Question
QUESTION: Hi, just wanting try alternatives with light and wanted your opinion. In australia, the sunlight can be very strong. I have lost a few cps with direct sun as they look heat stressed in the afternoon. I have also tried a shade cloth which keeps them alive but they don't flourish as they probably don't get enough light. Now I am thinking of using special glass that filters UV and infrared (heat) but still allows visible light and some UV and IR rays. Is this a good idea?

I have vft, drosera and sarracenia under shade cloth at the moment.

Soil is sphagnum moss and perlite. I only use rainwater.


ANSWER: Hi James,

It's not about the sunlight strength.  It's really about the heat coupled with sunlight.  So heat tolerance is the main issue rather than sunlight.  At our nursery, we grow our North American plants strictly in full sun.  Our plants will experience those temperatures during the summer, but it happens only for a week at a time.

There is a technique of growing carnivorous plants in desert conditions.  However, the technique is too extensive to cover in this format.  You also have to choose the right plants for your area.  In general, flytraps don't fare well when the day temperatures are consistently above 38癋.  

You also mentioned other carnivorous plants, but you didn't list which species.  While nearly all North American species prefer full sun, some prefer only partial sun.  Some plants also prefer cooler temperatures, such as Drosera anglica and Sarracenia purpurea ssp. purpurea.

Again, you'll need to select the right plants for your region and grow your plants in a manner that allows the roots to remain cool while still providing lots of sunlight.

For more information about growing North American plants in the desert, watch our DVD, Grow Carnivorous Plants Volume1.  We devote an entire segment to this issue.

http:/www.cobraplant.com/DVD

Good growing!
Jacob Farin


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Unknown sarracenia   QUESTION: Hi Jacob,

I think the temperatures are OK, just once in a while they go to uncomfortable heights! I know there are plenty of Aussie CP growers here but I'm not sure of their secrets.

I've attached a photo of one of my wilting plants. It is the only one at the moment. My drosera capensis seems to be growing as well as any weed in the garden! VFT is fine but its still new. Its predecessors suffered the same as what the sarracenia in this photo is suffering from.


The leaves turn brown at the tips and slowly the whole thing goes dry brown.

Answer
Hi James,

Thank-you for sending the photo.  That helps us diagnose the problem much better.  You may be surprised at what is really going on here.

Your plant is a textbook example of a Sarracenia that has been in low light, then suddenly exposed to full sun.  When that happens, you get leaf burn.  The problem isn't the leaf burn, but the lack of light previously.  Just cut off all of your leaves the plant currently has since they are poorly formed anyway.  Since it is still early in the summer, it will have plenty of time to grow new properly formed leaves.  It is vital, that the plant is in full sun; no shade; minimum 6 hours direct sun.  More is better.  Just make sure the plant always has water and never dries out.  In about a month you should see beautiful, brightly colored pitchers forming.

Since the leaves are so poorly developed, it's hard to tell the variety, but it looks like a S. purpurea hybrid of some kind.

Previously Jacob mentioned our DVD.  This will be money well spent should you consider it.  Your problem with this Sarracenia is a classic example of a rookie mistake so many people make, that is so easily avoided once you have a better understanding of basics for these plants.


Good Growing!

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