Whaddup everyone. I'm Daniel. I figured I'd introduce myself as I plan on becoming an active member of this forum. To be honest, this is the first forum I have ever participated in, and as such I am a forum newb too. My main interest in CP's are Nepenthes, but I have a few Cephalotus F. plants as well. I also like the North American Pitcher Plants and Heliamphora, but I have neither. My interest in CP's was first sparked by a random trip to Home Depot a little over a year ago. I have always had a green thumb (growing vegetables) growing up, but I never really knew much about CP’s. So anyway, I found myself in the garden center of Home Depot paying for some random items, when a VFT display case caught my eye. I had only tried keeping a VFT once before (around age 10), when me and my cousin got the bright idea to feed it a chunk of the greasiest hamburger meat ever made. The plant obviously died, and I soon became disinterested in what I then believed to be finicky plants. Keep in mind I was 10. So I thought about it, and figured for a couple of bucks I can give a new plant a try and maybe save it from its constraining cup/terrarium/coffin. I also figured I was a little more intelligent than when I was at 10. So in a classic impulse buy, I snagged a VFT from the case right next to the register. Crafty Sons'a'guns. When I got home I put the plant near a sunlit window and started the googlage. I learned all about VFT requirements, and then I stumbled onto an online CP store. I started by checking out the different VFT’s and then the Nepenthes caught my eye. I had never seen such crazy looking plants. So naturally, I whipped out the plastic debt-creator, and ordered two interesting-looking hybrids: N. Marbled Dragon, and N. Sabre. By the time they arrived I had read up on them enough to feel confident about being able to take care of them. And I did manage to take decent enough care of them. I made my ghettorariums out of an oversized pot, and its accompanying cheap clear plastic water reservoir. I simply placed the plastic reservoir over the top of the pot (offset for ventilation) and presto I had my humidity. I kept these plants for approximately 3 months before I had to move to a different house a few miles away. By this time I had added a couple other Neps (a Truncata and Ventricosa), to the CP mix. With those came a freebie drosera spatulata and binata (x2? = binata binata?). So I gathered my plants up and moved everything into the new house with my two roommates and one of their dogs. Previously we had no pets, so I did not have to worry about anyone messing with my plants. Shortly after moving into the new house I was repotting my N. Sabre and my VFT in the backyard. I left the dog outside for less than 30 seconds as I ran upstairs to grab something. I came back to a crime scene. The dog managed to maul the VFT to shreds and had ripped every pitcher off the Sabre and most of the roots. When I saw her she was tearing the leaves off of it. Words cannot describe how pissed I was. I must have barely turned my back to go upstairs before she began killing the plants. Even then, she had to defy the laws of physics to do so much damage in so little time. If she wasn’t so ugly/cute (boxer puppy), I probably would have euthanized her with a .45. Haha JK, I’m no Mike Vick. Anyway, the good news is, the Sabre actually recovered (with plenty of TLC), but unfortunately the VFT died and I have yet to buy another. I have a couple of pics of the Sabre recovering, but the earliest shot is some 5 to 6 months after the murder attempt, when I got my digital camera. I’m going to attempt to post a few pics… but keep in mind I’m new and it will probably just end up as a bunch of source code . BTW sorry for ranting, it’s just that I’ve already read so much from the regulars around here I figured I would tell my story too.
This is my “Shelving By Design” Grow Rack (Purchased only a couple of days ago). I had been wanting these shelve types for so long (before the CPs) but could not find them until I came to this forum lol. Lowes pwns Home Depot (Lowes is a bit out of the way for me but worth it). Excuse the fire/shock hazard above the larger tank. I just put in two more lights on the very top and they came with short cords. I’m going to get an extension cord soon. Oh yea, the lights are off in this picture.
This is the larger tank up close, a 40 Gallon Breeder with a few different Neps in there.
Here is the 20 Gallon High with water and an ultrasonic fogger on the bottom. (I got the idea for the pots to raise the eggcrate from the JLAP (the pill popper?)… You know the guy that has a post in almost every thread… Heheh thanks for that.
Keep in mind it’s hot as balls in San Diego right now (the T5 doesn’t help). This should be the last heat wave though, and then maybe I can coax the Rajah into making some pitchers for me.
If these pictures show up I will look into taking some of my plants for suggestions on improvement. I have a rafflesiana v. elongata I just got recently with the growth tip snapped and looking like a beat up prostitute. I contacted the store, about a week ago , and they have yet to get back to me :-( . I have a couple of other plants I would be interested in some feedback on as well. Anywho, I'm looking forward to getting to know all you fellow addicts. I think you're all just as sick as me and even sicker.
Edit: Well, well, well. A convenient little Preview Post button. I feel like a freakin' luddite over here, and I know my way around a computer. I guess I just never found anything forum worthy until now
- Daniel
This is my “Shelving By Design” Grow Rack (Purchased only a couple of days ago). I had been wanting these shelve types for so long (before the CPs) but could not find them until I came to this forum lol. Lowes pwns Home Depot (Lowes is a bit out of the way for me but worth it). Excuse the fire/shock hazard above the larger tank. I just put in two more lights on the very top and they came with short cords. I’m going to get an extension cord soon. Oh yea, the lights are off in this picture.
This is the larger tank up close, a 40 Gallon Breeder with a few different Neps in there.
Here is the 20 Gallon High with water and an ultrasonic fogger on the bottom. (I got the idea for the pots to raise the eggcrate from the JLAP (the pill popper?)… You know the guy that has a post in almost every thread… Heheh thanks for that.
Keep in mind it’s hot as balls in San Diego right now (the T5 doesn’t help). This should be the last heat wave though, and then maybe I can coax the Rajah into making some pitchers for me.
If these pictures show up I will look into taking some of my plants for suggestions on improvement. I have a rafflesiana v. elongata I just got recently with the growth tip snapped and looking like a beat up prostitute. I contacted the store, about a week ago , and they have yet to get back to me :-( . I have a couple of other plants I would be interested in some feedback on as well. Anywho, I'm looking forward to getting to know all you fellow addicts. I think you're all just as sick as me and even sicker.
Edit: Well, well, well. A convenient little Preview Post button. I feel like a freakin' luddite over here, and I know my way around a computer. I guess I just never found anything forum worthy until now
- Daniel
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