What's new
TerraForums Venus Flytrap, Nepenthes, Drosera and more talk

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Just a note about calcerous substrates and...

It suddenly came to my attention that the combination of tray watering while using a calcerous substrate for Mexican Pinguicula could have dire consequences if you don't think before you act.

I really feel a tad slow for not thinking of this in the first place, but, it would be a really good idea to keep Mexican Pinguicula with a calcerous substrate in a tray reserved only for these pings. Water and sitting in water leaches some of these minerals and calcium into the water source which in effect could be and most likely will be reabsorbed by other pots sitting in the same water. ie. a VFT would not like coral or vermiculite usually added into it's substrate, therefore, don't filter the water through these items.

Just to keep it safe, only put the same media types and plants of the same requirements into the same trays.
 
Good point Vertigo. I keep all my Pinguicula seggregated from the other CP that I grow, and have never thought to mention this! The calcium salts would leach into the tray water, and be taken up by the other pots via capillary action powered by surface evaporation. Not good at all for Drosera, especially the ones difficult to transplant, and the same for Utricularia. These genera hate lime. I transplant most of my Drosera annually just to avoid any possible chance of salt buildup in my mix. Kudos to you for mentioning the matter!
 
Back
Top