Ceph start-up

[ilbasso]

I ordered a little ceph today and have noticed that there seems to be much confusion about how to care for them. I know that there are many threads related to them but I was wondering if there was any advance suggestions from anyone to help welcome the little guy.

I'm in NE Ohio and have a few possible plant locations. Which is best for the Ceph?

-In a tank under shop lights
-just outside of a tank but still under shop lights
-in a drafty room
-in a not-so-drafty room
-in a closet with the bulk of my plants under shop lights (the humidity level in the closet is higher than just in the room. It is around 65 or 70% as opposted to 50 or 60% elsewhere)

any warnings of potential problems to look for?

Thanks in advance!

-Brian

 

[Av8tor1]

Cephology 101

The only thing I would add would be the use of Bacillus subtilis in conjuction with the Trichoderma (cold loving trich)

I have also noticed that if the plant is suffering from sudden death syndrome/root rot it seems the leaves get a strange grainy look to them but remain green, they will then die soon afterwords unless immediate and drastic action is taken (dug up, cut away infected areas, soak in trichoderma and bacillus, replant and hope for the best)

I have personally saved a few and lost a few from this and botrytis...

IMHO big volume deep pots and airy mixtures are your first line of defence, then the Trichoderma and Bacillus

Opinions and results vary greatly from person to person, but this is what works for me

HTH's
Av

 

[CP30]

WOW!! Awesome site Av8tor1. I have needed that site for a long time.

Ilbasso, I have had luck with cephs inside in a N window in terrariums to maintain humidity, I also have some in a very bright grow rack with humidity fluctuating from 30% - 80%. I am using 50:50 peat/sand, live sphag, and some more airy mixes with perlite and orchid bark included. All have been successful. They seem to be slow growing plants, but pretty tolerant of conditions, but they do not respond well to drastic changes in conditions. I hope you love the little guys like I have!

Steve

 

[quogue]

I found the best way to get rid of botrytis is burning it off with direct sunlight.
Also I wouldn't use sphag in the mix, it holds too much water and gets mushy after awhile..

To answer yer question, I would grow it under lights in a tank in a cool room and not let them get too wet. I wouldn't worry about the humidity, I grow mine in a lower humidity environment, makes for leathery pitchers and you won't hafta worry about fungus'.
I've grown them outside in sunlight in SF and in a tank with a screen top outdoors on LI as well.
Don't overwater or mist either. Misting is ok if it's not in a tank. Don't overheat for extended periods of time (like 90F+ for an entire summer)
Hope this helps!

 

[Av8tor1]

Steve,

If you dont already, try foliar feeding with cotton swabs, you wont believe the difference in growth rates... but be patient, usually takes a couple weeks once you start to see the changes

Av

my personal fav:
30% milled sphagnum peat
25% Coir
10% sharp sand
25% perlite
5% wood charcoal
5% chopped live sphagnum moss
and a touch of granular trichoderma

 

[Cindy]

Av8tor1, what fertiliser is suitable for Cephs?

 

[Av8tor1]

To be honest I had been using "miracle-gro" brand tomato fertilizer for years on almost everything.... but now that I have a couple orchids Ive gone to a commonly available "orchid" fertilizer...

My cephs do love the attention, I get better results with the cotton swab method then I do with feeding the pitchers... go figure

start weak, and if you dont see any results after a couple weeks.... bump it up a touch, but I had rather use more applications of a weak mixture then as a single application of too strong of a mixture

I do all the leaves and pitchers.... but till you are confident in your methods only do a few... better safe then sorry IMHO


HTH's
Av