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*sigh* ceph death :(

  • Thread starter DragonsEye
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DragonsEye

carnivorous plants of the world -- unite!
So late summer/fall of 2016, I got a couple cephs each from two members here. One of each didn't survive more than a month or two but I have heard/read that cephs don't take well to barerooting so chalked it up that. Plants were put on a shelf on my lighted plant stand. I allowed the 4" pots to stand in a centimeter or two of water refilling when the water was almost gone or gone for only a day or so. Humidity was very low and temps were largely in the 6t0s to mid 70sF. Over the course of that winter, one -- a 'vigorous' clone did very well and gave me a couple nice pitchers. The plant #2 put out a few leaves and near the end of winter gave me a few small pitchers. Summer came and I moved both plants to a windowsill with western exposure but largely shaded by a large pine tree. Vigorous put out a couple more pitchers than stopped growing. Plant #2 put out several mature pitchers. I fed both plants during this time with a few betta food pellets. Near the end of summer, the suffered an attack of some white fuzzy fungi. I sprayed both with some RD20/Physan. Seem to take care of the mold issue. As temps fell this fall, I moved both plants back to the plant stand. Vigorous started putting out 4 pitchers, #2 still just kind of sat there. About mid November, noticed one of the pitchers on Vigorous was discoloring as were pitchers and leaves on #2. Retreated with a spritz of Physan in hopes of heading off a fungal attack if that was the issue. Vigorous has not lost its remaining 3 developing pitchers but #2 is down to one leaf and that one is yellowing so I do not expect it to last much longer (stem also is brown). Considering they both did fine on that stand last winter, rather mystified (and bummed) as to what's gone wrong.
 
You're certainly not alone. A lot of people have similar experiences with Cephalotus. In the future, you might try giving them a mild winter, like you would with a US warm temperate Ping or sundew. Personally, I think that's the main cause of most of the problems people have with Cephs. I think more light would be a good idea too, especially if the plants were staying green in those conditions.
 
What’s your potting mix. And top dressing?

You get any of them from me?
 
@J: Nope, not from you. Media is peat/sand/turface.

@Nim: Last winter, under lights, Vigorous turned a very nice purple-red while #2 stayed green. When I put them on the windowsill for the summer (that room doesn't get as hot as the plantroom) Vigorous reverted to green. I could try putting vigorous on a windowsill where temps would be in the 50s but the light would not be great as the grey days of winter are here and will be the norm. (Though if going for dormancy would that be an issue?). If I do so, I imagine the media should be allowed to dry out somewhat?
 
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Yeah it's generally recommended to keep the soil a bit drier during dormancy. I'm not really sure how much lighting matters though.
 
Btw, Nim, how long of a dormant period do you give yours?
 
It's my understanding that it doesn't need to be very long. I know one nursery will leave their plants outside at least partway through December and then move them into a greenhouse. I keep my Cephs outside, so they stay sheltered with the other warm temperates all the way through winter.
 
I keep mine always damp. For more than a year in a plastic pot standing in 1-2 cm of water did not harm one of my plants. During spring and summer outside in rain and sunshine (from 8-14 o clock) After the first light frost the go into my studio with temperatures between -1 C° and +15 at a westward window. The two years before they had 10 hours of extra lighting from a LED bulb (6500 K) which gave them very dark colour
Usually they are planted in my special self made ceramic planters. But they take a lot of space.
Here you can see a German thread about my special planters. You need only clay and a wick in the end. My special mixture is not necessary.

https://forum.carnivoren.org/forums/topic/37411-cephalotus-mal-in-einem-speziellen-pflanzgefäß/

Never lost one yet, I believe because I use several times a year some Boron spray 1-2 ppm. But I don’t know, just a hint because crown rot is caused in many plants by boron deficiency. Which is an element you find near the sea or where great lakes have been once. Too much is dangerous for many plants. It leached well away with water so a deficiency is likely. Insects provide very little of this element.

None ever grew backwards. But I had to pick last winter a lot of traps out of my biggest plants (about half of it), because it grew too crowded.
All the young ones are now planted or given away, but it has already a status worse than before. Means it is crowded again. but much more.
 
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