond on Jun 4, 2013 16:24:55 GMT -5
I thought those floating plants we Pings ;D
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Post by Apoplast on Jun 4, 2013 19:03:43 GMT -5
Hi Clarion - Thanks! I know it's early stages but I'm still super excited and probably too proud of my set up. This type of hubris is always the prelude for disappointment.
Hi Ray - Oooh. Floating pings. That would be cool!
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Post by 31drew31 on Jun 4, 2013 19:20:10 GMT -5
Nice bucket of swamp creatures I must admit I know absolutely nothing about Aldrovanda. Is this a species you can leave in the bucket outside year round? What temperatures can they withstand (cold wise)?
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Post by Apoplast on Jun 5, 2013 18:22:52 GMT -5
Hi Drew - Thanks! I like the community bucket, but I admit it's a little strange to be cultivating a carnivorous plant by mostly growing other things. In someways it's a little like Lloyd growing a host plant for the plant he really wants. Good question about cold hardiness! That's actually part of why I got this strain from Poland. The cattails and calmus can make it in the bucket aboveground over winter here. So I'm going to leave some of turions in the bucket to see if they make it. I'll keep some in the fridge so I can ensure that some will survive. I'll let you know how it turns out.
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Post by shoggoths on Jun 6, 2013 21:06:16 GMT -5
Great. Good luck with the test Apoplast. I'm also interested to know what temperature they can withstand. Could some fish be put in there too ?
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Post by Apoplast on Jun 8, 2013 11:07:10 GMT -5
Bonjour Shogg - Merci! Good question! I don't know if fish can be placed in the bucket too or not. I've been warned that some fish can eat and damage aquatic bladderworts when they are grown in similar conditions, so I am being cautious and not putting anything in for now. Plus, I want to ensure that the little prey populations are able to establish themselves as food for the Aldrovanda before feeding fish. Though maybe if I put in little live bearing fish the tiny fry might be good food for the Aldrovanda. I just don't know yet. I might try fish out next year. This year I am going to suffer through a few extra mosquitoes. Around here I'm not sure I'll notice a few extras anyhow.
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Post by bonfield on Jul 30, 2013 12:53:37 GMT -5
Beautiful setup, Apoplast! How is it doing now? Also, have you read Aldrovanda: The Waterwheel Plant by Adam Cross?
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Post by Apoplast on Sept 28, 2013 9:31:11 GMT -5
Hi Bonfield - I'm sorry I just saw this, I've been scarce around here lately - but not for lack of interest. The Aldrovanda has done okay. The cattails are basically dead. And it was a job keeping the Salvinia under control, but I didn't have big algae problems. I'll take some shots of the bucket tomorrow to show you. My next big delema is how and when to harvest the turions so I can keep some in the fridge over winter.
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Post by Apoplast on Oct 3, 2013 15:47:06 GMT -5
Hi Cole - Sorry it took me a few more days than I'd hoped to get shots. Turns out when you work late this time of year, you get home in the dark. Oh well. I just moments ago took a couple shots. The first one is just a shot of the bucket overall. You can see that the miniature cattails have pretty well croaked. My base was washed "sinker" peat with a layer of sand of the top, and I think it was just too low in nutrients for the cattails. The calmus has hung on but looks pretty unhappy. I think I am going to have to get some native bog sedges in there next year. I know the campus will survive the winter in the bucket above-ground, which is nice and what I had hoped it would work. Hopefully in the next shot you can see the Aldrovanda and how long it has gotten. There is a lot of glare, but hopefully you can see the plants. It's not as dense as the stuff I saw at Meadowview, which could be do to my bucket getting less light, but might also be because they are different strains. Don't know. This last shot is similar, but I was hoping to show off the growth points. I'm not sure the turions have formed yet, and I'm trying to figure out when to harvest them. The ends of the plants look like they might be forming turions, but it's hard to say. I'm worried because I don't want to loose them when they drop off, but at the same time I don't want to harvest them too early and not have them fully developed. I want to get some turions inside and store them in the fridge for the winter to ensure that some survive the winter. So, that's my current stress about the plants. Thanks for looking and any tips are welcomed!
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Post by lloyd on Oct 3, 2013 18:33:32 GMT -5
Good job with the bucket.
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Post by Apoplast on Oct 5, 2013 19:43:11 GMT -5
Thanks Lloyd! Now to see if I can get them through the winter.
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Post by bonfield on Oct 6, 2013 18:13:25 GMT -5
Everything's looking great, Apoplast! The Adam Cross book says that it's best to wait for the turions to form, let the rest of the plant to decompose away, and collect the turions as they're beginning to sink. They're supposed to be vulnerable to water problems/dessication/freezing at this point, so they need to be placed in a flask/jar of their tank water/damp sphagnum at a temperature of 3-5*C until spring.
If you can find this book at a good price, I would recommend it(I paid about $30).
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Post by Apoplast on Oct 8, 2013 22:45:37 GMT -5
Hi Bonfield - Thanks! I noticed you had Aldrovanda as part of your sale, so I'm guessing you have been successful with it. Thanks for the tips with harvesting turions too! I told Adam I'd buy his book, but I've been lazy about it. He said a number of things are out of date with it with his new round of publications. Still, from your response it's clear it will be useful. I'd better get on it. Thanks again!
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