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I can deny it no longer. My plants don't get adequate light from my bedroom windowsill. I checked the weather for the week, and it seems to be pretty consistent, so I decided to try putting my plants outside. The temperature ranges are 75 in the day and about 55 at night, with high sunlight (well, not at night, unless you count moonlight, and N. bicalcarata's the only CP vampirey enough to enjoy that! MUAHAHAHAA!! *cough*).

I have the pots sitting in water trays, with the glass tanks sitting upside-down over the pots. With the slits between the deck-boards, I guess they'd get adequate air circulation. I put the tanks covering the pots to keep humidity, and to keep the rain from pounding the soil out of the pots. Believe me, I've been getting some pretty heavy rain recently. It would be like dropping bricks on a baby.

I currently have Dionaea, S. purpurea, N. ventricosa, and D. capensis out there. Would the fluctuating day/night temps beat the North American plants into submission? I know my N. ventricosa would like it (I believe it's a highland?). Also, I'm concerned that during the day, the sun would create heat build up inside the tanks, and I don't want to bake my plants!

The back of my house and my deck is facing east, so I guess they would get nice, cool morning sun there, but I'm worried about the afternoon. I currently have a white garbage bag overtop both of the tanks so the sudden direct sun doesn't burn 'em, but I'm not sure if that would be enough. I intend to keep the tanks covered for three days so they get used to the light before I remove the cover.

I'm really worried about them , because they're my first CP's (that VFT I murdered in kindergarten doesn't count! I was barely sentient!). Can I maybe get some suggestions on other things to consider?

Here are some pics of the summer homestead:
http://img98.echo.cx/img98/1627/terr14wi.jpg
http://img275.echo.cx/img275/724/terr28xz.jpg

It would be sweet to grow a bicalcarata in a coffin, and only open it up at night.
 
Having your plants in closed terrariums with direct sun and 75F outside is sure to roast them. The slits between the boards will not be able to cool the terrarium enough in that kind of exposure. You would definitely need some relatively powerful fans, and even that might not be enough.

Since fans would be impractical outside, I would consider removing the terrarium if your environment permits. What kind of outside humidity do you have? As long as it doesn't go much below 40% the plants you described should be OK. In fact, everything but the N. ventricosa might be able to tolerate even lower.

The night temps (55F) should be no problem for any of those plants, as long as you let them adjust properly.

-Ben
 
Good thing I read this in time! I just called my mom from school and told her to remove the tanks. Thanks!
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] ]Having your plants in closed terrariums with direct sun and 75F outside is sure to roast them

You know, I'm not sure about that. Last summer I had various plants outside under a 4'x3'x3' pvc frame covered with 4 mil. clear plastic sheeting. There were small cracks between the frame and the ground, but that was all the air movement the plants got. I'm thinking it must have sometimes been 100 degrees at times, but it was also very humid, so the plants loved it. My mirabilis x khasiana grew about 2 ft. of vine with 6" pitchers (and they got filled with ants). The rafflesiana, ampullaria and alata grew lovely pitchers as well. The vft I had in there couldn't have been happier.

This year I want to try this setup again perhaps with a N. bicalcarata. The only plants I wouldn't put in such a setup would be highland neps, pings, and some utrics.

I'd say just try it out, see what works for you, just don't put all your nicest plants in right away.

Peter
 
These plants are native to North Carolina and a rather sunny climate. The sun is great for the plant when the soil that they are potted in remains moist, if you give all the sunlight they can get when they are growing (as long as they remain in a humid environment) they will flourish during their growth period.
 
I was thinking the direct sun would be the main problem. I know that even artificial lighting can add a lot of heat, so with direct sun wouldn't it be kind of like the heat that builds up in a car under such circumstances? Maybe it depends on the size of the ventilation holes.

It looks like your terrariums are 5 gal from those pics? I imagine heat would build up faster in smaller ones like that. I would recommend getting a thermometer/hygrometer and measuring the temps in there when it is getting direct sun. If it goes much over 100F it is probably not a good idea (you also need higher humidity at higher temps).

-Ben
 
I just decided to keep the plants outside under my glass deck table for now. On saturday, when I can more closely monitor the plants, I'll try setting them back out under the tanks and see how hot it gets out there.
 
Well it has hit 94 here already and the plants in the 15 gallon terrarium seem fine. Only D. slackii did not like it but he will be off to Copper on Tuesday. My Neps, Dews, Utrics, Helis, Orchids all seem fine so far. I should say they get bright light all day and direct sun for only an hour. This was jsut to free up room on my windowsill.
 
Rather than tell you that low humidity won't hurt your plants as long as they are adjusted to it slowly, I'll show you.

This is my back porch rail. Notice the reading on the hygrometer/thermometer:
DSCF0001.jpg

This is on the east side of the house and I expect the temps to get into the low to mid 50°f range overnight.

My VFTs and D. scorpioides. The D. scorpioides got nipped by frost about 5 weeks ago and are slowly recovering.
DSCF0003-1.jpg


And some P. 'Sethos' cuttings that are liking the sun
cool.gif

DSCF0004-1.jpg


The plants are in the shade from about 1:30 on.
 
  • #10
What are those odd, blackish, cyllindrical things?
 
  • #11
I think you mean the 7 peat pellets? One has a tooth pick sticking out of it? I was trying to sprout Sarracenia seed in them. I had two seeds sprout and these are being left to do their thing or not.. If nothing grows in a couple more weeks I'll stick ping leaves in them to grow out.
 
  • #12
Nice set up Steve - much more aesthetic than my "ghetto" look at the lab.
 
  • #13
It's only temporary. By this fall it will have more of a "ghetto" look to it as I get more plants through trades and cuttings. If you look closely at the P. 'Sethos' in the first pic, you can see that it is already beginning. They are planted in cups that once held grapefruit slices.
smile_n_32.gif
 
  • #14
Mannex, I don't think you even need the tank over the plants. They should do fine without it after a little aclimation.

jimscotscoot, you know "ghetto" is good, right?
 
  • #15
Alright, sounds good. I'll remove the tanks. What do you guys reccomend for my highland N. ventricosa though?
 
  • #16
Ventracosa is pretty hardy it should be okay.

Steve I like your D. scopidoes. I wish i could grow my Mexican Pings outside. It gets too hot here (ironically). I would really pay attentiond to the pygmy dews that I have.
 
  • #17
Yeah, ventricosa should do really well in those temps.
 
  • #18
Mannex17,

Perhaps you should consider placing fluorescent lights above your tank, covering the sides with foil and placing a CPU fan in it (i.e., convert it into a terrarium). This will provide your plants with good light and air circulation as well as stable/manageable temperatures and humidity.
 
  • #19
Yeah, but if it was that cool here, I would take advantage of it and grow N. ventricosa outside and save electricity.
 
  • #20
I understand. But please be aware that 40W (plenty for 10gal) and 80W (plenty for 20gal) fluorescent lighting puts out a ton of light but uses the equivalent electricity of a SINGLE incandescent bulb.

So you could have a brightly lit terrarium for the equivalent cost of adding a single typical lightbulb to your home!
 
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