30 January 2021

Sarracenia

 


 

Sarracenia purpurea

 

The hood has needle like stucture which impede the insects to escape when they try to come out from the plant mouth

Description 

It is a carnivorous plant native to North America. 

The plant has adapted to the soil without nutrients. The leaves represent those pitchers, white rhizome is under the moss. 

The rhizome can be seen on the surface, from which the plant divides itself and the roots have a ladder shape which take water from the soil.

The flower stalk can reach up to 10 cm in diameter and the flower can stay open for about two weeks (in early spring you can self-pollinate manually). 

The flowers are white or red.

The pitchers attract the insects (the insects are attracted by the color, the smell of the flowers and the nectar).

The nectar is at the base of the "cover" and thus the insects can no longer come out of the "tube", being stopped from their way to freedom by some "spikes" also at the base of the "tube".

Soil

Ordinary soil is not used, but only peat moss or mixed with sphagnum moss. Must not contain any fertilizer.

The pot must be at least 15 cm (it can be at least 15 cm wide, but at least 15 cm deep) and plastic material, not iron or clay pots and not transparent. 

In winter, it must be sheltered in the house for 2 years, if you do not want the plant to enter dormancy or has been barely germinated (young at least) if not, put it to sleep (dormancy), as is normal or in the refrigerator. 

The plant dies at low temperatures and grows again, from the rhizome, in spring.

 

Light 

Sunlight is better. 

Leave the plant in a sunny window with as much light as possible and if it is not enough, use at least 36w fluorescent tube, 6500 k and starting from 3050 lumens, about 14 - 16 hours.

When the plant grows, the light will not be enough because it no longer reaches the sides of the leaves, in the case of artificial light.

You can still place the artificial light vertically though, but it is a bit difficult or you can buy smaller dwarf species or wait until larger species grow under neon and move them in a sun light area.

You will see in the window if there is not enough light and as for the duration, the plant starts to show signs of not growing, but it will not die so quickly.

Water 

Use only distilled or demineralised water (ordinary water is too hard with minerals and kills the carnivorous plant). You can also use water from melted snow, using it at room temperature. 

If, for example, you collect 5 plastic bottles of 6 or 8 liters each (go a few times in a field somewhere) and you will use water about half a liter per week, it will last almost a year, without you have to buy distilled water, for a few plants.

The peatmoss must always be moist, unlike nepenthes. You can water from the top, but best from the bottom, because the distilled water you put in a saucer (the pot is on the plate) is absorbed by the soil. 

Food

The leaves in the form of "tubes" attract prey. Insects are attracted by color, the smell of flowers and nectar. 

If the pitchers are filled with insects, they can tilt on a side. Do not use ordinary meat or worms. 

I had no snails digested, but a small snail appeared on the edge of the pitcher and was waiting for something (something besides imminent death). 

Flying insects in the house (I mean vinegar flies, gnats) can escape. Wingless insects are more likely to die, but I have a spider patiently waiting with its net made between the pitchers, for insects.

Jumping spider avoids being eaten.

Dionaea muscipula problems

The plant will look like this if it has only a few hours of sunlight

Watering too much for a long time

- this is to be avoided. Insects can appear on the substrate. You can get rid of them with isopropyl alcohol or spray with pyrethrin with piperonyl (without other additives). 

Minerals appearing on the surface of the environment

- manually removed or watered several times on the substrate will flush the minerals. You can do this on top of a sink.

The appearance of white mold

- you can get rid of with sulfur or sulfur derivatives, without other additives.

Dormancy

The plant will die if you skip dormancy +1 years.

27 January 2021

Dionaea muscipula

 


Description

It is a carnivorous plant that grows on the east coast of North America, beside other places. 

The plant has adapted to a soil (sphagnum and/or peat moss) without nutrients trough a evolutionary process.

The plant is growing from a white rhizome (bulb)  that has thin, long roots.

It has also leaves, petioles and traps. The traps contains several hairs that trigger itself shut when insects sit inside. 

The trap can turn red before the insect is caught, if the plant is under strong artificial lights or sunlight
The stem that will make white flowers (and will contain hundreds of seeds), can reach 10 cm.

The plants are small, almost 1 year old, on the right side of the image.

 

Cultivation

Soil

It does not use ordinary soil, but only sphagnum and/or peat moss. Peat moss is a dry moss and sphagnum moss is alive.

The pot must be at least 10 cm (it can be as wide as you want, but at least 10 cm deep) and made of plastic, not iron or clay pots, because over time different constituent elements can leak due to their degradation, not transparent because the roots do not need sunlight.

Light 

Sun light is better.

In the room, leave the plant at a sunny window with as much light as possible and if it is not enough, use in the beginning one 36w fluorescent tube, 6500 k and starting from 3050 lumens, about 12-14 hours and when it grows higher use at least two fluorescent tubes

You can keep the plant at 4 cm neon, if you use artificial light. 

You will see in the window if there is not enough light, if the plant starts to show signs of drying, or elongation of the leaves. 

You can also grow it in the garden, also in a pot.

Water

Use only distilled, demineralized or deionizing water (ordinary water is too hard with minerals and kills the carnivorous plant), but be careful not to contain other components on the label. 

You can also use water from melted snow (at room temperature). If, for example, you collect 5 plastic bottles of 6 or 8 liters each (go a few times in a field somewhere) and you will use water about half a liter per week, it will last almost a year, without having to buy distilled water.

This is true if you have a few plants.

The soil (peat) must always be moist, but not wet (puddles). You can water from the top (but not directly on the plant or around it, but away from it, as mold can appear).

It is best to water from the bottom, because the water you put in a saucer (the pot is on a plastic saucer) is absorbed by the media. 

Allow tha the surface is dry for a few more days, before watering again, because in a house or apartment, a premature death of the plant can occur, due to different factors or because the roots may rot due to too much moisture. 

There is no such problem outside.

Food


 Yes, the insect ,,speaks,, English :)


The trap swells and closes after catching food. It will not open if the leaf life is over and the reverse tightening will be more pronounced. 

The leaves are modified traps that catch insects (insects are attracted to the mucilage that exists on the edge). 

Insects are trapped in traps that close even harder if insects move in them, after which they are digested by the enzymes produced. 

It is believed that the traps close due to chemical factors. In addition to insects, you can use, once a week for 2-3 leaves on a plant, dried red worms, slightly moistened, or other small insects that you buy from aquarists. 

Do not use ordinary meat or earthworms.

The plant will propagate itself after a while or after making about 7 leaves with traps, or through seeds. 

Dormancy

In winter, the plant must go through a dormancy period of 3 months.

If you can't leave it in a place that is cool between 1 - 10 degrees), do the following.

You can slowly decrease the natural light, when the plant is in the house/apartment, then put it in the refrigerator surrounded by the chosen substrate, in a closed bag with a little sulfur on the edges, only if mold appears. 

Whichever method you choose, do not let the chosen substrate freeze, although the plant should not be dry, in the refrigerator or outside, but only slightly wet.