Hi everybody! I have a P. moctezumae that I purchased online (along with a P. moranensis) that is not doing well. The P. moranensis is doing okay, (although it is not thriving by any means) but the moctezumae is actively dying. It arrived with three one inch long skinny leaves. The one leaf died, and it put out two more. another leaf died and it put out two more. After that no new leaves have been formed, but the leaves keep on dying.
The plant was growing (I'm using that term very loosely) in a mix of three parts peat, one part sand, one part perlite. Initially I tried to make the mix 1:1:1 at the advice of someone on the internet, but my soil mixing skills are on par with my baking skills. I was bottom watering sparingly, when the top layer of the mix was dry. I was also allowing my pings to live inside for a few weeks until this 105 degree weather ends (115+ heat index), so the plants were staying in my bedroom. The temps in my bedroom range from 76 during the day to 70 at night, with a minimum of 50% humidity. My bedroom windows face east. I chose this location because I have a ponytail palm in this location that does well, so I thought the lighting would be sufficient until the weather cooled off.
Since Mexican pings are not bog plants, I figured the soil may be problem. I whipped up a batch that was 2 parts sand, 2 parts perlite, and one part peat. This is what the plant is currently "living" in. I've also moved the plant outside as the weather is averaging in the mid nineties. This change has had no effect. I understand that all these changes are detrimental to a delicate plant, but I'm struggling to find out what I'm doing wrong. I cannot seem to find a consensus for what this plant needs to live. I am very experienced with delicate plants but this is my first time with Pings.
1) What is the optimum day and night temp?
2) How much light can these plants tolerate?
3) What growing medium seems to work the best?
Growing plants is a bit of a challenge for me due to space constraints but I can typically talk the S.O. into giving me more room if necessary. I have an east facing patio that gets direct sun until just past noon. I have an east facing 2nd story bedroom window that gets great light all day. I have a west facing 2nd story window in a room that gets up to 80 degrees most days and comes down to 72ish at night. The sun in this room can be punishing towards the end of the day. I also have a first floor west facing window, but this is where our orchids live and due to decorating constraints I'm pretty sure is off limits to my carnivorous plants. I can also grow plants on my east facing patio. I have a Drosera capensis growing haphazardly in a bowl out there that couldn't be any happier. My Sarracenias also do well out there in full sun, as does the drosera.
Since I am space constrained I do not have the space for a growing rack or 4' florescent fixtures. I can definitely swing room enough for a terrarium setup with artificial light, but I am currently researching LED PAR38 bulbs and growing.
I've noticed that the P. moranensis 'D' is not growing broad flat pale green leaves, but rather smallish darker green leaves that do not appear to be carnivorous. Could my inside temps have forced the plant into dormancy and nearly killed the moctezumae?
The plant was growing (I'm using that term very loosely) in a mix of three parts peat, one part sand, one part perlite. Initially I tried to make the mix 1:1:1 at the advice of someone on the internet, but my soil mixing skills are on par with my baking skills. I was bottom watering sparingly, when the top layer of the mix was dry. I was also allowing my pings to live inside for a few weeks until this 105 degree weather ends (115+ heat index), so the plants were staying in my bedroom. The temps in my bedroom range from 76 during the day to 70 at night, with a minimum of 50% humidity. My bedroom windows face east. I chose this location because I have a ponytail palm in this location that does well, so I thought the lighting would be sufficient until the weather cooled off.
Since Mexican pings are not bog plants, I figured the soil may be problem. I whipped up a batch that was 2 parts sand, 2 parts perlite, and one part peat. This is what the plant is currently "living" in. I've also moved the plant outside as the weather is averaging in the mid nineties. This change has had no effect. I understand that all these changes are detrimental to a delicate plant, but I'm struggling to find out what I'm doing wrong. I cannot seem to find a consensus for what this plant needs to live. I am very experienced with delicate plants but this is my first time with Pings.
1) What is the optimum day and night temp?
2) How much light can these plants tolerate?
3) What growing medium seems to work the best?
Growing plants is a bit of a challenge for me due to space constraints but I can typically talk the S.O. into giving me more room if necessary. I have an east facing patio that gets direct sun until just past noon. I have an east facing 2nd story bedroom window that gets great light all day. I have a west facing 2nd story window in a room that gets up to 80 degrees most days and comes down to 72ish at night. The sun in this room can be punishing towards the end of the day. I also have a first floor west facing window, but this is where our orchids live and due to decorating constraints I'm pretty sure is off limits to my carnivorous plants. I can also grow plants on my east facing patio. I have a Drosera capensis growing haphazardly in a bowl out there that couldn't be any happier. My Sarracenias also do well out there in full sun, as does the drosera.
Since I am space constrained I do not have the space for a growing rack or 4' florescent fixtures. I can definitely swing room enough for a terrarium setup with artificial light, but I am currently researching LED PAR38 bulbs and growing.
I've noticed that the P. moranensis 'D' is not growing broad flat pale green leaves, but rather smallish darker green leaves that do not appear to be carnivorous. Could my inside temps have forced the plant into dormancy and nearly killed the moctezumae?
