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Hummers Giant enjoying the sun.

JMatt

Stovepipe (The Beast) RIP My friend.
Here are a couple shots of one of my potted Hummers Giants.
The first shot was taken on 4-20-08, the second was today.
I figured I would go with color rather than size for this one.
Didn't take too long to color up.
The last picture is one of my Hummers Gaints in a bucket.
It makes a great planter, plenty of soil depth and easy to move.
JMatt

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The second is a stunner.
 
Woah! Talk about color. That's a beauty.

xvart.
 
Nice color, and I love the bucket idea!
 
I asked you before but I forgot...what are the straws for?

Secondly, how long do the Cephs stay in those pots before you need to repot them? Do you ever worry about the media breaking down? Finally, what are the outdoor conditions for you now? Thanks!
 
The straws are just a way of telling different clones apart.
Actually the red and blue straws are both Hummers Giants, just the ones I mark with red are from a plant that gave me the biggest pitchers I ever grew. Even though it is a Hummers Giant like all the rest it is a special plant that I like to keep track of.
You might have seen these pictures before, but this is the plant that I am talking about.
The one I mark with a red straw. Funny thing is, after it produced these huge pitchers it got crown rot. I unpotted it to try and save what I could but everything kept dieing. It got down to just one leaf and one pitcher that I rooted and they survived. It took a few years, but I have brought it back. It has to be real happy to produce really big pitchers like that, and I really haven't been able to get it to produce pitchers of that size since. The thing is, I know it can because it did.

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I really don't worry about the soil getting old, but I figure these plants are good for a couple years anyway. I have plants in a tank that are huge and they have been in there for 5+ years. Thats an undrained situation too. Only if I remove a plant from the tank does the hole get replaced with new soil. I do once in a while water with a peat tea and use beneficial fungus.

It is still kind of cold outside here at night and I do bring them in if I think it is going to go down in the 30's. Lately it has been in the 40's to 50 degrees at night. 60's maybe 70 for day temps. A little cool, but they like it.

Going back to straws, I also use a green straw for a large clumping form I got from the CP Jungle a long time ago. A white straw for plants I started from seed myself.
JMatt
 
  • #10
I'm convinced that Trichoderma is a miracle for these plants. You don't seem to have any problems, I never did, and I don't believe Butch does, either. Everyone says they're so difficult and temperamental, but the one I sent you back recently grew SO fast over the course of the one year when you sold it to me and was virtually care-free. Take care of that "Potato sack"!

I'll take growing a Cephalotus over a Dionaea any day. Way easier!
 
  • #11
JustLikeAPill,

I have a few of those bucket o cephs. They are paint buckets from the Home Depot. There are drain holes in the bucket but not on the bottom. There are 4, 1/4 inch holes about two inches up the side going around. If it rains a lot the water drains out but always stays moist. If it doesn't rain for a few days there is a little reserve there. I think they are two or three gallon buckets so there is plenty of room for the plant.
Not the best looking pot around, but I like it. Just grab the handle and off you go.
JMatt
 
  • #12
JustLikeAPill,

Your plant is doing just fine. Has a whole new round of pitchers growing.
JMatt
 
  • #13
Jmatt, outstanding cephs as usual mate.. very impressive showing :)

how is the new light doing for ya?... bet the helis are loving it... but I found them to be a bit much for the cephs

trich and cephs/cp's are like peanut butter and jelly

Butch
 
  • #14
Av8tor1,

Hey bud,
Yes I love the new lights! They do throw some heat though and the Helis do like it better than the cephs. Lately though I have been putting my Helis outside with some of my cephs.
The temps have been pretty good and they like the full sun. This is my H. Tequila. It is taking some time, but it's looking better every day. If I can get it to look like yours I will be doing something!!
JMatt
 
  • #15
Yea ok,
It helps to add the picture!

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  • #16
Straw markers eh? Say, now that's an idea! I can take like 1/2 inch pieces of straw, slit them on one side lengthwise and slip them on Sarracenia flower stalks as markers to keep track of my crosses. Color combos of two or more straws would be possible too.

It would be easier than trying to read my faded scrawl or figure out what color a piece of thread is 3, 4 or 5 months later.

I'll have to give this a try...
 
  • #17
Just remember straws fade quickly in the sun!
After a summer in full sun you just might end up with all white straws!
JMatt
 
  • #18
Well, that's no good :(
 
  • #19
god the second picture with the all red cephs and green inner pitchers is just O_O
simply amazing! Cephalotus are by far my favorite CP
 
  • #20
Thanks, JMatt. I just needed to know how bright and hot it is when you have your cephs out in the sun. Here, a couple of hours in the open and I become a tone darker (being Asian). The cephs? I wouldn't know 'cos I don't dare to try. Phill Mann says they all die back to nearly nothing during summer in WA. :0o:
 
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