Question
QUESTION: Hello again from Southwestern Oregon! This is the first summer I have tropical carnivores and want to move them outside for the season once conditions are right. I know I have to gradually expose them to to the new conditions, but I'm not sure how much sun will be too much for the different species I have. Can my Drosera capensis and spatulata  live with my sarracenia and flytraps? They get sun for most of the day with a southern exposure. Then my Nepenthes, which are deroos alata, miranda, sanguinea and boschiana "gng. sakumpang". (They are doing very well and have been pitchering most of the winter in a double window with southern and western exposure that gets sun from later in the morning til late afternoon.) I want to hang them on my deck where they will get a southern exposure for most of the day, but don't want to fry them. Please let me know if this would be too much for any of them. I also have one of those small greenhouses with a greenish plastic cover, if that would be a better place for them, but I prefer to have them on my deck where everyone can enjoy them. Thanx!

ANSWER: Hi Maire,

With your sundews the spatulata is no problem; it will like it sunny and hot.  The Cape will do ok, but if you can find a sweet spot that's a little cooler it will be happier.

For your Nepenthes a Southern exposure deck will be too hot.  What I recommend is to rig up some shade cloth if you want them there so that the sun is being broken up more.  I would say go for about 50%.  That will make it manageable for plants and people.  You may have to watch them over the summer to see how they do.  Most likely some will do better than others, and you'll have a better idea of which ones will handle the dry air outside better.  Of the ones you've listed most should be fine, but the boschiana is one I've never tried like that.  The Miranda should love it getting giant red pitchers.

Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.growcarnivorousplants.com

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you Jeff--I have been watching the sun patterns(now that  it is finally coming out) and I think the plants will get enough sun on the Eastern side of the deck. It gets full sun from @7:30 til 1, then shaded light through the suntuff roofing for a couple of hours more until the sun moves behind the house a couple hours later. I just wonder if the sun tuf roofing filters too much light?
I haven't really found too much info on the boschiana (certainly not like the other three I have) Can you give me any tips on caring for it? Thanx again!

Answer
Hi Maire,

That sounds like a great spot.  One quick way to know if the area under the SunTuff is bright enough is if you have to squint when you are there when it's sunny.  My grandmother used to have a patio covered by translucent corrugated fiberglass and it was fine.

I wish I could give you more specifics on N. boschiana, but we haven't grown that plant for very long, and I've never tried that one indoors.

Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.growcarnivorousplants.com