|
|
Post by ep on Aug 17, 2012 6:58:15 GMT 7
Hi All. We have been a bit busy so sorry for the delay in answering. Reading the latest posts have given me a chuckle though  . mato77429: Our plants of those hybrids are still only seedlings at present so there are no differences than yours at present. Maybe as the warmer weather and longer light hours get here we will see some faster growth and post then. neplover: Thank you for your compliments. If you read the initial pages of this thread I explained our growth conditions. Other than that Predator08 has summed it up rather well with his keen observations. Our summer temps here very rarely get into the 40s but are usually in the mid 30s. Light, as I have stressed, is a major factor for Nepenthes growth. Definitely good air flow and ventilation is a must. It will limit or stop any fungal pathogens attacking your plants which also thrive in Nepenthes conditions, although Neps are pretty resilient to these if the conditions are fairly correct. Thanks. Geoff |
|
|
|
Post by Dave Evans on Aug 17, 2012 7:44:57 GMT 7
Potting media doesn't seem to make much of a difference. Fertilizer - Alot of speculation he is using a secret formula or hormone to get his pitchers that big. He could be using something but I have no idea what he could be using that wouldn't cause all that living green sphagnum to break down ? Really? You don't think the main reason Geoff's pitchers are so large might, just might have something to do with his breeding with the largest species in the genus? Nah, must be some "secret formula"... ;D Geoff said he doesn't use any peatmoss. Anyone else notice? Peatmoss is extremely acidic. As it ages in the pot, the pH can even go down further as the peatmoss starts decaying. You don't have this issue with _Sphagnum_ moss; it starts off acidic but it turns near neutral. The largest Nepenthes I have are N. ventricosa. I have no interest in growing/breeding for large size. Rather, I like the smaller intricate species and hybrids like N. alata, N. campanulata and N. cv 'Dwarf Peacock'. |
|
|
|
Post by Predator08 on Aug 17, 2012 8:28:06 GMT 7
Most of said speculation about secret formula originated from other growers that buy heaps direct from him. Its only a possibility to me.
Well my largest pitchers are Geoffs hybrids involving his truncata with the exception of maxima x talangensis which is also massive.
If you look at photos on his site of hybrids from smaller species, He seems to be able to bring out the peak pitcher size in his plants very well.
Ventricosa largest in pitcher size or plant size?
The largest pitchers of ventricosa (large for the species but smaller compared to truncata/rajah) Ive seen photos off were also on eps website.
|
|
|
|
Post by ep on Aug 17, 2012 16:00:52 GMT 7
Hi All.
Hey, I am out here! Just ask me! That is what this thread is about!
No need to speculate.
What I have said on here is the truth! I have told you all exactly how we grow the plants but there are a few things I won't say here as it is a public forum and we, are after all, a business.
There are a lot of growers who grow their plants well and produce large pitchers and post on here.
I have also said that we do select our parents carefully in what we breed.
Dave: In our experience, sphagnum is slightly acidic when alive and becomes very acidic when it dies and decomposes(peat). In fact I don't know of any organic material where it becomes more alkaline when it breaks down.
Cheers,
Geoff
|
|
|
|
Post by Dave Evans on Aug 18, 2012 4:44:58 GMT 7
Well, any half rotted plant material can be called peat. Peat moss or peatmoss is extremely acidic.
BTW, I don't think peatmoss is composed of _Sphagnum_, but mostly is the roots and heartwood of the trees which also grow along side the sphagnum. It is a ligneous material, which forms in woody plants, not mosses.
Living _Sphagnum_ does produce acid, but once it is dead, it losses its acid production. Why do you think Orchids are potted in dead _Sphagnum_, not in peatmoss? The acid would kill them.
|
|
|
|
Post by ep on Aug 18, 2012 6:44:07 GMT 7
Hi All.
Yes Dave you are correct the term peat can refer to other decomposing plant material. However in reference to this discussion we are talking about sphagnum peat, which is, yes, derived from sphagnum!
It is available in various grades which refer to the amount of decomposition it has undergone and how fibrous it still is. It is called white, brown and black. Most of what is available and is used in potting media is sphagnum peat although sedge peat is also available.
No, we do not use peat in our media as it is too acid for Nepenthes and also continues to breakdown and acidify further. We used pine bark chip and perlite for many years until we had trouble with it breaking down too quickly then we switched to coir chip and perlite when it became more readily available. We still use the coir for our commercial pot plants but use sphagnum exclusively for our highland plants.
Cheers,
Geoff
|
|
|
|
Post by william9in on Aug 18, 2012 7:52:04 GMT 7
Now I know the magic mix! EP has been in business just over 20 years Special formula and it is $100 ($104.21US) per 10ml Lots of defused sun becuse Light is a major factor for Nepenthes growth. Summer temps in the 30s. (86 degrees fahrenheit) 50-70% humidity during the day and up to 100 % at night. Good air flow and ventilation is a must. A water pH beteen 5.5 and 6.5 should be good. Fertilize 4 times a year. Sing to the plants. Pine bark chips. Perlite. Coir chips. Sphagnum moss. Oh yeah, don't forget Location! Location! Location! (Disclaimer: Now if I tell you specifics and growers try this and kill or retard their plants without the experimentation, I recommended, we can't be held responsible. Retard is not politically correct.) Come on Dave, I want a photo! |
|
|
|
Post by MarkA on Aug 18, 2012 20:44:12 GMT 7
Geoff said he doesn't use any peatmoss. Anyone else notice? Peatmoss is extremely acidic. As it ages in the pot, the pH can even go down further as the peatmoss starts decaying. You don't have this issue with _Sphagnum_ moss; it starts off acidic but it turns near neutral unless you grow orchids in it which makes it turn acidic! Many of my neps, and i'm talking about some which are 3metres in height, with multiple basals and multiple side shoots, grow perfectly happily in peat, as do most house plants sold in the uk for last half of the 20th century. Pine bark is also acidic. I have many seed grown neps which have grown from seeds in peat mixes. Thats not to say all nep species like peat but many do. I had a huge merriliana which spent its entire life doing extremely well in wet 100% peat. Thats not to say all nep species grow well in peat/peat mixes, i'm sure there are many that dont. |
|
|
|
Post by hegory on Aug 20, 2012 3:43:27 GMT 7
in potting mixes, rock like materials are generaly more alkaline, while materials that are or were living are acidic, i usually try to balance out the two by putting perlite and spagnum moss, but MarkA is right, some plants may prefer more acidic while others more alkaline.
|
|
|
|
Post by kevnep on Aug 23, 2012 19:29:15 GMT 7
Hi Geoff
I see youve got cuttings of carunculata var. Robusta x merriliana. How do the uppers look? Mine has grown slowly over winter but is starting to grow faster now with warmer temps
|
|
|
|
Post by maurolucis on Aug 24, 2012 3:17:15 GMT 7
Wow! The new hybrids look amazing.
|
|
|
|
Post by morbus on Aug 24, 2012 4:17:56 GMT 7
Wow! The new hybrids look amazing. agreed im getting some  but not enough  |
|
|
|
Post by ep on Aug 24, 2012 8:43:17 GMT 7
Hi All. As we can see by other comments, potting media is another factor in growing Nepenthes where different media work in different conditions. MarkA, can you post some pics of your large N.merrilliana or other plants growing in your peat media for comparison? Just remember, with media, what works in habitat does not necessarily work well in cultivation as many other factors come into play. Thanks. kevnep: Here is your pic.  maurolucis and morbus: Glad you like the new updates. Many more are on their way. Cheers, Geoff |
|
|
|
Post by kevnep on Aug 24, 2012 13:17:19 GMT 7
Wow!
|
|
|
|
Post by MarkA on Aug 25, 2012 7:07:03 GMT 7
MarkA, can you post some pics of your large N.merrilliana or other plants growing in your peat media for comparison? Geoff Comparison with what Geoff? I dont think you can make direct comparison of plants grown 54 deg North with stuff grown where the sun shines, but here a few photos anyway. All peat grown, in good old irish spaghnum moss peat, or peat/perlite.  DSC01910 by Dr. Mark Anders, on Flickr  DSC_0318 by Dr. Mark Anders, on Flickr  DSC03082 by Dr. Mark Anders, on Flickr  DSC02008 by Dr. Mark Anders, on Flickr  DSC01995 by Dr. Mark Anders, on Flickr  DSC03095 by Dr. Mark Anders, on Flickr  DSC_0457jpg by Dr. Mark Anders, on Flickr  DSC_0467jpg by Dr. Mark Anders, on Flickr  DSC_0352 by Dr. Mark Anders, on Flickr  DSC00230 by Dr. Mark Anders, on Flickr  DSC03873 by Dr. Mark Anders, on Flickr  IMG_0018 by Dr. Mark Anders, on Flickr  DSC_0077 by Dr. Mark Anders, on Flickr Bottom  DSC_0478jpg by Dr. Mark Anders, on Flickr Mid  DSC_0479jpg by Dr. Mark Anders, on Flickr Mid2  DSC_0480jpg by Dr. Mark Anders, on Flickr Top  DSC_0481jpg by Dr. Mark Anders, on Flickr  IMG_0222 by Dr. Mark Anders, on Flickr  2008 by Dr. Mark Anders, on Flickr  DSC02009 by Dr. Mark Anders, on Flickr  17_Dec_09 083 by Dr. Mark Anders, on Flickr  IMG_0207 by Dr. Mark Anders, on Flickr Self sown seeds germinating on peat...  IMG_0001 by Dr. Mark Anders, on Flickr and finally the merilleana, but a photo from a few years ago, growing in 100% peat. Grown from about 1inch (typical wistuba size at the time) to 2foot across in the photo in wet peat. Unfortunatley it died a few years later when i forgot to water it, apparently the wistuba clone at least, needs permanently wet roots, and the roots grow in abundance like mirabilis.  17_Dec_09 041 by Dr. Mark Anders, on Flickr I've got a whole bunch of other species growing in peat over the years (and a few non-bog orchids). |
|
