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Growing terrestrial utrics in clear containers?

What are people's experiences when growing terrestrial utrics in clear containers? Does it stun growth or darken bladders because they normally grow underground in the dark? Any other observations?
 
Emesis,
My experiance has ben that the bladders either don't develop or are darkened to the point where they a re nearly invisible against the substrate. Overall plant health didn't seem to be affected in my few attempts...but then again I always experiment on hardy subulata. I think you can cover the glass with construction paper during the growth phase and then remove it right before a flower show or what have you...I think there are more details on that in The Savage Garden. Hope that helps.

Damon
 
I grow all my Utricularia in clear containers to good effect. I find where the plants grow against the sides, leaves develop, giving more photosynthetic energy to the plants. Since I grow them all together in a bin (in individual pots) the light is blocked by the other pots, so I dont need the cardboard screen. Sometimes I get very nice bladders visable. It helps if you can place a mix with numerous air holes at the bottom of the substrate so the plants can exploit that cavernous space. If large enough, such spaces can be filled with a perfect rosette, complete with traps. It seems to happen more often in undrained cultivation, although the leaves are often atypical as a result.
 
I read in Savage Garden that the traps will become visible in transparent containers. But the traps would still be covered by the soil, wouldn't they? Or would they be visible only if they grew against the sides of the transparent container?
 
They are visable against the sides, especially in large pockets in the medium. I have also noticed that plants grown in a wad of LFS vs. a peat or peat/sand mix can more easily be knocked out of their pots, exposing the stolons with bladders attached. The stolons all are clean and the traps approachable with a good lens.
 
Tamlin,
Do you have any pics of the utric rosettes growing under glass? Also, what kind of light are you using (lumens, type etc)? I've been growing mine in a sunny SW corner room, but I think the hazy light I get in San Francisco just won't cut it (six straight days of overcast or foggy weather now).
I'd be grateful for any hints.
Damon
 
Thanks for the replies. I think I'll go w/ the clear containers next time. Maybe. I'll do it w/ 2 containers -- the inner one will be clear and the outer by opaque.
 
I have a photo of U. dichotoma Novae-Zelandiae form.  The problem is the resolution is poor since the digital isn't to keen on shooting throough glass.  I haven't posted the photo to the net, but will send it to you if you email me

As to light, I am using flourescent twin 40 watt grow lights. The Utricularia are not high light plants and do well 8 inches to a foot from the lights, which allows me to grow a lot of them with few lights. I also move the pots around from time to time to take advantage of early morning or late afternoon sun.

I dont know if clear containers make all that much of a difference, I suppose it varies from grower to grower, but experimentation is always in order. Let us know how you make out with your attempts!


tamlindd@yahoo.com
 
Here is a picture of my U. livida as grown in a
Plastic cup (undrained. except for the picture :) )
I kept the picture large so you could scan arround and
look at the details of the plant. from my ovservation,
the traps went away, and leafs formed. i did put
paper arround it unless i wanted to look but i guess
i didn't do it long enough because the traps never
came back. i ended up planting this in a normal
pot... for no apparent reason. it has bloomed for
me in bother conditions.
Later, andrew
livida%20side%20copy.jpg
 
  • #10
Thanks for the pictures. Those are the cup sizes that I'm thinking of using in the future .
 
  • #11
I don't see much point in growing Utrics in cups - the curved plastic distorts the view through, so if you just want to look at the bladders now and again, it's easier to knock the plant out of its pot. For a decent look through, you would be better with flat glass sides. Alternatively, you can see them when they grow out of the drainage holes.

Giles
 
  • #12
Giles_KS:  I have noticed no distortion when I grew my plant like that.  As the plant was right against the cup.  Maybe your thinking of a curved fish tank...  But that distortion comes in from the fish not being right next to the glass.  But yes, now i just knock the plants out of their pots to look at the bladders.  :)
Andrew
 
  • #13
Maybe a setup where the traps can grow out into a water tank, similar to the example in Savage Garden. Tipping plants out of pots isn't much use if you want to observe growth, and isn't very impressive to visitors.

Some species are more tolerant of light on traps - humboldtii and nelumbifolia will produce tons of quite large bladders within easy view from the surface, and, I would assume, sides of a glass/plastic container. A thin plastic cup shouldn't distort the view too much, especially for the small scale of a terrestrial utric.
 
  • #14
Orchid companies sell clear plastic pots. Those might work nicely. Emesis, I like your idea of the clear pot in a dark one. I may try that. I do want to make a setup like savage garden, but that will have to wait for now. The children (and dogs) are to dangerous
tounge.gif
 
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