Alright, I think I figured out how I want to setup my first terrarium. Since you guys are such a great resource and so helpful, I thought I'd post it all here and make sure I'm not doing anything stupid before I order everything in and put it together. many thanks, from both me and my future CPs, to whoever takes the time to read and respond.
I'm looking at picking up the 3 gallon terrarium that they sell here at PFT. Then purchasing two of their bags of peat and perlite soil mix, hopefully filling the terrarium up about 1/3 of the way (I'm guessing). The dimensions I was quoted was just under 10" tall and just under 11" wide. This should leave me a good 5+ inches of upward growing room for my plants (considering it's not as high as you get away from the middle).
I'll be picking up a common VFT and a Dente VFT from here. I'd also like to get a Drosera Capensis, though I'll have to go else where since they don't seem to sell them here
(I'd appreciate any PMs or emails telling me where would be good to get a good healthy one). I'm hoping the Sundew stays small enough that I don't have to transplant it. From rough calculations using approximate terrarium size, I should be able to space the plants equidistant from one another 2" from the side of the bowl and 4" from each of the other plants.
I'll be keeping them in my room on a sunny windowsill to get about 5 hours sun/day (working up to that slowly after planting). I know they could use a little more, but I don't have anyway else to put them unfortunately. My room maintains a temperature of between 78 and 82 in the winter and gets as high as 85-88 in the summer (lots of computers heating it up
). I'll feed them once every few days by taking the terrarium outside and catching a bug or two inside with saran wrap over the top....dumb luck can decide which plants get those bugs
(it should average out though). Then I'll head back in the watch the fun!
In the late fall I'll move the terrarium to my garage for dormancy and bring it back out in the spring. My garage has very little artificial light (but some on occasion), medium-low humidity (should stay higher inside the terrarium), and goes from around 60 degrees in the fall to 25-40 degrees in the winter (depending on weather) and then back to around 40-50 in the spring. There will likely be little air circulation at this point. In February they come back to my room for recovery.
Anybody see anything I'm doing wrong or have any tips on things I should watch out for? Once again, all your help so far as been appreciated. You've (especially Tamlin) shown a great deal of kindness and patience with me and I'm thankful to have had such an environment to fuel my interest in CPs again. I've learned so much over the past few days from reading posts here and extrapolating on that information through Google searches. Thanks...
I'm looking at picking up the 3 gallon terrarium that they sell here at PFT. Then purchasing two of their bags of peat and perlite soil mix, hopefully filling the terrarium up about 1/3 of the way (I'm guessing). The dimensions I was quoted was just under 10" tall and just under 11" wide. This should leave me a good 5+ inches of upward growing room for my plants (considering it's not as high as you get away from the middle).
I'll be picking up a common VFT and a Dente VFT from here. I'd also like to get a Drosera Capensis, though I'll have to go else where since they don't seem to sell them here
I'll be keeping them in my room on a sunny windowsill to get about 5 hours sun/day (working up to that slowly after planting). I know they could use a little more, but I don't have anyway else to put them unfortunately. My room maintains a temperature of between 78 and 82 in the winter and gets as high as 85-88 in the summer (lots of computers heating it up
In the late fall I'll move the terrarium to my garage for dormancy and bring it back out in the spring. My garage has very little artificial light (but some on occasion), medium-low humidity (should stay higher inside the terrarium), and goes from around 60 degrees in the fall to 25-40 degrees in the winter (depending on weather) and then back to around 40-50 in the spring. There will likely be little air circulation at this point. In February they come back to my room for recovery.
Anybody see anything I'm doing wrong or have any tips on things I should watch out for? Once again, all your help so far as been appreciated. You've (especially Tamlin) shown a great deal of kindness and patience with me and I'm thankful to have had such an environment to fuel my interest in CPs again. I've learned so much over the past few days from reading posts here and extrapolating on that information through Google searches. Thanks...