Propagation experiment

[SarraceniaScott]

Last night, I sterilized some 50/50 peat/sand mix by microwaving it wet for 15 minutes. After it cooled, I filled a 72-cell plug tray (1.5" square cells) with this sterilised mix.

I prepared 9 plugs each of:

U. tricolor
U. praelonga
U. bisquamata
U. livida
U. longifolia
U. sandersonii
U. lateriflora
G. violacea (giant)

Each plug was started with just one lolon of the Utric in question (or one Genlisea leaf).

These Utrics had become fairly overgrown with moss, so I carefully cleaned each lolon to remove all the original soil medium before transplanting.

If these take, and spread, then in a few months I should have a bumper crop of starter plugs of these Utrics, fully free of moss and other hitchhikers, available to give.

 

[rattler]

cool hope it works well for you. dont know how long it will take them to spread from one lolon but atleat your using notoriously quick growers

 

[SarraceniaScott]

Quote[/b] (rattler_mt @ May 24 2005,10:12)]cool hope it works well for you. dont know how long it will take them to spread from one lolon but atleat your using notoriously quick growers

I am hoping they spread well; I will give 8 of the 9 plugs, reserving the last to seed the next batch.

What other Utrics are fast growers (other than U. subulata), preferably with showy flowers?

 

[rattler]

U. prehensilis, the various U. calycifida cultivars('Yog Sothoth' being my personal favorite), U. novae-zealandiae, U. ulignosa and U. welwitschii are all blooming for me on atleast a semi regular basis and spread fast. the last two however seem to need to do alot of spreading before they bloom. ive got 4 of the U. calycifida cultivars/varieties and highly recommend them though they really like atleast a 3 inch pot preferably a 4 inch one. the more room you give them the better they look. U. nephrophylla would be a good one to try also though its another one that had to put on alot of growth before it would bloom. it can also be a bit picky on conditions. some ppl have great luck with it as a terrestrial but i HAVE to grow it as an epiphyte for it to do anything.

 

[SarraceniaScott]

Do you have any U. welwitschii to spare? I recieved some once, but I can't see anything in the pot but moss.

I believe I recieved U. prehensilis and U. calycifida 'Yog-Sothoth' and U. calycifida 'Mrs. Marsh' from you. I'd have propagate those, as well, but they haven't spread enough yet. They're next on my list to propagate, though.

 

[rattler]

wait till after i get all the auction stuff squared away and ill see if i have extra. i do believe i have it in two seperat auctions and that will prolly wipr out all my extra for the moment

 

[SarraceniaScott]

Well, the propagation is going well.

All 72 cells are showing signs of new growth. Unfortunately, I didn't do as good a job of removing moss as i thought... there is quite a bit starting to grow. I must have had spores all over my hands.

Next time, I think i will tease all the lolons out, wash them, and float them in water, then scrub my hands, THEN plant them in the propagation tray.

The good news is that at least one cell in each of the 8 groups is fairly moss-free, and I may be able to use that to propagate more, with less moss contamination.

 

[rattler]

very cool. i forgot to ask, why are you so set on having your Utrics moss free? i gave up on it long ago. most of my Utrics dont mind it and it doesnt slow them down. in fact IIRC U. odorata has almost out competed the moss in its pot to the point its almost gone. anyways glad its going good for you. i gave up on the battle long ago though i didnt go to your extreams.

 

[jimscott]

Did someone say 'experiment'?

 

[SarraceniaScott]

Quote[/b] (rattler_mt @ June 21 2005,3:01)]very cool. i forgot to ask, why are you so set on having your Utrics moss free?

Just call me Don Quixote.

 

[SarraceniaScott]

I have prepared some more specimens, 9 cells each, to propagate from one lolon:

U. dichotoma
U. subulata (covered this tray over with Saran Wrap so it wouldn't spread to other plugs!)
U. prehensilis
U. tridentata
U. warburgii (only 3 cells of that; when they start to spread, I will start the rest)

When I am done, I will have some nice, established 1.5"x1.5" plugs to trade or gift.