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Heliamphora outdoors?

curtisconners

Greetings from the netherworld.
Good evening, terraforums.

I wouldn't mind getting into heliamphora and I wanted to know if any species could be kept outside part of the year in my conditions. During the hottest part of the year it gets about 90-95 degrees Fahrenheit and drops to about 80-75 at night. Are there any heliamphora that can tolerate these conditions? If not, what do I need to give them their proper conditions? Thanks.
 
Reportedly any combination of minor, heterodoxa and ionasii should work, also Heliamphora "Tequila". I can confirm Tequila and minor x heterodoxa are quite heat tolerant. The biggest problem I find is a real preference for humidity.
 
Average humidity during that time of year here is about 80%, so that's not a problem. I can make a terrarium for winter to keep them humid. How tall are these hybrids?
 
I don't think that any Heliamphora would be able to survive those day temps if it doesnt drop below 70 at night.
 
Hmm... perhaps I should wait for some more opinions on the matter. :scratch:
Av8tor1, where are you?
 
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I think Zu has successfully grown H. minor on her magic patio in uber high temps and desert low RH
But I know others who have tried repeatedly only to fail,

Can one survive.... yeah, would the failure rate be higher... yeah,
I can tell a difference in mine at 80f
 
I might be able to set up a small terrarium in my basement. It doesn't get above 80 degrees there, so I could keep it cooler with relative ease. In your experience, how heat tolerant are the hybrids mentioned above? If you grow them of course.
 
I would choose tequila, it can be beautiful and is very hardy
 
I'll start with that then. Could I fertilize it by giving it an osmocote pellet in the pitcher or would that be too much. I don't mind keeping some crickets around.
 
  • #10
I tried Osmocote with my Heliamphora and found it burned the pitchers. Since then I've just been adding Maxsea to the pitchers without any issues and they seem to be responding to it very well. Just make sure you don't overfill since the drain slit is lower on the pitcher than it looks.
 
  • #11
Basement growing works very well for Heliamphora. Make sure invest in a good light fixture first.
 
  • #12
What is the optimal spectrum?
 
  • #13
I just use a 4 ft 4 bulb T8 fixture, two 3500k bulbs and two 6500k. The fixture was around 45 bucks at home depot. I keep my Heli just a few inches under the fixture, and it gets plenty red. It could probably still grow well a bit lower under the lights, especially if I set up some reflective surfaces around the sides.
 
  • #14
Thanks. Do the pitchers need to be filled with water or do they fill themselves with digestive enzymes like nepenthes?
 
  • #15
there is some argument about enzyme production, but no matter really.

Keep liquid in the pitcher and drop in a few cichlid pellets monthly, she will be on cruise control after that.
Helis can grow like weeds if you meet their basic needs.
 
  • #16
Spectra I've used for Heliamphora for at least five years now
heli.JPG

Giesemann Aquaflora 54w T5
 
  • #17
Thanks for the graph, but to be honest I don't really get what it means as I will grow outside or use a windowsill whenever possible. Could someone please explain what that means or how to interpret the chart? Thanks.
 
  • #18
What is the optimal spectrum?

its the spectrum I use
Not saying what I use is any better than anyone else's, but it does seem to grow Heliamphora well for me.

I think what you really was wanting to ask is what kelvin rating is best...

The bulbs I use don't really have a kelvin rating, but of those that do... I like 5000k
If you're using the sun then it doesn't matter
 
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  • #19
If you ask 10 different growers about the best light spectrum, you'll likely get 10 different answers. If I had to guess I'd say that graph represents a color temperature in the 4000-5000k range. Really anything between 3000k and 6500k or so should be fine. Right now I have some 5400k T5 bulbs and a 4000k LED and they both work fine, though I find the more balanced color of the LED more pleasing visually as the 5400k fluorescent bulbs are noticably blue-tinted.
 
  • #20
The chart shows the wavelengths that my bulbs are emitting energy in, and at what relative amplitude.
Sunlight is made up of all the colors in the rainbow.

Some of these colors are used by plants for photosynthesis, some can inhibit botrytis growth and some induce sporation of beneficial biologicals like Trichoderma. If there is energy available, somehow nature has probably found a use for it. She's pretty good about that :)

Different plants have different requirements (much peer reviewed research on this) so what one grower finds works best on his heliamphora may not be the best for another grower's Nepenthes. Likewise, missing a wavelength may cause repeated issues with botrytis or other mold issues yet the plant grows well otherwise.

Kelvin ratings refer to the light emitted by a black box if heated to that temperature, CRI is color rendering index... in other words how accurately colors appear compared to natural sunlight.
You can have two different 6500k bulbs that render color totally different. Much like that shirt that looked black in the store looks blue outside. etc.

Then you have PAR and PUR which is specific to the active regions for photosynthesis, but again.... this is not one size fits all.
So, yes.... ask ten different people and get ten different answers, each may be correct for the grower answering the question.

Very few things exist where one size fits all

:)
 
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