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Hello all. My Name is Justin. I'm really glad I found this forum, it seems like it's going to be a huge help in my beginning to keep these plants. Anyway, I need a little help. I've been trying to find the perfect beginner plants to keep. Something that it would be very hard to kill. I live in Missouri where it's very humid and hot in the summer (90+ degrees at times), and in the winter it gets extremely cold (10 degrees isn't uncommon). I would like suggestions for a few plants that I can grow outside, and also a few that I could maybe grow inside of a terrarium. I'm interested in VFTs, Nepenthes and Droseras. Could you possibly reccommend two easy nepenthes, and two droseras? Which Nepenthes do well outside, and which inside under artificial lights? Also, when you order VFT, are they active at this time of the year? I bought a VFT many years ago at a grocery store, which many of us have, and i could never get it active.

I've read up a bit, but I sitll want to hear your professional opinions.

Also, are there any sure fire plans for keeping any of the above plants? I keep looking at care sheets but some of them are very different from the others.

Thanks guys, I know these are all noob questions, and you get them all the time. I really appreciate the responses from you pros :-D
 
hey, Justin
I'm new too, just joined. I live in chicago so I think our climate conditions are similar. I look forward to seeing what the response is. I too have read up alittle and I'm currenting reading Savage Garden
 
The 2 best nepenthes for starters are: Nepenthes Ventricosa, and Nepenthes Sanguineana(SP?). ALso, Ventrata is a great hybrid. Basically, grow it in peat, perlite, Long Fibered Spaghnum, And Orchard Mark Mixed together. I have a nice Ventrata from this mixture. Water overhead whenever the soil dries out. Do not fill the pitchers with water. They would be best inside year round, but when it is about 70-80 in the summer it'll work outside. Secondly, for drosera, some temperate ones that are good are :filiformis and binata, which have really cool leaves. An easy tropical one is Adelae, and another Spatulata. Also, Keep these in a water tray year round, making sure the water never gets too low. During the winter from temperate sundews, reduce water level and you can place it in a sort of dark area but give it temperatures lower than 50 degrees. Also, their soil is eaither Pure LFS(long fibered Spaghnum), or LFS and peat.
Never use fertilizer on these plants, except MaxSea (16-16-16) Fertilizer or Epiphyte's Delight
These should only be applied monthly, but never to D. Adelae and two other tropical sundews. Hope this helps!
 
Hello all. My Name is Justin. I'm really glad I found this forum, it seems like it's going to be a huge help in my beginning to keep these plants. Anyway, I need a little help. I've been trying to find the perfect beginner plants to keep. Something that it would be very hard to kill. I live in Missouri where it's very humid and hot in the summer (90+ degrees at times), and in the winter it gets extremely cold (10 degrees isn't uncommon). I would like suggestions for a few plants that I can grow outside, and also a few that I could maybe grow inside of a terrarium. I'm interested in VFTs, Nepenthes and Droseras. Could you possibly reccommend two easy nepenthes, and two droseras? Which Nepenthes do well outside, and which inside under artificial lights? Also, when you order VFT, are they active at this time of the year? I bought a VFT many years ago at a grocery store, which many of us have, and i could never get it active.

I've read up a bit, but I sitll want to hear your professional opinions.

Also, are there any sure fire plans for keeping any of the above plants? I keep looking at care sheets but some of them are very different from the others.

Thanks guys, I know these are all noob questions, and you get them all the time. I really appreciate the responses from you pros :-D

I would definitely go with D'Amato's The Savage Garden. The author has over thirty years of expertise and that book is already in its eighth printing -- unheard of, for the most part, for books on gardening.

I have never gone wrong following D'Amato's instructions . . .
 
Hiya! Welcome to TF! :wave:

If you want to grow something outside, get a Sarracenia. Beautiful, but yet very hardy. Just put them outside and make sure they're wet. That's pretty much it. I would use a tray, though. As for getting a VFT, yes, VFTs should be getting out of dormancy and being active now. They go dormant at around October or November to February or March. But it really depends on where you live.
 
:welcome:
 
Welcome to TF!
 
  • #10
Hi Justin

Welcome to the forums! :) You've come to the right place. Here, everybody helps everybody from newb to expert.

As mentioned, Nepenthes ventricosa is an easy one. I had one for a number of years in a tank in my office at work.

There are many Drosera that are easy...D. capensis, D. adelae, D. spatulata, D. burmannii.

None of these plants require a terrarium and if you go that route, just make sure you get some air circulation in the tank to prevent mold. I have a number of plants in tanks but they are potted for easier maintenance.

VFTs are coming out of dormancy now but if you buy from a place, such as FlyTrapShop, you will get tissue-cultured plants that do not require dormancy until the next season.

Stick around and you'll be addicted in no time. :D
 
  • #11
Welcome to TF! I remember when I first started CPs.. There are some easy plants and some hard ones. N. sanguinea is a very easy and beautiful nepenthes. It grows fast, and can easily be grown inside under artificial lights. Easy drosera I've had are D. capensis and D. adelae, but there are some others. Venus fly traps should be active and growing by now in most places.
 
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