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Darlingtonia in full sun, 2011 update

petmantis

ermahgerd
I improved the "setup" that I used last year, seen here.

My plants are now growing in a large square net pot, that fits perfectly into one of the sides of the thermos cooler/water reservoir.

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Picked up the net-pot for $3.99 ;)
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Some of this year's pitchers...
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And finally, a flower! Pointing towards the sun.
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The cooler + aquarium pump seems to work well - the temperature of the media is at least around 18*C, but after a fresh change of the ice-packs it goes down to 14*C. So far, so good...
Now to see how they survive in midsummer heat waves... Probably will have to bring them inside a couple weeks.
 
thanks for the update! your darlingtonia looks great. mine still havent opened their new pitchers from this year. hoping you get some seed from that flower, that way you can scatter it around and have a dense carpet of cobras!
 
Your Darlingtonia is looking very good Petmantis and it looks like your setup is performing well for you too.

Here is a shot of mine, with a regular 355 ml can for size reference.

IMG_6480-1.jpg


It has been growing at our kitchen table in a west facing window for over a year now, and it didn't get it's usual dormancy in the garage last winter.

The old growth was all cut back about a month ago, and it looks like there are two growth points from the rhizome as well as two stolon generated growth points, with the one in the back of the photo now in it's second year of growth.

There may even be more stolons circling around the pot, just under the moss, but they will probably not be found until they surface or when it is time to repot.

dvg
 
@CPsam

Thanks! Hehe, I'm not sure if Darlingtonia can be self-fertilized... can they? :0o: Even if they can, I doubt the resulting seedlings would be vigorous...

@dvg

How absolutely marvelous! That's a heckuva pitcher Doug. What temperature range do you keep it in, in your kitchen? And do you top-water it ever so often, or just leave it be?

Very nice - a true specimen. Please keep us updated with how it grows!
 
Thanks Pet! :)

The plant is kept in regular household temps, with icecubes, placed on the media surface, being the choice for watering, especially on the few hot days we actually get in the summer here. ;)

dvg
 
Wow, Pet. I really like your setup. Very neat and the plants seem to be loving it! :)
 
I very much dig the setup, It looks like your pitchers are about the same size as mine, hopefully that means I'll get a flower in the next two years.
 
Petmanits, how often do you have to switch out the ice-packs?
 
@CPsam

Thanks! Hehe, I'm not sure if Darlingtonia can be self-fertilized... can they? :0o: Even if they can, I doubt the resulting seedlings would be vigorous...

@

Darlingtonia is self-compatible. How sensitive it is to in-breeding depression I don't know. The flowers are designed lower the likelihood of self-pollination.
 
  • #10
Petmanits, how often do you have to switch out the ice-packs?

Once a day. On overcast days I don't even bother, as outdoor temperatures are under 21*C (which seems to be the tipping point between life & death of Darlingtonia... as I read in an article... somewhere. :-)) )

Switching the ice-packs brings down the water temperature to about 9*C - and the blue thermos cooler allows for the temperature to rise very slowly, maybe 1 degree per hour depending on how hot it is outdoors.
 
  • #11
Writings by Dr. Leo Song in the Carnivorous Plant Newsletter said he found as long as the root/soil temperatures stayed below 27C (81F) this species would survive. They can survive much higher air temperatures say in the low 40sC (100sF) as long as the roots remain below 27C.
 
  • #12
Writings by Dr. Leo Song in the Carnivorous Plant Newsletter said he found as long as the root/soil temperatures stayed below 27C (81F) this species would survive. They can survive much higher air temperatures say in the low 40sC (100sF) as long as the roots remain below 27C.

I must have mistaken the "7" for a "1". :crazy:
 
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