Plant Update 22nd September 2008

Plant Update 22nd September 2008

Hello guys and gals!

Well, let me firstly apologize for not keeping on top of maintaining the updates on here. Secondly a huge THANKYOU to all the messages of support and encouragement that I have received over the past months. I read every message sent, and as you know answer any questions that I am capable to answer, but I am glad that many of you find this little site informative!

Ok...so what about the plants??! As practically everyone knows here in the UK, the weather this summer has been awful! Hardly any sunshine, and lots and lots of rain, and chilly!
The positive: plently of fresh rain water stored up for the drier weeks.
The negative: Weak looking plants, slow growth, armies of slugs invading and munching potential growth.

I also upgraded my Indoor Growing Space! I will put up a pic. It is now 2 tierd. So more space and more light! In there now are just seedlings that I'm hardening up for the outdoors, and re-potting. Also in there are my Nepenthes Ventrata (cutting) (as the main plant was dying rapidly due to cold......I experimented with cold tolerance, the result; death) Anyway I managed to airlayer a cutting from it before it died off...The gene-pool lives on! A Nepenthes Lowii which is still very small, but going good so far!(pic to fillow) Various Sarracenia seedlings (Need identifying, pics to follow) Darlingtonia Californica seedling, progress is excellent so far. (Pic to follow).

Not much for a 2 tiered growing unit right??RIGHT! Confession time! I went on a 4 week holiday, and left the Pinguicula Moranensis, Drosera Capensis, Drosera Spatulata Kanto, in the capable hands of the family.........Written instructions weren't enough, neither were regular emails, a huge supply of de-ionised water...... They all perished as apparently they were left outside during days of blasting rain, high wind, cold nights etc.... So many lessons were learned there!

So now the ICU is looking pretty bare and minimal!

Anyhow, the summery is below:

The varieties outside in the bog are:

Sarracenia Minor (Okefenokee) x1 Slow growth this year, and suffered due to high winds. Many traps snapped and bent.

Sarracenia Flava Ornata x1 Slow growth, one trap developed completely deformed. Suspected mites/aphids, applied anti bug spray that I've used in past instances. Aphid problem went quickly. After which slow 'normal' growth resumed.

Drosera Filiformis x1 Slow growth, but healthy. A truly amazing bug catcher, with only traps about 2cm in length managed to get covered in flies and spiders! Flower stalks were produced approx 1 month after true traps were being produced.

Dionaea Muscipula (Standard) x3 This trio, (although began really slowly and I must admit thought wouldn't have made the transition) have this summer really flourished! Being outside lots of water and bugs have been served on a plate to these guys. Really happy with these! (Pics to follow)

In the Coldframe are:

Drosera Capensis (Alba) x2 Dead

Dionaea Muscipula (Standard) x3Dead

Nepenthes Ventrata x1 Main plant died. Managed to take a cutting using a technique called 'air layering'. Proved very successful! Cutting now in ICU, flourishing well.

Pinguicula Moranensis x1Dead

On it's own: Darlingtonia Californica (Slacks) This beast of a plant is growing so well, in such harsh conditions. It's still on it's own, almost looking down on all the other plants outside or which have been in the coldframe and taunting them about how to grow well!! Excellent sized traps coming up here, but no flowering! Images below

Any questions ask away!!