Hi,
Just decided to write something on the topic due to my own experience so that some of you may re-consider growing some of the temperate species.
First, what is your definition of growing? If it means having them stay alive for a couple of months or slightly longer than a bunch of cut flowers, then quickly go and buy the VFTs with one and a half inch traps at FEF. Enjoy them, and then plonk them in the bin.
But if you seriously want to cultivate them, meaning growing them from year to year, taking cuttings, sowing seeds, repotting...then I suggest you keep an air-conditioned room just for your plants. With very bright lights.
Even so, that's not enough.
So what's wrong with our climate here? Nothing wrong actually, most people would welcome the humidity and the sun all year round. But for the temperate plants, it means being able to survive potential ROOT ROT, mealy bugs, scale insects and FUNGUS...all year round too. Remember how leather shoes/handbags grow mouldy in weeks? Sometimes I really wonder how much spores are floating around in the air...
Sarracenia is my favourite temperate CP. That being only after I got tired of chasing dutch cockroaches to feed my first VFT. I had assorted VFTs...sawtooth, fang etc. And had sarras and VFTs that flowered. I also had a cobra lily! And even bought a mini fridge for their dormancy.
Dormancy...first the leaves get smaller and smaller...then I checked the internet and books to make sure they are going into dormancy and keep them in the fridge. My success in getting plants through their dormancy is by keeping the plants in their pots. It dries the leaves a little but it's better. Ahh...then it's the coming out of dormancy period. You'll succeed if you can keep the medium moist yet fungus free. How? Spray fungicide before the pot is placed in the fridge? Spray again after 3 months? I dunno. I've only succeeded once on a VFT. And it doubled in size after that.
OK. I don't give up. So I learnt to take cuttings. That would secure at least a new generation of plants right? Right! But always a generation of small, young plants. Soon enough, it's dormancy AGAIN!!!
What happened after all that?
Now, I'm resigned to keeping neps. And a ping. And maybe more resistant sundews. 'Cos capensis doesn't like our climate much and intermedia loses its dew once too often. I suspect fungus again but do I want to be spraying Captan at my delicate droseras? Or contaminating my terrarium and my study room?
Maybe when I get a house, I will try again. Build an air-conditioned greenhouse in the garden. Umm. Sounds great. Until then, it's study-room-windowsill-&-terrarium growing.
Just decided to write something on the topic due to my own experience so that some of you may re-consider growing some of the temperate species.
First, what is your definition of growing? If it means having them stay alive for a couple of months or slightly longer than a bunch of cut flowers, then quickly go and buy the VFTs with one and a half inch traps at FEF. Enjoy them, and then plonk them in the bin.
But if you seriously want to cultivate them, meaning growing them from year to year, taking cuttings, sowing seeds, repotting...then I suggest you keep an air-conditioned room just for your plants. With very bright lights.
Even so, that's not enough.
So what's wrong with our climate here? Nothing wrong actually, most people would welcome the humidity and the sun all year round. But for the temperate plants, it means being able to survive potential ROOT ROT, mealy bugs, scale insects and FUNGUS...all year round too. Remember how leather shoes/handbags grow mouldy in weeks? Sometimes I really wonder how much spores are floating around in the air...
Sarracenia is my favourite temperate CP. That being only after I got tired of chasing dutch cockroaches to feed my first VFT. I had assorted VFTs...sawtooth, fang etc. And had sarras and VFTs that flowered. I also had a cobra lily! And even bought a mini fridge for their dormancy.
Dormancy...first the leaves get smaller and smaller...then I checked the internet and books to make sure they are going into dormancy and keep them in the fridge. My success in getting plants through their dormancy is by keeping the plants in their pots. It dries the leaves a little but it's better. Ahh...then it's the coming out of dormancy period. You'll succeed if you can keep the medium moist yet fungus free. How? Spray fungicide before the pot is placed in the fridge? Spray again after 3 months? I dunno. I've only succeeded once on a VFT. And it doubled in size after that.
OK. I don't give up. So I learnt to take cuttings. That would secure at least a new generation of plants right? Right! But always a generation of small, young plants. Soon enough, it's dormancy AGAIN!!!
What happened after all that?
Now, I'm resigned to keeping neps. And a ping. And maybe more resistant sundews. 'Cos capensis doesn't like our climate much and intermedia loses its dew once too often. I suspect fungus again but do I want to be spraying Captan at my delicate droseras? Or contaminating my terrarium and my study room?
Maybe when I get a house, I will try again. Build an air-conditioned greenhouse in the garden. Umm. Sounds great. Until then, it's study-room-windowsill-&-terrarium growing.
