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My outdoor desert Sarracenia (attempt)

bluemax said:
I like the Scotch Brite pad idea. I grow flytraps in the same way, also in a plastic barrel half. The soil level will probably sink somewhat with time and that can help raise the humidity at the soil surface.
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I use old window screening or the red plastic mesh that vegetables sometimes come in to cover the holes in my pots to help prevent soil from exiting the pot.

I'm amazed the javelina didn't do more damage. I've heard "horror stories " about how destructive the hooved vermin can be.
 
DragonsEye said:
I use old window screening or the red plastic mesh that vegetables sometimes come in to cover the holes in my pots to help prevent soil from exiting the pot.

I'm amazed the javelina didn't do more damage. I've heard "horror stories " about how destructive the hooved vermin can be.
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Yeah, they're bad. When they came through there was just last year's growth on the purp. We will see what happens on their next pass.
 
Can you measure the "soil" temperature in that barrel? I'm curious if the root zone environment is all that different from what it would be in, say, Mississippi or even what it might be in a black pot here in Connecticut. With your low dew points this time of year the evaporative cooling might be pretty substantial. I need to look for my soil thermometer...
 
Fred P said:
...if it wasn't for your damn critters over there
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This is why it's so important to go ahead make some educated guesses and try stuff. I figured Andrew's plants would be chewed to the ground by desert critters by now, if the desert sun didn't leave them as parched husks.
 
herenorthere said:
Can you measure the "soil" temperature in that barrel? I'm curious if the root zone environment is all that different from what it would be in, say, Mississippi or even what it might be in a black pot here in Connecticut. With your low dew points this time of year the evaporative cooling might be pretty substantial. I need to look for my soil thermometer...
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Have not watered since yesterday, it is 11:35am and the sun rose at 5:18am.
"Official" Outside is 80f
Shade wall on back of my house 86f
Surface is 88f
Soil is 75

nearby asphault 145f
natural dirt135f.
Outside of pot is 102-106f
 
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The S. Crimson Queen pitcher that was broken off in a prior post, was put in water where it opened and completely wilted. I increased the water level in the cup and also put water in the pitcher and it came back from wilt. I'm surprised how well it is lasting... I wish it had been further along so it had more color though.
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I wish I could blame my broken pitcher (flava atropurpurea) on a javelina or anything else ... even a bullfrog would do ... but I did it myself when moving pots to repot a few of my plants. Javelinas (and bullfrogs) are no less graceful than me.
 
Or bunnies! :ROFLMAO:
Many broken pitchers can be saved! (obviously not snapped off) but if bent over/broke many can be straightened and wedged against other pitchers/flowers. Or as FredP taught me that even a piece of scotch tape to hold it in place while it heals a bit (like a cast).
I had over fed this one, when I got done feeding the nep greenhouse I saw it had snapped over so I wedged it to a flower. That was like 3 weeks ago.
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adnedarn said:
The S. Crimson Queen pitcher that was broken off in a prior post, was put in water where it opened and completely wilted. I increased the water level in the cup and also put water in the pitcher and it came back from wilt. I'm surprised how well it is lasting... I wish it had been further along so it had more color though.
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I trimmed all the old pitchers off this spring before my sarrs came out of dormancy and one fell into the water basin that they sit in. That pitcher has stayed green with no signs of decay for a couple months now.
 
That's a great tip - a scotch tape cast. Thanks. I've propped broken pitchers against flowers or against other pitchers but never thought to add a little tape. That ought to be much more wind-proof.
 
S. Crimson Queen finally pitchered again, opening just a couple days ago. I noticed yesterday the new pitcher was bent over and stuck into the leuco pitchers. ...new predator unlocked! :oops::ROFLMAO: 🌪
 
Hey Andrew - How is the experiment looking following the recent run of hot days and nights?

I saw that Phoenix set a record for the hottest average temperature for a month in July, with the high + low averaging 102F. If you got them through that you are a magician.
 
The Sarrs do not "look" good LOL but I also don't think they're dying. I'm hoping future years, having settled into the pot and such they'll be able to handle it a bit better. I know Werdna says his Sarrs get crispy lids and he even keeps his quite shaded. I've DEFINITELY let this dry out further than I should have a few times (but was not completely dry), easily taking 2+ gallons of water before it begins to flow out of the top hole. I notice the media around the edge of the pot is much hotter than the middle. 120f vs 95f with 5" long temperature probe. I'm excited to see what fall does for it!
I should post about the VFT/Drosera pot I also have going :)
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Sarrs like to sulk when transplanted anyway and one for sure, but I think two of these came to me this spring... so yeah I really expect a bit better over the next few years but am not mad at all at this status.
 
We are in our monsoon season now, which so far has not provided much rain. But the increased humidiry is definitely there. They've surely made it through the worst at this point.
 
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