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VFT growing in pine needles

I have started a pine needle experiment. This is not a comparative, rather a long term experiment. I have used approximately 3 parts dried pine needles to one part peat, with a 10mm top layer of fresh (green at time of planting) pine needles. I've used an 18cm tall pot, which is standing in approximately 2.5cm tray of deionised water. I have noticed a oil film forms on the surface of the water, which must come from the needles. The VFT was taken out of my bog garden, where is wasn't doing well. The young growth that you see in the centre of the plant has developed since potting in the pine needles on 24th August 2011. It is under 35W of metal halide lighting.

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cool! I thought I would try pine needles next year after replanting my vft's. Can't wait to see how yours turn out.
 
It looks like it likes it.
 
I was thinking about doing the same thing myself... Been waiting til I go somewhere that I can gather a large bag of fallen needles. Let us know how it does!
 
I have it under a metal halide light, which can provide adequate light for VFT, so I might keep it growing over winter to see how it performs.
 
People have tried this before. The pine needles quickly rot turning into a stinking mess.

Hope you get different results.
 
People have tried this before. The pine needles quickly rot turning into a stinking mess.

Hope you get different results.
I sort of suspect that would happen... so time will tell.
 
A quick pic update. For reference the pics in the first post were taken on 9th September 2011 and the ones below of the same plant were taken 14th September 2011.

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Holy cow. I think I need to find some pine needles...
 
  • #10
I have white pines around the perimeter of my backyard, if I were to try this would I have to do anything to the needles or could I just scoop the them off the ground and dump them into the pot?
 
  • #11
I have white pines around the perimeter of my backyard, if I were to try this would I have to do anything to the needles or could I just scoop the them off the ground and dump them into the pot?
All I did was wash them, as the ones I collected were rather dirty. Be aware that the lower level ones, which are mixed with a little peat, were quite weathered so some of the oils would have probably dispersed.
 
  • #12
It's flowering now, though the flower stalk is somewhat short...

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  • #13
That's wild! Was that Dioneae an all-green variant or is that just from the artificial lighting?

I'm also seeing what looks like the occasional fused tooth syndrome. That's pretty cool, it looks like a real healthy plant.
 
  • #14
I think the lack of colouration is due to the lighting used. It was not a fused tooth when I bought it though.
 
  • #15
Spring has sprung and it's a really warm and sunny one here too, so the VFT has started to put on good growth again. I've noticed that the level of the pine needles has sunk, so I guess there is some decomposition:

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  • #16
Looks happy so far. Thanks for the updates.
 
  • #17
Very interesting experiment!

I did the same thing last year with a vft and I tried to grew it in all pine needle.. That didn't work out too well, the plant started drying and it didn't have a tray.
I guess the trick here is to cut the pine needle in small pieces so that it can retain more moisture, i guess a tray is also necessary in order to prevent drying.

Might try that this year again!

Thanks for the update and hope you keep us updated.
 
  • #18
There is an experiment on one of the other CP forums, where a member is growing VFT in various proportions it pine needles/peat, including one in just pine needles.
 
  • #19
Pardon me, but from the looks of those.....aren't those actually FIR needles? :scratch:
 
  • #20
Pardon me, but from the looks of those.....aren't those actually FIR needles? :scratch:
Fir and pine are both members of the Pinaceae family. The needles you see are a top dressing that were added at a later date as a green mulch and could well be fir; however, the layer underneath is pine/peat. In fact, I walked past the trees from which they fell just a few hours ago.
 
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