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Drosera paradoxa

Man oh man did this make me sick this morning. I had to "wastage" 5 D. paradoxa at work because they were infested with aphids and thrips, and their growing points were going funky and moldy. As I scanned the barcodes, I noticed the care instructions for the first time:
myohmy2li.jpg

Surely, someone was genuinely confuzzled when they wrote that. Absolutely preposterous if you ask me... What happened to all the plants that sold? They probably died eventually as well, if they followed these "instructions" and failed to even seek better information from resources such as the CP forums. Ugh...
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Cheers
 
At least they got the "keep moist" right. Aside from the fact that I am totally shocked that you found this species at a garden center, I am just apalled with the scant and dangerous (to the plants, of course) instructions that are on their pots! Outfits like "Little Pot Of Horrors" and "Botanical Wonders" ought to be sued for their misinformation! I hear ya! And they stay in business? I wonder if these places have any idea how horrible their marketing is, when they can't mention a few, brief things like, appropriate water, potential dormancy, or at least suggesting open tray....
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Wow! Even I know more than they do. If I were a customer, I'd seek more information too. Those instructions are pretty vague, not to mention wrong if you ask me.
 
I'm not defending them, but they assume these things are gonna be bought by impulse and small children, that will only be bought once for the novelty anyways. They don't put lengthy and detailed instructions because then no one will want to buy them. Unfortunatly the plants suffer with the novelty impulse buyers. But a few kids might go online and find more information, then they learn and join the cp community.

My 2 cents
Chris
 
the faster one dies the faster they can sell you a new one
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] ]the faster one dies the faster they can sell you a new one

Very profound! Perhaps you should write a book on the economics of the carnivorous plant industry/culture!
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[b said:
Quote[/b] (JustLikeAPill @ Nov. 29 2005,6:32)]the faster one dies the faster they can sell you a new one
Unfortunately, many get discouraged by the failure and think it is too hard for them to cultivate. That's how I felt, way back when.
 
they might as well add hardy to zones 3-5

Where on earth did you find it?
thats not a normal find even for a walmart
 
I agree with trainspotting. Carnivorous plants sell because of the novelty behind them.

Brian
 
  • #10
[b said:
Quote[/b] ]Unfortunately, many get discouraged by the failure and think it is too hard for them to cultivate.

Agreed, especially when the plant dies despite having followed the incorrect "instructions."  Obviously, there are consumers who buy the plant purely for novelty but there are others who want to give the plant "a try." Plant retailers should do their best to provide a very simple and ACCURATE instructions for the latter group. Obviously, the wide spectrum of growing conditions makes absolute statements impossible, but I think we can all agree that a general statement is usually better than none!  If the person is really interested, s/he can learn more from books/online, but they should at least be given simple, accurate instructions with the plant.    

The worst instructions, in my opinion, are those for VFTs--the need for dormancy is not even mentioned despite the fact that it is as essential as proper watering/lighting for the survival of the plant.  A simple statement such as "dormancy required" would suffice.

This topic really strikes a raw nerve--there's nothing more annoying than being provided wrong information, especially from the entity that's selling the product, be it a person or corporation!          
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Now I've got to go take my blood pressure meds!
 
  • #11
I'm not sure what is more off-the-wall: finding a true D. paradoxa at a garden center or viewing the growing instructions. A bold new step in reckless profiteering!
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-Homer
 
  • #12
Yeah, I'd just like to know where the heck you found a D. paradoxa...I'd buy them all if I ever found them at a garden center!
 
  • #13
[b said:
Quote[/b] (7santiago @ Nov. 29 2005,11:17)]Where on earth did you find it?
thats not a normal find even for a walmart
Walmart is only barely starting to infiltrate this town. I work at a family-owned garden centre, probably the best-kept one in the environs. Oh, by the way, I live in the UK, so the Dutch suppliers do all the work for the British mass market as far as CP go. They arrive healthy, but the houseplant staff (excluding myself), despite being the wonderful people they are (excluding myself
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), have practically nil knowledge on these wonderful plants.

Our next shipment of CP will be under my care and control, no matter what the superiors say - any garden centre can keep ghastly Kalanchoe and Poinsettias (yes, I find them ugly), why not complete the list with CP as well?

Cheers
 
  • #14
[b said:
Quote[/b] ] Oh, by the way, I live in the UK, so the Dutch suppliers do all the work for the British mass market as far as CP go.

That explains it. Western Europe is oftentimes ahead of us when it comes to wholesale marketing of exotic plants, including CPs, and the Dutch in particular are crazy about plants! It makes me want to retire there!

I believe I read an article a few years back stating that citizens of Western European countries spend 3-5 times more of their budget on plants than those in the US....and Walmart is keenly aware of this fact.
 
  • #17
i just got a paradoxa myself, so what are the best conditions for it (light, temparature, dormancy, water)? i am in zone 10. currently i placed it in around 5 hr sunlight sitting on a plate of water.

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  • #18
Plenty (and I mean PLENTY) of bright light, warmth, and moisture. Other than that D. paradoxa is as easy as can be (in my experience).
Cheers, and good luck
 
  • #19
Yeah, I'm even growing it in cool, highland conditions and have been for over a year. However, the tray it's in sits directly over a light fixture for the shelf below, so it's warmed up by that. It seems the water/soil temp is more important than the air temperature.

Capslock
 
  • #20
[b said:
Quote[/b] (shokuchuu @ Dec. 05 2005,8:08)]Plenty (and I mean PLENTY) of bright light, warmth, and moisture.  Other than that D. paradoxa is as easy as can be (in my experience).
Cheers, and good luck
In what was described, is exactly what produced this cluster of D. paradoxa.

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