Post by zpyder on Aug 4, 2007 22:17:02 GMT
Hi all, I figured I should introduce myself!
I'm Chris, from Ferndown in Dorset.
I'm 22 and am coming into my 3rd and final year doing Environment and Coastal Management (BSc hons). I'm currently doing my research for my dissertation which is on CP's, using Dionaea and S.leucophylla in a controlled environment cabinet. I'm hoping the findings will be of use to hobbyists and conservationists alike!
I've been interested in carnivorous plants from when I was about 8. But sadly it was the usual affair for a young boy. Every spring I would want to buy plants and grow them on my windowsill or in the backgarden, but by autumn interest was dwindling and the plants would usually not survive the lack of care over winter. I did have some success with some tropical utrics (I think it was U.alpina, or possibly longifolia) however, discovering that my windowsill offered just enough light, and by growing them in a propagator with all vents closed, the plant survived and spread through the whole container in 9 months.
With changing schools and getting a bit more busy my interest went into it's own dormancy. I've always had at least one CP growing, and so from 16-20 it was a Nepenthes hybrid that slowly took over my windowsill. It would grow up, and I'd take cuttings. It was a fast enough grower for quite a few cuttings to be taken, though I only just got the hang of the water technique near the end, and so ended up with maybe half a dozen on my windowsill. I also had a cobra lily growing in a pot in the back garden from Hampton Court. Today I repotted it into I think a 45cm Pot (It used to be in a 7cm pot about 5 years ago I think). If I can combat the snail problem I'm hoping the year after next it'll be quite a nice display!
Then a year ago I was reading some papers on heavy metal contamination, and a species of Utric was mentioned, and an idea pinged into my head. Following it up, and receiving nothing but encouragement, I ended up doing my diss on CP's! It's really kick started me back into the hobby now. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to mention suppliers here (better safe than sorry) but thanks to the really friendly and accomodating nature of one of the CP suppliers in the UK, I managed to source the number of plants I needed, and also visited both Chelsea and Hampton Court this year.
My current plans are to create a bog-trough next to my house for some sarracenia to live in, as a trial. Previously I've either got the location wrong or not given them enough care (think they were in too much wind before). I am also on a project to chisel out a pine tree cross section. After about 6 hours work total, I've gotten maybe 1.5-2" into it, and I need to get at least 8" deep. I'm not sure what I'll do once I hollow it out. Any suggestions on CP's that can grow outside on the south of the UK, which have shallow roots?
I'm Chris, from Ferndown in Dorset.
I'm 22 and am coming into my 3rd and final year doing Environment and Coastal Management (BSc hons). I'm currently doing my research for my dissertation which is on CP's, using Dionaea and S.leucophylla in a controlled environment cabinet. I'm hoping the findings will be of use to hobbyists and conservationists alike!
I've been interested in carnivorous plants from when I was about 8. But sadly it was the usual affair for a young boy. Every spring I would want to buy plants and grow them on my windowsill or in the backgarden, but by autumn interest was dwindling and the plants would usually not survive the lack of care over winter. I did have some success with some tropical utrics (I think it was U.alpina, or possibly longifolia) however, discovering that my windowsill offered just enough light, and by growing them in a propagator with all vents closed, the plant survived and spread through the whole container in 9 months.
With changing schools and getting a bit more busy my interest went into it's own dormancy. I've always had at least one CP growing, and so from 16-20 it was a Nepenthes hybrid that slowly took over my windowsill. It would grow up, and I'd take cuttings. It was a fast enough grower for quite a few cuttings to be taken, though I only just got the hang of the water technique near the end, and so ended up with maybe half a dozen on my windowsill. I also had a cobra lily growing in a pot in the back garden from Hampton Court. Today I repotted it into I think a 45cm Pot (It used to be in a 7cm pot about 5 years ago I think). If I can combat the snail problem I'm hoping the year after next it'll be quite a nice display!
Then a year ago I was reading some papers on heavy metal contamination, and a species of Utric was mentioned, and an idea pinged into my head. Following it up, and receiving nothing but encouragement, I ended up doing my diss on CP's! It's really kick started me back into the hobby now. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to mention suppliers here (better safe than sorry) but thanks to the really friendly and accomodating nature of one of the CP suppliers in the UK, I managed to source the number of plants I needed, and also visited both Chelsea and Hampton Court this year.
My current plans are to create a bog-trough next to my house for some sarracenia to live in, as a trial. Previously I've either got the location wrong or not given them enough care (think they were in too much wind before). I am also on a project to chisel out a pine tree cross section. After about 6 hours work total, I've gotten maybe 1.5-2" into it, and I need to get at least 8" deep. I'm not sure what I'll do once I hollow it out. Any suggestions on CP's that can grow outside on the south of the UK, which have shallow roots?