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Ceph mold issue

  • Thread starter DragonsEye
  • Start date

DragonsEye

carnivorous plants of the world -- unite!
So a couple weeks ago I discovered some white fluffy mold (I assume it was likely a type of "powdery mildew") on two immature/young pitchers. On the larger of the two pitchers it appeared to be confined to the operculum. On the smaller/younger pitcher it was more widespread. I administered a light spritzing of isopropyl alcohol which appears to have knocked the fungus out. The smaller pitcher yellowed and died which didn't surprise me as it had already started to discolor before treatment. The older youngster appears fine except discoloration/damage done to the operculum by the fungus. Whether the pitcher will eventually open remains to be seen. None of the older pitchers or phyllodia were infected or affected.

So hoping avoid a repeat of this issue, if possible, I figured I'd inquire as to what I may be doing wrong with regards to culture. I do not grow it in a terrarium. Currently, it is residing on my bedroom windowsill. Last winter I kept in my plant room. On account of the fact that I try to block off the A/C from that room (the other plants and critters I keep in there can take the heat and some prefer it), I was afraid temps would get too high with too little cooling at night for the Ceph over the summer. Since I can't sleep when temps are in the 80s F to higher, I use the A/C, when necessary, to bring temps in my bedroom down into the low/mid 70s F. Due to quite a mild summer, I have been able to forego use of the A/C most of the time and, instead, have simply left the window open a few inches at night with a fan running in the room. The window of my 3rd floor apt has a SW exposure with some obstruction from a pine tree. I water with RO water or, occasionally, rain water. There have been a couple times over the summer when I have let the media get a little drier than desirable such that the lids on the mature pitchers had closed part way, but normally a have the pot sitting in a couple centimeters of water. The top of the media is about 2.5cm below the rim of the pot. I occasionally fertilize by dropping a betta food pellet in a pitcher.

Any glaring issues with my culture?



 
There arent any real issues with your culture. Cephalotus is simply prone to mold or fungal issues, such as Botrytis. I have kept Physan on hand for several years and have found that to be quite effective; so too the regular use of Trichoderma in the compost, to fight off fungal pathogens . . .
 
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Well, good to know I'm not botching things. :)
 
Know what is weird for me. Growing cephs OUTSIDE of a tank / terrarium, I always get that white powder mold.
Growing them inside the tank, No mold. Strange. Maybe because of more light in the tanks?
I have even tried growing this plant outside in an area that received morning and evening direct light. Bright indirect light the rest of the day....still gets mold.....
I can only grow it in tanks / terrariums.
 
Know what is weird for me. Growing cephs OUTSIDE of a tank / terrarium, I always get that white powder mold.
Growing them inside the tank, No mold. Strange. Maybe because of more light in the tanks?
I have even tried growing this plant outside in an area that received morning and evening direct light. Bright indirect light the rest of the day....still gets mold.....
I can only grow it in tanks / terrariums.

I have the same exact problem. Currently im in a state of Ceph-less because I thought I could do sulphur/physan/cinnamon to keep it at bay and grow them outside. Big fat nope. Once I evict a Heli from my only terra, I'm going to keep a Ceph in there and never ever move it out again.
 
That's odd. Would have expected the problem to be the other way around. Perhaps if I ever have enough cephs to experiment with, I'll try to squeeze one in my larger planted terr.
 
I have the same exact problem. Currently im in a state of Ceph-less because I thought I could do sulphur/physan/cinnamon to keep it at bay and grow them outside. Big fat nope. Once I evict a Heli from my only terra, I'm going to keep a Ceph in there and never ever move it out again.

I have a Ceph with your name on it, when you come North . . .
 
I have a Ceph with your name on it, when you come North . . .

Lol, is it labeled 'malicious plant killer'? :p

Thanks, and I guess I have a Heli with your name on it too! I have a H.minor from butchypoo with 4 flowers on its stalk right now that's getting served eviction notices...
 
I've had this issue too where my big ceph died due to this white powdery stuff. The problem comes from the non sterile nature and spores of the outdoors with the fact that cephs are just prone to this. Your conditions seem fine, but high airflow and sunlight usually helps prevent the outbreak of this white fluff. I grow mine outdoors and whenever i see this white fluff starting to grow i simply take a spray bottle, adjust the nozzle to allow for a strong stream to flow out and just spray the white stuff off my ceph. It works for me and it hasnt come back, i now have 4 new plantlets coming out healthier than before. Hope this helps.
 
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