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P. esseriana Question

JB in Utah

Come To The Light. . .
So I've already looked at a few threads about this particular ping, but they didn't help very much. My question is as follows: I have a very small P. esseriana that I've had for a year and it refuses to grow any larger than the 1/4 inch that it has always been. Does anyone have any suggestions? Am keeping the soil too wet, (I use the tray method and let the tray dry out, but this is only once a week. Big tray.) should I let the soil dry out a little more between waterings? Any tips would be appreciated.
 
Feed me...
 
feed me is correct. i've lost pings due to starving them. now i know better. sprinkle pulverized flakes on them. they like it. be careful about getting food on the media though--that makes fungus.
 
Mine were stalling til I fed them a week ago and *boom* flowers!
 
my P. esseriana, is the smallest of all my pings at a little more than an 1/4 to 1/2", and seems to ba the slowest as well, maybe i need to feed it , i haven't feed any of my pings in months , how do you get the flakes on the tiny little leaves, and get good contact, it would seem it will just sit on the leaves unless you some how push it down into place on the leaf, which will be hard as my leaves are slightly curled .
 
Crush the fish food flakes to a fine size - sprinkle a little in the middle of a sheet of paper, fold it over and roll a bottle or something over the flakes. Sprinkle on the leaves and mist lightly. In my experience the glands on leaves will start secreting digestive juices and the flake bits settle in. Misting lightly makes the job easier.

Many fish foods are made from blood worms or other insects so don't worry about getting some on the media. Joseph Clemens believes the bits of exoskeletion (chitin) encourages the growth of chitinase producing fungi. The chitinase will attack the exoskeltons of nematodes which are suspected as the cause of some Pinguicula ailments.
 
Ah, for me...I was ripping crickets apart to shove various legs and heads into small nep pitchers and I dragged their oozing bodies against the ping leaves before feeding the neps.

:puke2:
 
Thanks guys, it just so happens that I have the means to feed my pings here at home, I'll feed them in the morning.
Nice information on the chitinase fungi, very interesting.
 
I use pulverized, freezed dried bloodworms.
 
  • #10
My present avatar is the side view of a Pinguicula esseriana growing in its own 2-1/4" pot.

Here are some additional photographs illustrating the amazing potential of this fascinating species -->

P_esseriana_large.jpg

P_esseriana_lg_AA1.jpg

The plant in the first photo above is planted in an all-mineral media, and the plants shown in the bottom photo are planted in a mixture of sphagnum peat moss, silica sand, and pumice. For me, careful but generous feeding with things like powdered freeze-dried blood worms, powdered freeze-dried tubifex worms, or dried, powdered, insects - each fed individually or in various combinations. They are each about one year old from leaf propagations. I also keep them wet and strongly illuminated by fluorescent lights, year-'round. When feeding, I recommend very tiny amounts be fed at any one time, until you develop a feeding sense. Too much feed at any one time can result in plant leaf damage. I like to moisten the feed, immediately after feeding, by lightly spraying the leaves with water or a very dillute solution (1/10 usual dose or weaker), of a complete soluble fertilizer formula - enough to moisten the feed, but not wash it off of the leaves. Feeding is most effective if it is combined with sufficient watering and lighting - feeding without sufficient water and lighting can cause harm. Maintaining a balance of environmental factors is very importatnt.

To prompt blooming, I have found that providing cooler nighttime temperatures, even as low as 40°F, is the single most important factor in initiating flowering in most Mexican Pinguicula.

I realize that many of the techniques I use when growing these beautiful little plants is different than more traditional techniques, but I believe it is important to discover that there are variations in growing methods among successful growers. And that we can each learn to be better growers by comparing our own techniques with the techniques of other growers.
 
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  • #11
definetly feed it. mine loves to be really wet. seams to grow really well when i have it soaked and sitting in water.
 
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