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Hi cper from singapore part 2

Thought the previous post was getting a little long...

Well, like I said, I'm new to CP growing, but I've always been interested in them. My first experience was a VFT that I placed in the bathroom to catch the numerous mosquitoes that kept coming in, but of course it soon died due to the inadequate light.

I'm planning on growing Nepenthes and tropical Drosera, perhaps sarracenia if I can convince my parents that a three-month dormancy in the refrigerator isn't going to contaminate the food.

I'll probably be buying my plants from FEF, but I don't like the plants they have on display...too over-handled by visitors.

Anyway, that's enough from me, great to meet all of you.
 
A question:

If and when I buy CPs from either FEF or Malesiana, will I have to repot them? I'm not sure what medium both of them use, so I don't know if I'll have to change the soil mix.

Can anyone help me on this?
 
What are some highlands neps you guys have? And under what conditions do you grow them?

I have n.alata (highland), n.ventrata, n.xemmerene and n.maximaXventricosa (cuttings) growing with my lowlands. They will have sudden growth spurts when the weather is extremely hot and bright.
 
Hi Colin,
Welcome to the forum.
As a suggestion, it will good to first start with tropical CPs, except may be VFT and for neps keep to lowland. With Neps you will need more space.
For some ideals of suitable substrate you can visit past thread in the forum, however there many websites that are rather comprehensive, one of such is at http://www.byblis.com/ Malesiana also recommend CP mixs for Neps at http://www.malesiana.tropicals.com.my/cultiv-nep.html#growset , but be warned that coconut peat that we purchase from Singapore may not be suitable for CPs.
Normally I do not wash away the original substrate when repotting to a larger pot, I just remove the Cps together with the old substrate intact and add in cp mixed to fill up the larger pots. Most FEF CPs are from Holland that used largely peat base mix. Be sure to use only "sphagnum" peat moss that does not come with any additive.
 
Interestingly, the sundew and trumpet pitcher that I bought from SPA (next to FEF at Thomson) are both potted in long-fibre sphagnum only. The VFT that I bought at FEF Rideout Park was however, in peat. The sundew and trumpet pitchers are doing okay, but the VFT is looking very sorry. Re-potted the VFT and sundew (sundew growing a bit too big for the original pot) in long-fibre sphagnum only and will see how well do they adapt to the new substratum.
 
Ah, thanks for your help, everyone.
 
Hi Colin, I'm glad you found us here. As I told you previously in an email, the plants from Malesiana come potted so you won't need to repot them for around 9 months to a year. Did you get the link I gave you for Malesiana? Keep in touch with me via  my normal e-mail as well as this forum.
Good luck in growing cp's. If you need any more help, email me. Happy growing everyone, Neil.
 
Anyone going shopping this Saturday?

I'll be headed to FEF, both Thompson and Queensway, as well as the other Thompson Road nurseries, to start my CP collection. It would be great if I met anyone from here; I could do with the advice on which plants are the healthiest.

Will post my purchases then!
 
  • #10
</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (colinliew @ June 27 2003,4:43)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Anyone going shopping this Saturday?

I'll be headed to FEF, both Thompson and Queensway, as well as the other Thompson Road nurseries, to start my CP collection. It would be great if I met anyone from here; I could do with the advice on which plants are the healthiest.

Will post my purchases then![/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Can't join you.
When choosing among equally good looking plants, choose plant with more growth points rather than size.

Happy shopping.
 
  • #11
Colin,

I was at FEF (Thomson) yesterday and I must say that the CPs needs somebody to resue them. I bought one VFT, the other one that is left is very sorry looking. As a bonus, there is a large piece of liverwort (probably Marchantia) in it. (Yes, I also grow mossess and liverwort).

The trumpet pitchers labelled as S. "Stevensii" are all very dry. I think that they did not water them yesterday. Some of the S. purpurea still looks okay. Be very selective.

There are some sundews left on the lowest tray but all without dew. Try to get one (or more&#33
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with a hint of the light green growing tips still visible. I bought one sorry-looking sunddew two weeks ago, but now there are now three separate vigorous growing points. So, the plants can be saved.

Each CPs should cost you about S$16.80 and do not trust the names on the price tag. Most of them are wrongly labelled.

I worry about breeding mosquitos in trays with water. So, I also bought a couple of white ceramic pots from FEF, which fits the CP plastic pots very nicely. The gap left between the plastic pot and the ceramic pot is probably too small to allow mosquitos to enter to lay eggs. Each ceramic pots costs S$4.80 and they look nice too!

I do not think that the other nurseries at Thomson have any CPs although I did not check. BTW, if you hit FEF at Queensway first, it could be advisible to buy the VFT from there, if it is still available.

Happy hunting!
 
  • #13
Also, do VFTs go into dormacy in S'pore? Is it necessary to put them into the fridge?
 
  • #14
eBeyonder, unfortunately, VFTs do not grow into dormancy in our climate. You do have to pop them into the fridge for a few months.
 
  • #15
ebeyonder:
FEF is not selling pings at the moment. But they do bring them in. VFT matters? Best to ask dragondoby as he's most experienced amongst us. I've kept them before and I noticed that the leaves get smaller and smaller. Somehow our weather is not that suitable for them in the long run, that is if you want to grow them year after year.

The rest:
Redhill Market still sells neps. On weekends. N.ampullaria, n.rafflesiana and n.alata (I suspect). At about $10. 1 feet across. If anyone if keen, let me know...then I'll ask uncle to bring in next Saturday.
 
  • #16
Ooh...more Neps...sounds great. I'll let you know, Cindy, first I have to make sure my current batch don't die.

Shopping update:

I hit FEF Thomson and Queensway, as well as almost all the other nurseries in the Thomson area - Island, SPA, etc.

FEF Queensway sells Sarracenia purpurea and another sarracenia species I couldn't identify - tall and thin. It also sells VFTs and an odd pitcher plant I couldn't identify - could have been a nep, but many pitchers clumped at the base, and few leaf pitchers. Best of all, it sells Nepenthes gracilis for $19.80, and huge, magnificent nepenthes alata, but for a very pricey $98.

Island sells n. gracilis and alata, their gracilis is in much better condition; each leaf has a pitcher attached, deep maroon colouration, fairly large and very plentiful. Each nepenthes costs $38.

SPA sells n. alata (I think) but most of the pitchers are withering because they don't keep them very well. $15.

FEF Thomson sells almost no nepenthes, the only one I saw there was apparently an alata hybrid but looked suspiciously like a gracilis, going for $59. It sells most of the potted plants sold at Queensway, but they also sell some Drosera Capensis Alba. Most of the potted CPs are in very bad shape. Displayed prices is $16.80, but if you ask for a discount due to poor quality, you get 20% off.

Best of all, the head horticulturalist Kumar says that in a month or so, he'll be bringing in many more CPs and setting up a special CP section. Cephalotus buffs, he'll be selling them for $20-$25. He also mentioned Darlingtonias, if anyone's interested in those.

I bought a drosera, a n. gracilis and a n. alata. Currently they're all in their old pots, and I've set them up in a shaded area of the garden, where they will not get any direct sunlight. Could anyone tell me if this is a good idea? Or should they get at least a few hours of direct sun?

Colin
 
  • #17
Hi Colin,
Welcome to the Joy and suffering.... of CP growing.
Drosera Capensis Alba (stand in water ), n. gracilis? (one of the 3 native Neps to  Singapore, they grow near water line, (so they like it wet) exposed to direct sun)  and a n. alata will all love a few hours of bright filtered  (noon sun 20~40% shaded) to direct morning sun.  you can start out with less light then progressive increase the exposure intensity and length. Just monitor for sunburn.

Can you post pics of the 2 Neps, just to be sure they are what they are.

Grow Darlingtonias in Singapore? Unless your have abundant cold clean running water to cool the root, I will give it a miss.
 
  • #18
Wow! Can't wait to get my hands on them Cephalotus and Darlingtonias! Now thinking of ways to keep the water cool. A second-hand aquarium chiller perhaps?
 
  • #19
Yes, Darlingtonias are quite a handful...too much for me, for a long time yet.

I'll post pictures as soon as I figure out what's the best way to do it. Don't have a digital camera, so the ordinary kind may have to do for now.

How much sun does a drosera capensis alba need? I've been watering my two neps with pure distilled water, the soil is quite wet, and the pot is well-drained.

I'm really concerned about sunburn, because my place gets a lot of direct sunlight. I'll try and expose all three CPs to a few hours direct sunlight, before popping them back into the shade. Looks like I'll be needing a lot more water.
 
  • #20
My sundew gets about three hours of full sun in the morning everyday. The rest of the day is indirect sunlight. I think that this should be enough because two new flower spikes are coming up. This from a sad looking and very dry sundew purchased from SPA about two weeks ago. It is amazing how fast a CP can recover when given the right conditions.
 
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