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Growing Pygmys outside

nightsky

Lover of Mountains
Did a search, and didn't find anything. I grow my pygmies inside under lights. They do fantastic, but do not get a dormancy, nor produce gemmae.

I'm wondering about putting them outside. Our summers are hot, and dry. Usually 90-100F, with very low humidity. It's a desert climate. So I think doing so would make them go dormant. Then in the fall, when they wake up I'd get some gemmae, and then put them inside under lights again and kept wet.

Would this work? Or should I just keep them inside..? I could just put a few out as to see how it goes, but thought I'd see if anyone else has experience.
 
i think they would be fine as long as they dont dry out...im going to try my pygmies outside this year...
 
I've read you're just supposed to water them less often and move the lights closer to the plants... after they dry out, then keep doing what you're doing now but slightly cooler and more moist... but if you have the right climate, why not?
 
Hi guys,
You will be surprised with the results and to see how well they grow compared to the inside under lights growing. RH is not an issue...they don't care as long as your soil stay moist. Your problem will be the high temps in summer. You will need some shade of some sort and bigger pots so the soil will stay cold in sun. If you have a location where they will get East sun only you can start with that. It depends a lot on the species if they will try to go dormant or not. Growing under lights is helpful in the first month but after that i see no reason keeping them there especially if you have the climate and space. What are you trying to grow?
 
Yup! Pygmies outdoors! Makes sense!
I Googled it!

pygmy.jpg


Outdoors is the place to be! :-))

Good Going!
 
That's exactly what i grow! ....good one!
 
Wow they do indeed seem to grow well outside lol.

Thanks for the replies. Less see...badgerup, ommissa x nitudula, roseana are what I would try. My pots aren't very big though, about 4 inchs high by 4 wide. Should I keep them wet still, or let them dry out?
 
All that you mentioned should stay wet (tray method) all the time and the pot size should be fine. They should be easy.
 
  • #10
my friend grows pygmies outside, they even survive cali winters, pretty hardy plants apparently. Then again, capensis can come back from its roots after freezing conditions.
 
  • #11
my friend grows pygmies outside, they even survive cali winters, pretty hardy plants apparently. Then again, capensis can come back from its roots after freezing conditions.

I sound like your friend then. Mine survived a moderate frost with little effects. They're outdoors, whether it's swimming-pool weather or go-get-your-down-comforters-and-hot-cocoa weather. :)
 
  • #12
It would be good to see some photos of indoors compared to outdoors after a couple of months. Mine grow in a glasshouse so far so good but winter is coming here. They just seem to grow more slowly than the windowsill plants. They look maybe healthier though.
 
  • #13
i grew mine outside in houston, had about 30 or so, then moved to central texas and left them outside even through the snow and am now noticing they are popping back up, though not as many as before, but thats ok because the year before i only had about 5. they grow pretty quickly.

~billy
 
  • #14
I take excess gemmae and throw them in my bogs. My observations of these plants is that they develop at the same rate as the ones in my greenhouse but where some of the ones in the greenhouse sometimes make it past a year usually the ones outside croak - but not before developing a lot of gemmae in the process. I should also add that the most attrition occurs during the summer months.
 
  • #15
I get mixed results. Some do better when outside and others either go dormant or die. I have a hard time with scorpioides, callistos, and dichrosepala when outside. And they have survived light frosts.
 
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