Outdoor cephs

[chezilla]

I am lacking in adequate sunlight from any of my windows. The most I can squueze out, by tilting pots, etc... is 2-3 hours direct light a day. I am wanting to use one of my cephs as a test case and put it outside. Does anyone have any suggestions on what they will need outdoors. I keep them on the dry side indoors I will probably have to keep them in a shallow tray outside. Will they tolerate full TN sunlight? Thety are in a thick ceramic pot, will I need any special precautions to keep them roots from overheating? Thanks.

 

[twigs]

From my limited experience with Cephs, I would think outdoors in TN would be too hot (I'm live relatively close to you, up in St. Louis). From looking at climate stats, temps in their native habitat rarely go above 80 F. I have heard of people growing cephs where temps reach mid 90s for little short time. In St. Louis at least, temps like to climb to mid 90s, and hit 100s a few days a year.

If you do try this, I would say try putting them in shade/filtered sun to keep them cool. If they are outside, I'm sure they can handle being a bit wetter than usual, as they will dry out much faster.

I definately think this is a worthy experiment, and I would be very interested in the result, but I would only try it with a spare plant.

 

[theyellowdart]

JMatt grows a few of his outside with great success, although I believe he has them under some cover. You should try contacting him for questions.

Here's one of his threads: http://terraforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=113052 (the really red ones are grown outdoors.)

 

[BigBella]

I grow a few Cephalotus outside, but I am also in Northern California where you cannot say that the climate is particularly hot; even so, I have to ensure that the pots that see direct sun for more than a few hours don't get overheated. Like some others, including Heliamphora and Darlingtonia, Cephalotus detest having their root systems too warm.

Provided that the pots are large enough and ceramic, you should be OK with water trays. Some shading should be provided. Wetting down the pots, if they are unglazed terracotta also helps . . .

 

[CPsInAtl]

I grew them ok outside here in Hot-lanta last year ok. They just can't take the cold.

top water them every few days from a watering can (no tray!!) to keep their soil moist and the heat shouldn't bother them much.

 

[BigBella]

In terms of the tolerating the cold, my Cephalotus have done well in the high twenties / low thirties during winter . . .

 

[CPsInAtl]

mine hit the teens and that was the end of it.

 

[RL7836]

I am lacking in adequate sunlight from any of my windows. The most I can squueze out, by tilting pots, etc... is 2-3 hours direct light a day.

I've grown some in an east-facing window for years (where they only get a few hours/day) and they grow great. Cephs seems to enjoy a very wide variety of growing conditions - as long as you give them plenty of time to adjust to the new conditions ...

I am wanting to use one of my cephs as a test case and put it outside. Does anyone have any suggestions on what they will need outdoors.

I also grow several outside each summer. Once they are acclimated, they do fine (typically - several bloom each year). Beware of acclimation issues - I've lost plants that I stupidly 'assumed' were tough enough to go from inside to outside direct sun ... Larger pots help both with the root temperature issues others mentioned as well as potential drying out issues. Can't comment on TN sun ...