I'm going to try this/could this work?

[saltee]

Ok, so I've been into carnivorous plants for a few weeks now and I've been learning quite a bit- so now i'm going to try an experiment and I would like to know peoples ideas and input before going through with it. But first I would like to present some of the research that I've found about CPs and would love to be corrected if there seems to be a discrepancy. In reading about proper substrates, I have gathered this- that carnivorous plants tend to require acidic substrates (usually sphagnum) layered on top of some sort of sand (usually perlite). From what I've gathered the main idea is having some acidic organic substance on top of a sandy substance that the plants roots can get a hold of and still be aerated- yet is not too alkaline as minerals seem to be harmful- thus this lower substrate needs to be as close to a neutral PH as possible.

That said- could the following work?

My hypothesis is that given the above criteria, it appears that the traditional substrate could be much simplified- in the form of using a highly porous sponge in leau of sand.

My reasoning is that a spong would provide a ph neutral platform from which to grow while at the same time not suffer from the possibility of compacting as sand might. Without compacting, the roots would be able to breath much better and the absorbent nature of the sponge would also act as a basic hydroponic system. This idea would also eliminate the need for soil maintnence.

As for the top layer, i'm planning on using peat moss as I'm a massive aquarium geek and a true believer in its acidic qualities- I plan on using east canadian peat moss.

All that said, I eagerly await peoples opinions/experience/theories and Happy plantkeeping!

[Clint]

I can think of few people who do this. Joseph Clemens does has some unusual methods for his Pinguicula media, maybe he'll chime in. I know Travis Wyman uses, and reccomended to me, filling pots with half perlite, then half LFS when growing Orchioides Utricularia. growing I don't know where you heard CP's in general require an acidic substrate on top of perlite. Just mix your media together. There's no reason to have the lower substrate PH neutral. I do know one person that grow things like D. adela and Mexican Pinguicula in pure perlite, and some people root plants in pure perlite. I can see you growing something like Mexican Pinguicula or Utricularia on a sponge, but that's all I can envision. You could try rock wool instead, which seems like the roots would be able to penetrate that more easily.

It just seems like you're really over complicating the issue of media. If you have a mixture of, let's say any ratios of perlite, LFS, bark, charcoal, and a plethora of other options, you're not going to have to worry about aeration. While pure LFS can get soggy, it still has more than ample aeration for the vast majority of plants, with a few Nepenthes preferring more complicated mixtures. For example, I use pure LFS for all of my Heliamphora and Nepenthes (because I can't water as often as I'd like), except for two species. N. campanulata, which I grow in 50% baked clay pebbles, 25% fir bark/charcoal, 25% LFS, a dash of peat to bind it together (maybe a tablespoon), and I added 10% of the volume of the pot of Aragonite and crushed scallop shell to this. Also, N. clipeata, which I received yesterday, is planted in 2/1 perlite/peat. Both of these of a top dressing of LFS to conserve moisture. The only aeration problems I've ever had, with anything, is when temperate plants are sitting in a tray of water that doesn't evaporate and is replaced frequently enough., or plants in undrained containers. Not to mention, some Sarracenia benefit from the tannins in their peaty mixtures, and in fact lose their vivid red color when those tannins are depleted.

There's a big difference of what a plant can grow on successfully, and what it requires, by the way. Please don't think I'm saying you couldn't, or shouldn't do this. Please do!Experiments are ALWAYS good. I'm just saying few plants are grown like this, and there's no real reason to do this. I've never, ever seen any wild CP growing in an acidic substrate over a layer of sand, and I've never heard of any CP requiring the lower media to be neutral. The media in the wild is usually homogenized, and when the it's not, then it's usually a plant growing in live LFS over whatever substrate (be it mostly sand, peat, or clay-muck), but this is not because it require it; it's because LFS also grows. Six feet away could be a plant growing in almost pure sand, or muck, and it can look just as healthy.

As far as sand being heavy, yes, it is, but after seeing temperate plants in the wild and experimenting with different ratios, my preferred media is 2/1 sand/peat for temperates. Add some, or a lot, perlite if you'd like. This media seems, for me at least, to help keep the plants from being too moist. I've never seen tropical plants, like Heliamphora or Nepenthes in the wild, but I can tell you peat/sand mixtures are inappropriate for them in the first place, and since your main concern seems to be aeration and compaction, there's no reason to worry if you stick with light, airy, free draining mixtures. My preference for Nepenthes is 1/1/1 orchid mix/perlite/LFS. I would use this mixture if I could water as often as I'd like.