Questions

[aprilh]

I have some nice sarrs that I'm really happy with. They are gorgeous and fascinating plants. However....

I've noticed that some of them are pitchering(rubras) and then the lids start browning out almost immediately. Is this an indication of a fungal infection? I have an S x areolata in the same pot, and it is fine. Should I apply a fungicide? Is garden sulphur a good enough fungicide...I really, really don't want to use Captan, I want my DNA to stay in a double helix. Thanks for your help. April

 

[Alvin Meister]

Hi April

Where are you keeping your plants? It doesn't sound like a fungal problem. Are the lids turning dry and floppy before they turn brown? This could be a water uptake problem, or sun damage.

 

[aprilh]

Hi Alexis,

I had been keeping them in full sun, on stacks of red bricks perched over an asphalt driveway(9-36" above it), in black pots. Always kept wet,and bottom watered with steam distilled water.  Since it was so hot (90+F for weeks on end) I figured it was too hot for them in that location, plants are plants, and not many can take such harsh conditions.  I moved them to a dappled sun location, on grass, where they still got 6-8 hours of sun a day.  Some of them started pitchering immediately when I moved them.  Like, within a week.  The Rubra pitchers come up fine, open, then the edge of the lids start browning, then eventually the whole lid just crisps a light brown. The lid doesn't flop or anything like that, it just turns brown.  The s x Areolata that is in the same pot is fine, and really a beautiful plant.  Thanks mucho mas!  Aprilh

 

[Outsiders71]

How long have you had these plants? Are these the first pitchers it pitchered with you? If it is then it's because it's not used to the amount of sun it's getting. So it "sunburns" the top. I wouldn't worry about it at all.

 

[aprilh]

I've had them since late March, and they were grown in a south facing lean-to type greenhouse. This is the first time they have pitchered with me. Thanks, Outsiders. I will relax now, LOL!

 

[Outsiders71]

No problem. It is also known for pitchers in the wild to have the browning on the lid, they get sunburned as well. Usually though after the first set of pitchers go up, the new ones will have adapted and won't get burned.

 

[jimscott]

In general, when observing new plants, the existing pitchers, traps, and leaves often die off, somewhat immediately. But I find it best to concentrate on looking for new growth and not worry about what they came with.

 

[aprilh]

I agree with you Jimscott, but this is happening on new growth. In fact, this is the same plant/s I wrote a "floppy pitchers" post about, last Spring. It turns out it was the rubra pitchers were putting up the floppy growth. The new growth is strong, just crispy on the lids. The gist of the answers I've gotten here tell me I can relax about this.

What are the pros and cons of top watering Vs. bottom watering?

 

[jimscott]

There was a topic about that, awhile back. From what I remember, topwatering can leach out mineral salts. But it can also mat down the media. I have read that for some plants, like a Cephalotus, they react to topwatering. Maybe I can dig up that topic later.

 

[jimscott]

1

2

Neither topic were what I was referring to, but they do address the question. there was one with more debat to it and more recent. Check out the second reference that Pyro makes. It is Barry rice's FAQ.

Ah, I think I found it and it was good ole Laura who brought the topic up.



Laura Loo Who!

 

[Nevermore]

i recently too have had the burned "brims" of the lids on my guys. I had them sitting on a cement slab which got sun all day. I was told to move them off the cement since they will overheat from radiant heat. So now I have my collection about a foot off the ground in the lawn. I also will water overhead to cool the media off a bit when it gets blazing hot. Since the move there hasn't been any burning going on at all.