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Post by cindy on Aug 5, 2007 23:28:19 GMT 8
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Post by jonathan on Aug 5, 2007 23:58:27 GMT 8
Hi Cindy...
Wow... such a beauty you have there.... i could just wish one day i could have a beautiful Cephalotus like yours..... it feels great even only by looking at the pic you post... what a beauty...
Regards Jonathan
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Post by cactustts on Aug 6, 2007 0:06:41 GMT 8
Cindy, where did you place your cephalotus? Direct sunlight? How's the day and night temperature like? How big the pitcher can go in your growing condition? How long have you been keeping this plant?
Too many questions.... pai seh... hehe. Growing cephalotus in the tropic is a big challenge to us, I think these are some of the questions which most of us would want to know.
TS
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Post by tarence on Aug 6, 2007 9:04:49 GMT 8
To save Cindy the trouble of re-writing her tips, here`s what she told me.
Cindy: hope you don`t mind I share with the rest yah ? thx.
Cindy says :
Cephalotus is not difficult to grow in Singapore. Having more heat resistant clone helps. On top of that, cooling is important. Growers who provide even a night drop with air-condition (~23-25degC) have larger pitchers. With heat somehow the pitchers remain small but there are plenty of off shoots. Mine largest plant is a clump of at least 50 pitchers. But they are all 1cm and less. Another grower who sleep in air-con at 16degC has got much fewer pitchers...at most 10...but they are looking like mature pitchers already. Mine did produce ONE adult pitcher during the cooler months last year but then again, my Cephs are all at my balcony which faces North-West. From 3pm onwards, it becomes very hot.
I water my Cephs only about 2-3 times a week. There are a few pots of them in different media. Peat/sand, peat/coarse sand, LFS/coarse sand, LFS/perlite...I don't see a difference in the mix although I was advised by the donor never to use LFS. My largest clump happens to be in LFS/perlite. Perhaps because I am careful with watering, the mix still works.
They have been with me for 1.5 years already and I have not lost a single plant.
As for light, Cephs do well in bright shade. No need for direct sunlight at all. The more light, the smaller the pitchers. No doubt that they will have some red on them with very bright light but since they are so small it doesn't quite make a difference. Less light and cooler conditions will give larger pitchers. Once the pitchers are of a good size, then you might want to increase the light intensity.
Honestly, all of my Cephs now are fuss-free. The only danger is forgetting to water them! And if the roots are too dry, the plant will turn yellow and it will lose half of its leaves for you.
All except two pots of my Cephs are covered with a plastic container. There is a hole on top for air-circulation. No necessary but I kinda like the way the pot looks. It started out as a way to harden TC Cephs but since the plants are doing well, I left the covers on. I have one at my windowsill exposed to very bright light and some direct sunlight (windows are tinted). Another plant is under flourescent light.
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Post by artificialive on Aug 6, 2007 9:34:52 GMT 8
Cindy, thanks for the tips. Tarence, thanks for sharing  How about the humidity levels? are cephs sensitive to humidity? Placing cephs indoors with aircond means lower humidity levels isnt it? |
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Post by tarence on Aug 6, 2007 10:00:02 GMT 8
Naj : are you intending to place the cephalotus permanently indoors or just at nite for the temp drop requirement ? Btw, are you thinking what I`m thinking ? Let`s get our cephalotuses !!!!! Heheh....but sigh, where ? ......I`m game to try again after getting the tips from Cindy. I did a couple of things wrong the 1st time.  |
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Post by cindy on Aug 6, 2007 13:20:21 GMT 8
cactustts: Hot months, the temperature varies between 33(day) and 29 (night). The largest pitcher I have got is 3/4 inch but it was formed during the cool months. I'll post pics later. tarence: thanks! artificialive: Humidity is not a issue. I have this experimental plant in my study room next to the window. This window receives bright light as well as direct sunlight through the tinted glass. Lately, I have to turn on the air-con in the afternoon everyday in order that my computer won't crash. It is still fine. The poor thing suffered a bit recently because I forgot to water it...it is in a thumbpot like Hongrui's. It lost like half of its pitchers and leaves.  |
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Post by cindy on Aug 6, 2007 21:21:49 GMT 8
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Post by artificialive on Aug 7, 2007 8:39:05 GMT 8
Tarence: Haha! Tarence, u are really good at mind reading ;D p/s: where to find them?
Cindy: Wah Cindy, very jealous to see ur Cephs ;D your plants really make me drool. Very nice, very nice, especially for the pitchers that had developed the red coloring. I see, so humidity is not an issue. How do u water them? do they need dormancy period?
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Post by cindy on Aug 7, 2007 9:46:58 GMT 8
I don't think Cephs need a winter's rest like VFTs or Sarracenias. But then again, they have only been with me for 1.5yrs. Cephs will take 3-4 years to mature from TC. There is one plant which I placed with some small Neps. With I foliar feed the Neps, I mist it as well. So far no adverse effect but I am not sure if it will benefit...will have to wait another 6 months since it grows so slowly.  |
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Post by cindy on Sept 3, 2007 22:46:33 GMT 8
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