Mexican ping: Unable to grow or retain new root

[norns]

Hello,

I am now growing a Mexican ping as P.sp.Tolantongo but recently find serious problem on this ping:

The leaves continuously dry out (not turning black as rotting but dry out) and disappear one by one. At early of May, it has totally over 10 leaves but now with only 3 leaves and the central of ping stops any growing for over 1 month.

I also discovers that my ping is unable to retain any white root (each less than 1 cm) for more than 4-5 days, every time I see it grows new white root but will completely disappear after 4-5 days.

The compost of soil is 1:1:1 perite / river sand / non-fat mineral soil, and keep the soil dry after the problem appears to avoid further rotting. Temperature of my environment is max 32 degree at day time and min 25 degree at mid night. Lighting period is 12-16 hours per day.

May anyone kindly help me what's the problem of my ping and how I can survive this ping, since I am afraid of it will totally dry out after some weeks.....

Many thanks !!

 

[jimscott]

I've never heard of this particular ping and am not familiar with non-fat mineral soil. River sand is also an unknown to me, as I don't know what is in that sand. I have several Mexican pings and with the exception of P. gypsicola (crushed coral in the mix), I just mix rinsed sand and peat. Some have LFS on top. A lot of people use Perlite. They really aren't picky about the mix of soil media, otherwise. I'm just wondering if there is anything in your media that may be poisoning the plant.

Another thought is that when I received my first Mexican pings I put them outside during the summer and they proceeded to like melt away into non-existence. They got smaller and eventually disappeared. Since then I have been using window sills and open tray method. Now the best results that people report and post pictures come from artificial lighting, at least in terms of color.

Take a look at this link to my Photobucket account if it helps:

http://s106.photobucket.com/albums/m271/straus_2006/?start=all

 

[norns]

Thank you for your advise.
the ping should be http://www.pinguicula.org/pages/plantes/pinguicula_sp_tolantongo.htm
I tries use same composition of soil to other Mexican pings such as Pinguicula ehlersiae and it grows well.

You are right that the material may contain something that will be harmful to this ping.
Therefore, I now suspect that this ping is infected by virus or bacteria since the problem happens when wealthier change form cool to warm. :-(

 

[jimscott]

It looks and reads like most of the other Mexican pings. Have you tried taking a leaf pulling and initiate sprouting in totally different media?

 

[norns]

yes, I will try to use peat / sand / perite as another media. However this plant only remains two un-heathy leaf to avoid using leaf pulling method, wish it will be okay at new media. Thank you for your advice.

 

[Joseph Clemens]

yes, I will try to use peat / sand / perite as another media. However this plant only remains two un-heathy leaf to avoid using leaf pulling method, wish it will be okay at new media. Thank you for your advice.

Let us know what you do and how things work out.

 

[norns]

Hi all,

I finally find the root cause of problem, but however after the dead of my lovely plant P.sp.Tolantongo. Since my another similar species P.ehlersiae Talantoga appears the following SAME symptoms:
1. It is clearly see the Ping grows / enlarges upward with long neck (not due to etoliation of not enough light)
2. root rot and disappear under the soil
3. new rot appear from the side of long neck above the soil serface but will be dried in fews days
4. more than one old leaf quickly dried (but not turn black) at the same time
5. center is in healthy status before the dead of the plant


The problem is firsly wrongly thought as too much water. The real is HOT temperature i.e day time temperature over 30 degree with very poor air-circulation.

I also try to change other planting media but failed...and used back my origonal compost of soil as 1:1:1 perite / river sand / non-fat mineral soil (i.e. as aquatic plant soil which will not be resolved in water and little acidic)

Finally, I stored all my Ping into cool box at day time with temperature below 25 degree and open air cond when I back to home, take them out for lighting. Then all the above situation seems be resolved ! And no any root rot problem even I add much distilled water.

However, the problem is that it will cause not enough lighting, since only 5-6 hours strong lighting per day...may I know will it be problem in the long run ?

 

[jimscott]

I've tried different things with my plants and I have absolutely the worst results when I put them outside. They either melt or fry. They do well opne tray, in front of window, though they don't get much color. They do the best for me when the window has a screen in it and is SW facing. Many other people have theirs under artificial lighting, open tray, and they do real well under those conditions.

 

[PlantAKiss]

I have had exactly the same experience and believe it to be hot temps and poor air circulation. At the moment I can't do anything about the temps but I have put a fan in the room and I'm crossing my fingers that the temps cool down. So far I haven't lost anything yet but my beloved ehlersiae is looking a little poorly.

 

[jm82792]

Second that I have killed multible mexican pings outside yet have awsome success inside. For me being a newbie to mexican pings the key is watering not too wet and other than that you can't go wrong.

 

[norns]

Many thanks to my friend, he help me save this lovely plant.

 

[Not a Number]

I'm growing my Mexican Pinguicula in pure Aquatic Plant Soil (kiln fired Fullers Earth) and they seem to do well. Pingman uses APS and it's on his recommendation that I use it. Very simple to use - some LFS on the bottom of the pot, fill it with APS, rinse until the water runs clear and you're all set to go.

 

[norns]

I'm growing my Mexican Pinguicula in pure Aquatic Plant Soil (kiln fired Fullers Earth) and they seem to do well. Pingman uses APS and it's on his recommendation that I use it. Very simple to use - some LFS on the bottom of the pot, fill it with APS, rinse until the water runs clear and you're all set to go.

yes, I know it. But in my area there is no such type of APS for sales. :-(

 

[Cindy]

Not a Number,

How do you water the plant? Tray?

Thanks!

 

[Not a Number]

This is sold in the US as:

http://www.schultz.com/ProductCategories/Soilsamendments/AquaticPlantSoil/

It has the texture slightly finer than the decorative gravel for aquariums. It is ever so slightly porous so it retains a tiny bit of moisture. Water easily drains through it. I gently top water and tray water. While the Pings are growing carnvorous leaves I let the trays fill to about a centimeter of water and let it dry between waterings.

Top watering seems to encourage moss growth so if you hate moss in your pots you can tray water most of the time and top water once or twice a week. This will slow moss growth but once it gets established there is no way to get rid of it.

 

[norns]

Not a Number,

May I know you method of using pure Aquatic Plant Soil, that means no any addition of silica sand or iron oxide powder which is advised at Joseph 's web site: http://www.carnivorousplant.com
Since I am planning to buy APS for trial

Thanks !

 

[Not a Number]

I'm just using pure APS. You can add silica sand and/or iron oxide powder if you wish. They seem perfectly happy without the iron oxide, but there certainly is no harm in using it provide you follow Joseph's guidelines. You may find the texture of the APS too coarse and adding silica sand will give you a finer texture.

If you have the plants you can try various mixtures and see which works best for you.

 

[norns]

Thanks Not a number.

Yesteday, I transferred one of my Pings to new media: little LFS at the bottom of the pot and APS/sand 2:1. Hopefully she will have great growth after 1 month