Carnivorous plants

[Jumala]

the one that I find is interesting is the thoreli x truncata differences because of the different truncata used.

 

[kak1]

Jumala,

Thank you very much for the photos you've posted. They are awesome. Truncata crosses are always brilliant and this year I am hoping to ad a few truncata crosses and a red truncata to my growing area. What temps do you get in your grow area? At present I am chasing a ventricosa x maxima would you have any cuttings available? Thanks again.

Kak

 

[hornet]

kak i have about 30-40 ventricosa x maxima cuttings that will be ready to go shortly in your keen. Its actually a named hybrid called "red leopard"

 

[Jumala]

Hi Kak

I'm growing mine outside under 50% shadecloth in Cairns.
The ones in the gutter get sun on them for about half of the day. There are 4 other ones which are outside in the shadehouse with the other plants and they get all day sun under the shadecloth. So they pretty well are grown in whatever temperature it is here in Cairns.

I have only just recent got my ventricosa x maxima so they are only small. Try Exotica (Geoff and Andrea Mansell) - they have still have some available I'm planning on getting a straight truncata soon ...

Have to say they are a bit addictive

 

[kak1]

G'day Jumala,

They are definitely addictive. Most of my plants are from Geoff & Andrea who are sensational growers. Thanks for your feed back on your growing area. I have a fogger system arriving soon so can't wait to get some highland Neps real soon.

Kak

 

[kak1]

Some more pics

N. alata MT Data x CV Luzon pitcher

N. alata MT Data x CV Luzon pitcher (another pitcher)

N. alata striped pitchers & plant

 

[kak1]

More pics

Raff white cutting

Raff white growth point

 

[Jumala]

very nice Kak I had a raff elongata that became a victim when I went away for a few weeks :`( The people who were supposed to be looking after them obviously didn't pay much attention!!! Hence the introduction of the gutter hydro system At least that way I know they are getting watered even if it is raining lol
I'd hate to go to Geoff and Andreas place I'd come away broke and still wanting more ..... possibly walking because I'd traded the car lmao!!!

 

[kak1]

Jumala the raff does not do to well here for some reason which is strange as my other raffs in the past have done so well. It will be going to live with Hornet real soon. It sucks to hear about your raff dying off. They are one of the most beautiful Nepenthes.

That hydro system is brilliant and goes against what most people would say about watering Neps. Normally you hear that hydro = death but I know of a few guys using hydro to great effect. I just picked up a small Nep miranda tonight and am quite excited to see it grow out.

As for Geoff's & Andrea's I am going to organise a visit soon if time permits. I have a list of what I want and will take a mates car incase they need extra payment lol. I love my lowii x truncata wide peristome (well worth getting even for the cost), lowii x merrilliana giant and lowii x ampullaria x mira that I got off of them. Three brilliant plants to say the least.

My four favourite plants to use as hybrids are

N. ampullaria
N. lowii
N. merrilliana
N. rafflesiana

What I want to add next

N. merrilliana
N. veitchii (K)
N. lowii x veitchii
N. lowii x talangensis
N. maxima x aristo


Happy Nep Keeping. I'm off to plant this miranda.

 

[Jumala]

Yes I'm very pleased with the way my system has been going I've been growing them in this system for well over 18 months so I'm pretty confident it works - up here anyway. The angle of the guttering means that the water flows down and the pots are not being submerged in the water. I put it on from 9 - 3pm as this is generally covers the hottest time of the day and a bit extra. I have found that the bigger plants tend to have some their roots coming out of the pots so they must be enjoying it!

As much as I would LOVE to get some of the highland species I just can't justify the extra costs for keeping them

Jealous you have the lowii x truncata - I really love the look of that one. The lowii x merrilliana would throw some interesting pitchers that's for sure
I'm looking at the straight merrilliana as well - Geoff has some seedlings listed ..... rajah - now there is one I'd have to say that I would go to the extra effort and costs to create the highland temperatures

I got my Miranda at Big W lol. Is that where you got yours from? I opted for the smaller plant just because I wanted the Alata Lantern as well. Just couldn't help myself

There is a grower up here near Kuranda that I've been to ..... When I went up there to pick up a couple of plants I made sure that I took some extra money because I knew I'd want more ..... of course I wanted more than the money I had but since when is that a surprise LMAO!!!!

Happy Growing

 

[kak1]

Jumala i'll have to give your system a try some time. You are right about the highland set up being exy. I paid a fortune for mine which is being imported from the US. I often get the Intermediate plants or hybrids but with the system now coming I will get more highlanders as well. I had a number of plants stolen some time ago including an inermis. You don't know how gutted I was.

The lowii x truncata is an easy plant to care for and I have two of these (i'll post pics up soon) . It is an intermediate which may suit your conditions? The particular cross that Geoff & Andrea are offering at present has to be the most exciting yet. I can't wait to see the impact of the wide peristome taken from the truncata.

Keep me updated on your merrilliana when you get it so I can see how it's progressing in your part of the world. I will get one soon hopefully and will keep everyone updated. I'll also keep everyone updated on the lowii x merrilliana giant. Have you seen the photo of the merrilliana giants pitcher next to a bucket?

The rajah is said to be a hard plant to grow however mine is doing quite well at present. I've had it for quite a while now. They can however be very finicky and will go backwards quickly if not happy. I've heard of them being moved a foot away from their normal position in a greenhouse only to stop producing pitchers and go backwards. I hope I never experience this as I want the pollen for a lowii x rajah. What a plant that would be.

Yes I got my miranda from Big W and I too got the smaller miranda available. I opted not to get the N. alata lantern as I am happy with my other alata varieties and looking to get some of the rarer forms of alata that are about. When did you get your miranda and what condition was it in when you got it? Mine is strong and producing a pitcher. A plant I really suggest that is easy to grow and simply beautiful is N. stenophylla.

The problem I find is that when at Big W and nurseries there are so many Neps and hybrids that one can not remember what they look all like. As such I am often left buying plants I can't with out any idea of what they will look like. Obviously when buying over the net such as Geoff & Andrea's you get an idea or you can go to a website which has most of the species and hybrids listed with photos.

The grower in Kuranda is the one that sells on ebay I believe. He seems to have some nice plants. What did you get from him? The money you have in your hand will never be enough believe me. I suffer the same problem all the time .

Happy Growing and please keep us updated with pics.

 

[kak1]

Jumala as promised here are the photos of the lowii x truncata wide peristome. This is to show a few aspects of the plant including its growth from when I first got it a month or so ago. The plant is best viewed in person as the photos do no justice. Hopefully I'm making you drool :lol:.

When it arrived

Now with a new pitcher

Hand for size comparison as the plant is now

Two pitchers showing variation

 

[hornet]

you can actually get a good highland setup going quite cheap, just gotta do a bit of looking around and do a bit of construction with installing lights and that jazz. Could actually probably do it for next to nothing with a bit of research. Where did you get your inermis? Thats one of my fave species, easy to grow?

 

[kak1]

Hornet you are right in that you can get a set up for highlanders cheap however they don't always work that well. All of my friends who are avid keepers and pro's spend plenty on their set ups. Geoff & Andrea Mansell have spent quite a bit on their set ups and Geoff has helped me in my selection of system. As far as I'm concerned you need to go for quality with highland plants when setting up.

May I ask what do you mean by lights? I would only be using lights if my greenhouse was very dark or if I was growing the plants inside. Inermis are not an easy species and in my opinion rajah are easier. Mine did well though till it was stolen. I got mine from a mate.

Happy Growing

 

[hornet]

I was assuming you would be growing highlanders inside? How do you plan on keeping the lower temps outdoors? Most growers i speak to (who grow highlanders in a tropical/subtropical climate) grow indoors under lights and have some kind of cooling system. Yes people do spend lots on their systems but you dont need to spend big to have a great system that keeps the plants just as healthy (not going to look as good a professional system).

 

[kak1]

Ok Hornet I get what you are saying. Here in OZ most set ups are in green houses. My plants are being grown outside on my back deck which is fully enclosed. To keep the temps down I use a fogging system and a huge green house fan. Highlands like between 7-27°C and the set up of mine will be able to handle this. The fogger will come on at regular intervals for cooling as will the fan. The only issue I will have is when it gets cooler then 7 degrees. Usually though the plants can take a few nights of extremes such as what my inermis did.

Usually the cost comes in the fogger unit and the green house fan. I've found it 1-2 thousand dollars cheaper to buy a fogger from America with all the nozzles etc then it is to buy one here in Australia. I'd searched around for some time till Geoff gave me help and pointed me in the right direction. of course you can get a fogging nozzle and pipe and hook it up to the tap but good fogging requires a pump with a good psi and low micron nozzle.

Personally I'd like to live up near Jumala where the temps are good and the humidity great for growing. Plus I could then grow lowland neps. BTW It's great to talk to others keen on Neps and growing.

 

[hornet]

you you can keep the temps down outdoors? How would you go on a 40c summer day? I'd think it would be alot easier to manipulate the temps indoors but of course then you are going to be restricted on space

---------- Post added 14-Jan-11 at 11:04 PM ----------

also you have to remember alot of the aust highland nep growers live in a climate that is suited to highland neps, they could probably grow them outdoors with no more then a greenhouse for protection

 

[kak1]

Hornet basically using a fogger/mister and cooling fan helps to keep the temps down. Misters and foggers are often sold to bars, restaurants etc to keep it cooler in outside areas. These misters and foggers can drop the temperature quite alot and by 10 degrees quite often. The fan though is of great importance.You are certainly right that indoors areas would be easier to manipulate. My wife however would definitely not allow it lol.

From contacting and speaking to the majority of highland growers here in Australia through the carnivorous plant society they have all installed a number of items such as foggers, air conditioners, swamp coolers etc as they have found the heat can still build up in their green houses. As you can see heat is a big problem and particularly at night when highlanders need a good temp drop. Many people purchase highland Neps believing they will be fine in their green house only to see them die within a year or so due to the right conditions not being met. I certainly know of a few guys who have specially made fridges for some species of highland neps or place their plants in fridges at night for the temp drop.

Obviously in the colder parts of Australia the case may be that hot houses would have to be utilised. Nep growing is still in its infancy and exciting times lay ahead.

 

[hornet]

Here are a few pics of my nep collection all bar the Red leopard in my avatar as its got no lowers on it at this stage.

Nep. alata 'Boschiana mimic'

Nep. tobacia x thorelii

Nep. unknown. Thinking it could be ventricosa but wont know till its larger. Picked it up from bunnings for about $7 which was a pretty decent price seeing as there are about 10 separate seedlings in the pot of varying sizes

---------- Post added 15-Jan-11 at 11:35 PM ----------

now onto others

A few of my venus fly trap varieties

Sundews

Carnivorous bromeliad

Pseudo-carnivore (Stylidium sp) along side Drosera peltata

 

[kak1]

Hornet those are some stunning plants. I particularly like your droseras and the boshiana mimic. The unknow Nep looks to me to be a ventrata (I have one growing in the front garden). Isn't it great when you get extra plants in the pot. Thanks for posting. As I said amazing plants.