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Growing Carnivorous Plants, by Barry Rice

  • #41
just got my copy(along with Taylor's Utricularia monograph)

after a quick glance through
for general referance: great companion book to the Savage garden. dont think one is better than the other so far but im glad i have both.

what i like: photographs are EXCELLENT. also if your interested in Genilsia, Barry's beats Peters book hands down. really like the way the Utrics are broke out into the sections(per Taylor) the Heli section has species Peter didnt(they werent around when Peter wrote his i believe)

general comments: less on Nepenthes and Sarrs than Peter's book but i like the way Barry lists all the Neps and arranges them based on location which makes an easy quick referance. he seperates the Drosera the same way. all in all i would be hard pressed to recommend one over the other. definatly reccomend getting both.

BTW i only had to wait a week for my copy, whats taking you guys?
 
  • #42
Thank you for that breakdown. How about information on VFT's. peter's book had only 4 pages.
 
  • #43
the VFT chapter has 10 pages worth of text and photos. page and a half of cultivation guidelines, a page worth of info on cultivars and the rest is various info on them. i have a heck of a time growing VFT's so im not terribly worried about their care. ive killed more of them than any other genus. if im after info on a particular species i dont buy a book, especially something such as VFT's where the forum here is MUCH more helpful than any book. i buy books as overal guidelines for many species or because its on something im interested in.

a good example as to why i dont rely heavily on books is Barry says that Mexi-Pings need an airy mix and cool dry winters. i grow mine in pure peat at the same temps year round and soaked year round. its not that Barry is wrong, its just that under my care the pings dont seem to need those. that does not mean how i grow them will work for everyone else either
 
  • #44
I'm 3/4 done reading Barry's Book. I'm liking Savage Garden better. I don't like how this book is organized, SG's organization is how I would have done it, if I were writing a book. There are a ton of gorgeous pictures in this book, but I'd rather have more info and less pictures. I also wish there was more info on Roridula.
 
  • #45
i view both as add ons to talking with ppl. they are great reading. i love having them around so i can photo copy info to send to brand new growers to help them get started. but books are a distant second to picking other growers brains on specific species via here, email or in person(which i very rarely get to do).
 
  • #46
well...I know what u mean about the great amount of info from the experts here. That is one of the reasons I returned the book so that I can use the money for something else. And I am actually making a purchase now. Soon to come is another 3 yr old VFT, some moss and a drosera rotundofolia from hawaiian botanicals. The reasons I am getting the plants is becos they need a 25$ min order and I just want the 3 liter 8$ moss. I thought...what the heck...maybe get the flashy drosera and another VFT ;)
 
  • #47
Hey Folks,

Glad there is discussion of the book here. It's interesting to read the comments!!!

So, first off, if you're having trouble getting copies of the book, I've got information on how you can get a personally signed (i.e. to you) copy of the book at my web site. I can't offer the huge Amazon.com discounts, though. I'll always be happy to sign copies you get from whatever source.

See http://www.sarracenia.com/cp.html

As for cultivation stuff, as exemplified by rattler_mt's comment about Mexican Pings, I think it is CRUCIAL for everyone to find out what works for them in their conditions. For example, at the collection I help maintain at UC Davis, whenever a Nepenthes is donated to us, I always want to repot it. The soil mix that is fabulous for Peter D'Amato or other expert growers in their conditions are often toxic for us in ours. Mexican pings do well for us in an airy mix with a winter dormancy. Yet I was SHOCKED to see Joseph Clemens' extraordinary collection being grown very wet year-round!

I try to get at this philosophical point in my cultivation chapters, where I try to assert that an adventurous spirit and desire to experiment is VASTLY more important than any "master" schmuck's advice. I was shocked when I rediscovered that leaf pullings work for decumbent Sarracenia, after years of buying into the conventional wisdom that they wouldn't.

Don't listen to me or ANYONE blindly regarding plant advice. Gravitate to what works for you, and thumb your finger at the so-called authorities!
 
  • #48
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Barry-Rice @ Oct. 17 2006,11:31)]Don't listen to me or ANYONE blindly regarding plant advice. Gravitate to what works for you, and thumb your finger at the so-called authorities!
I have to say that this is why I love my conversations with Barry. Of all the CP gurus he will happily tell you everything he knows and then follow it up with the advice that you are better off forgetting it and doing whatever works for you.

It sure beats getting the talked-down-to type lectures and the DO AS I SAY AND ONLY AS I SAY OR SUFFER MY WRATH attitude that some others have
 
  • #49
after thumbing through Peter Taylors Utricularia last night i am VERY happy i ordered Barry's book at the same time. while Taylors work is more comprehensive it mostdefinatly wont work well as a quick referance.

[b said:
Quote[/b] ]Don't listen to me or ANYONE blindly regarding plant advice. Gravitate to what works for you, and thumb your finger at the so-called authorities!

smile_n_32.gif
good call. while its a bit early to tell on top of year round wet Ping growing my D. falconeri seems to think it wants to grow with my highland Neps instead of in the warm humid tank with its kin........plants are wierd..............
 
  • #50
I agree with Barry. don't believe everything "The Experts" tell you. If nothing new is tried , nothing new is discovered.
Jest my 2 cents.
Lois
 
  • #51
Nice to know barry. hey! I will definately get your book. but probably when I have enough cash lying around to spend.
smile.gif
But first...I guess if my Vft's survive then I can get a reason to go ahead and increase my collection. So far they are surviving and I got to thank the advice from the great CPer's here and also especially for you. Thank you soo much for that amazing VFT detail faq. Also thank you for keeping me interested with all those puns and jokes..it was an amazing read. Suddenly when I least expect it..I get a smile in my face or laugh out.
biggrin.gif


In order to support CP growing and more books on CP's .. I will definately get your book.
biggrin.gif
But the only problem so far is that locally in chapters it is 44$ + 15% tax...so around 50$ +. However, amazon.ca is 44$ incl shipping. I guess once I get that money I will get it.
biggrin.gif
 
  • #52
[b said:
Quote[/b] (flytraplady5 @ Oct. 17 2006,7:59)]I agree with Barry. don't believe everything "The Experts" tell you. If nothing new is tried , nothing new is discovered.
Jest my 2 cents.
Lois
I also agree. As I spend more time growing CPs I'm realizing that my success with certain plants in my conditions is all a result of my own trial and error. Obviously I get a lot of great info from books like Barry's and from brilliant people here on the forums, but a good portion of my growing knowledge comes from me messing up and trying again...and again...and again...and...you get the point!
 
  • #53
[b said:
Quote[/b] (vraev @ Sep. 26 2006,9:18)]BTW...coming back on topic.....which one would u guys rate necessary...barry rice's book or savage garden??
From what I've heard, D' Amato's book is better for tips on growing these plants at home and Rice's book is more about lists of these plants and great pictures.
For your purposes I'd say the Savage Garden would be a better first purchase.

Barry has great advice, the books are best used as guidlines for you to find what works best for yourself.
I'll be adding Rice's book to my collection probly in December, spent a buncha loot goin to the NECPS show and getting a heating oil shipment...

Oh an Rattler, sounds like your flytraps are getting waterlogged, either too much water or not the right soil recipe(all peat?).. or even bad water (not distilled, R/O or rainwater)
 
  • #54
they arent waterlogged, forget what the soil is off the top of my head but unless its a terrestrial Utric i dont use pure peat, i use RO water for everything cause i get it free............... i think i just cant grow them cause they dont like me, no real loss as i prefer not to grow plants with a true dormancy or at the very least i like the ones like some of the drosera which deal with it on their own(ive had D. filliformis go dormant while sitting right next to a happily growing D. capensis, and bring itself right back out of it)
 
  • #55
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Pyro @ Oct. 17 2006,10:43)]I have to say that this is why I love my conversations with Barry. Of all the CP gurus he will happily tell you everything he knows and then follow it up with the advice that you are better off forgetting it and doing whatever works for you.
My favorite kind of people are the ones that have so much knowledge and experience and love sharing it followed by them saying that none of it truly matters.

xvart.
 
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