new to carnivorous plants have a question

Judsonia, AR(Zone 7b)

I've been reading on the care of the pitcher plants, and read to only water with rain water or distilled water. Question , can one use rain water if it's been treated for mosquito larvae?

I also read that they need to be transplanted at the beginning of the growth period. Say spring time, has anybody transplanted them in th middle of the year or fall? Does it bother them if you do this?

What would be your best tips for someone who's new to growing them?

I'm getting lady bug, love bug, and sarracenia x catebaei

Judsonia, AR(Zone 7b)

I also wanted to ask, How come I couldn't water with the well water? It comes from the ground. nothing else , no chemicals no filters,

Quoting:
can one use rain water if it's been treated for mosquito larvae?
Depends on what you're treating the water with. If you're using mosquito dunks, you should be fine.
Quoting:
How come I couldn't water with the well water?
I've known many a person who lovingly hauled distilled water from the grocery store only to learn years down the road that their well water would have been perfectly fine to use. Depends on the ppm. You'd need to have your water tested before you used it for your CPs. I'm on a well and my water repeatedly tests out too high to use. Most people on wells test too high for carnivorous plants but there are always exceptions to the rule.
Quoting:
I also read that they need to be transplanted at the beginning of the growth period. Say spring time, has anybody transplanted them in th middle of the year or fall? Does it bother them if you do this?
Nope, too much stress to transplant Sarracenia while they are actively growing. I wouldn't do it. I will transplant them before the growth period in early spring but I will also divide and transplant them after the growth season in very late fall/early winter. As long as they aren't actively growing seems just fine for Sarracenia.

The Sarracenia cultivars you purchased should do well for you. Hybrid vigor and all. There are a few threads on tips for new growers floating about here by us at DG. Please take a look. If you can't find the information you are looking for, post here and me or somebody else will type up care instructions for you. Here's another good resource for you to look up information-
http://www.sarracenia.com/faq.html
If you scroll down, you will find and area of the FAQs specifically for growing Sarracenia. Scroll down a little bit farther and you will find taxonomy information on Sarracenia. There's also an area for dormancy that you will want to read.

Did a little bit of poking around for you.

More than what you ever wanted to know about water here-
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/779837/

Here’s a thread started by a woman who created an outdoor bog for some of her Sarracenia. She did a great job and you might want to try something similar since you are in zone 7 and should be able to grow the plants you have outside year round-
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/597368/

Fun thread laced with Sarracenia tips-
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/496566/

More tidbits on Sarrs here-
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/657330/

Judsonia, AR(Zone 7b)

Wow, Thanks so much for the wealth of info, I appreciate it, I had these once before and killed them, hoping to do better this time.

So what if you killed them. Seems as if that's the thing to do with these plants until you get the hang of things... and you will... we all do. Killing CPs is unfortunately a part of the learning curve but I think you're off to a good start with the cultivars you bought this time. You'll be fine. Can you post any photos of your new babies?

Judsonia, AR(Zone 7b)

WEll, I've ordered them in a coop on the yahoo group LOL won't get them for a while. I'm just gearing up LOL

Oh goodie! Then you've got something to look forward to and you'll have a little bit of a chance to read up on what's out there on culture. What did you think of the FAQs at the International Carnivorous Plant Society site?

Judsonia, AR(Zone 7b)

I haven't been there yet. I'll check it out though , thanks

Post a Reply to this Thread

Please or sign up to post.
BACK TO TOP