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Growing vft in tropical

Hi, I live in Singapore, tropical region, and have tried twice several years back to keep a vft but failed both times. Am planning on a third time (please dont scold me for murder, it really is very hard to care for them here where I live). So i would like to make sure that all goes well. I have read through the "my vft care sheet" already and have gone true Peter D'amato's book several times to confirm several things
Temperature:
I know now that VFT cannot take outdoor temps here so will be keeping it indoors this time. The temp here is 30Cday (86F) and 26C to 28C (80F-83F) nights. Temperatures are like this all year round, not complicating things with dormancy yet, is it possible to grow a vft in these conditions? I know the day temps are suitable but nighttimes?
Humidity:
1 of my VFTs died of root rot previously...I thought VFTs love waterlogged soil! So began to wonder, is 80-90% humidity the killer?
Soil:
because of the high humidity, should I have more drainage material (perlite) in my soil to prevent root rot? and should I have a higher or lower water table to make up for this?
water:
just 1 Q, is watering with cold (4C) water at night advisable (to cool the plant probably?)
Lastly, Lighting:
direct sunlight is a NO asthis would burn the VFT, is it ok to have a prolonged (12-14hour) photoperiod since artificial lights arent as strong?
Thankyou in advance for any replies, I have always loved VFT but my climate doesnt seem to permit it...I really hope I can oneday be able to grow this wonderful plant here!
Thanks!
 
Hi Lam_wn, and welcome to our forums! Just so you know, there are atleast 2 others here from Singapore: jason Wong & Cindy, our Moderator.

I think a picture is worth a thousand words, so here is a pic of what is known as "open tray", where the plant / pot is placed inside another container that is kept partially filled and varying in level. This provides all the humidity the plant needs. High humidity for most CP's is over-rated. What water are you using? People generally use distilled from the grocery store or rainwater or RO water or deionized water. For soil media, there is a wide variety out there and equally varied opinions. I like to mix sand and peat (pool filter sand and Canadian peat) and top it off with LFS (long fibered sphagnum, which can be purchased at greenhouses and nurseries).

VFT's come from America's Southeast, whose summers are charcateristically hot and humid. Temps are regularly 88-95 during the summer. yes, dormancy will be an issue for you at some point.

Jamie's%20Plants.jpg


Vary water level from 1/2-1". I've never thought sunlight as being too much for a VFT. They relish direct sunlight, but maybe they need to be acclimated to the outdoors, over time.

Any other questions or were any not adequately addressed?
 
Hi Lam_wn, im a malaysian living in Singapore.
What I find most unsuitable here in singapore is the VFT dormancy. Sometimes several of my VFTs just die away and i dont know if its death or dormancy. Other than that, my VFTs grow nicely. My pink venuses go pink, and other varieties don't.

Anyway, i grow my VFTs under fluorescent, the normal types. I go about 4 bulbs per foot or foot and a halve of shelve. Temperature and humidity is both fine in singapore, so i wouldnt mess with it. Watering, i do the tray method, letting i dry out for about half a day before refilling.

I dunno about sunlight though, i live in an apartment and i dont got any sunlight.

What nepenthes do u have? any cuttings to spare for trade? im really looking to expand my nep collection. And where did u get your cps?

peace,
Justin
 
I live in South Florida which is similar to your climate and find that my VFT's love it here.  Growing them outdoors allows them to catch plenty of insects. I use the tray method and shade them with one layer of plastic window screen during the part of the year the sun is most intense.  I give them 3 months in the top shelf of the fridge.
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (wezx @ May 24 2005,4:11)]Hi Lam_wn, im a malaysian living in Singapore.
What I find most unsuitable here in singapore is the VFT dormancy. Sometimes several of my VFTs just die away and i dont know if its death or dormancy. Other than that, my VFTs grow nicely. My pink venuses go pink, and other varieties don't.

Anyway, i grow my VFTs under fluorescent, the normal types. I go about 4 bulbs per foot or foot and a halve of shelve. Temperature and humidity is both fine in singapore, so i wouldnt mess with it. Watering, i do the tray method, letting i dry out for about half a day before refilling.

I dunno about sunlight though, i live in an apartment and i dont got any sunlight.

What nepenthes do u have? any cuttings to spare for trade? im really looking to expand my nep collection. And where did u get your cps?

peace,
Justin
Hi, great to have another forummer situated in Singapore!
I got my VFT from fareast flora, using PL tube for it now, something like what you described...but it is a green dragon variety but its traps dont turn red on the inside!? Is there something wrong, or just not enough light...still?!?!
I get my neps from various nurseries, sometimes just lucky to come accross something new, or from internet (malesiana) now thinking of buying from Borneo Exotics but their min. order is US$300, thinking of sharing order with some other Sporeans...
Thanks anyway all for the info!
 
Hi,
lately, the traps sent up were green with only very weak pink and they were smaller than the previous. However, the new leaves formed were much larger and longer unlike the older ones which were short with large traps on the end...I am quite sure it is not getting enough light although just 15cm below PL lights blasting 14 hours a day. Should I bring it out to take in natural light under shade cloth instead, but for about 10 - 12 hours daily.?
Ans another problem was that the new traps formed were not only small but slightly "deformed" as in they arent well shaped.
Whats the prob now?
Substrate is 1 part each perlite, peat, and sphagnum.
Watering is by tray method with rainwater.
 
your description of the new traps sounds good (to me)
Short leaves with large traps and some pink sounds healthy to me. PL light should be good, im only using normal florescent light, so your setup should be fine

pece,
wong
 
Ok firstly, since it came from Far East Flora, you gotta be careful. They treat their VFTs like the dirt they are growing in and then ditch them after a while. Wish I had enough money to save all those VFTs or better yet, set up a company which will put FEF out ofthe idea of selling VFTs.

The VFT could be suffering from:
1) Change in environment - you might want to increase the light intensity gradually, because from what I have seen in FEF they don't have any light whatsoever.

2) Did the VFT have a dormancy - If the ones in FEF were ordered through dormancy and if they survive without a dormancy then they will be nearly dead by the end. Need to check with some of the more eperienced growers on that one and what to do. I suppose you should give it a dormancy if it needs one?
confused.gif


3) Any pests like those buggering mites? Check with a magnifying glass, mites are tiny red spiderlike things crawling slowly along the leaf. Leaves will be deformed, but you probably don;t have them. Just a bit of info.
smile.gif


Your setup sounds fine to me.

Jason
 
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