Discussion on:

TR Garden Club Episode 10 Southern Hemisphere 2012

This is a continuation of a discussion started here: (TRGC Part 1) http://preview.tinyurl.com/2qflz5
And continued here: (TRGC Part 2) http://preview.tinyurl.com/ytxn7j
Then proceeded to carry on here: (TRGC Part 3) http://tinyurl.com/6fw8c7
You can find Part #4 here: http://tinyurl.com/6pteb6
Part #5 can be located here: http://preview.tinyurl.com/bekqml
Part #6 is here: http://preview.tinyurl.com/bs5t45
Part #7 can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/2bajdru
Part #8 can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/5rlq6ng
Part #9 can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/9ym54ck

My plants/weeds nearly Spring 2012. Yes I know I'm jumping the gun a bit as it's not Spring yet but I haven't had to wear a jumper all day for a few days now just in the mourning and evening so the bigger part of the day is almost bearable.

The Wifes daughter brought down a new weed yesterday a Hybrid Nepenthes the pitcher is a bit past it's Use By date but I think you'll get the general idea, and yes those are 12 inch wide beams behind it.

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00700.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00701.jpg

I posted this picture last time as a Nepenthes Pitcher was about to open

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00694.jpg

and here it is open

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00702.jpg

The Saracenia Flava Flower Spikes are growing so hopefully very soon Spring will be here

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00703.jpg

This little N Hybrid is looking quite nice now that its had a few days to fully open and start to color up

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00705-1.jpg

Then something different its a Utricularia a.k.a. Bladderwart which are generally aquatic but this is one of the Terrestrial ones so you dont get to see any of the traps just the small delicate flowers its a species Utricularia Livida

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00706.jpg

The newest addition to the garden is a Bird feeder which was given to me by the next door neighbor and its proved Stuningly Unsuccessful as nothing will eat from it. But I can not help but laugh at the way that the Lorries watch it just in case it gets too close. They are willing to land on the Rod that its suspended from or the ground under it and don't bat an eyelid when one on the pole fly away leaving the Bird Feeder jumping up and down but they are not going anywhere near the available food.

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00710.jpg

And finialy one of our regulars a Baby Magpie who will very soon be driven off by its parents to make way for this years version. This little fellow walks to the front door up the steps and then demands to be feed. If the door is open and there is no one in the living room he walks over to the coffee table jumps up on that and announcers his presence by squawking till he gets attention and more importantly food. Its quite happy to stay indoors if anything bigger is outside who could take the food away from him.

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00704.jpg

SWMBO has been driving me more nuts than normal lately by sniggering whenever I say something about making something out of wood so as a Spring Resolution Im going to make a flying model of the WW11 WMD a V2 complete with a Pluse Jet Engine so it not only looks like the real thing but sounds like one as well. I drive her nuts as I dont actually fly these models and allow others to fly them when they have display days. I just enjoy building the models and this is what she finds difficult to understand. Spending hundreds of hours building the things and never actually using them. The reality however is I just lack the time on display days to be there to fly them. Hopefully it should look and sound interesting even if its not a very spectacular model to fly.

Col

Last year we dug up the previous owners' flower bed because we wanted to plant Peonies.
Digging up the raised bed, we found, under the tarp that was at ground level, some red shoots all squished up against it.
Peonies :^0!
Apparently they frequently survive for years and years deep underground... last year they didn't flower, must have been rough down there, but this year they came out very nicely.

We also planted lilies last year, but this year we got scarlet lily beetles :_(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scarlet_lily_beetle
Nasty little stinkers. Best bet we hear is to hand-pick and squish them.

Damn prolific too... makes us consider scrapping lilies from the plans entirely

Personally I prefer Chemical Warfare on insect invaders but then again I'm lazy and don't like to do more work that I absolutely have to.

Besides having carnivorous plants they tend to eat what tries to eat them.

With anything used as Weed Mat a lot of things can survive under that for a very long time. Many people who are like me and lazy just throw something over what was growing after hitting it with a Brush-Cutter and hope that it's not going to grow through. With Plastic type Weed Mats it tends not to but if you throw newspaper down I've seen things wait till it breaks down 5 years latter before making a reappearance. They seem to be quite happy to sit and wait till they can fight their way through whatever barrier is placed between them and the sunlight.

Col

The only effective stuff that works, kills bees as well.

It leaves the remedies that may or may not prevent them from laying eggs or feeding, so that means treating the plants every week all through spring.
Hand-picking and squishing is probably the most effective method that won't do collateral damage.

TR won't let me start new topics, and demands log-in every two seconds... is it just me or are they screwing with the site again?

It's just you not a problem here.

Though I have to admit that the site looks different this morning with Flash Add working again instead of white blocks over the screen. So I would hazard a guess that they have been messing with the site and there where some "Issues" while it was underway.

Though i must admit that I've not been getting any Discussion Alerts for about a week now and that doesn't seemed to have changed.

Col

Infernal exploder is unaffected

*rubs hands delightedly in anticipation* Hand-squishing bugs is remarkably satisfying.

feeding bugs to Nepenthes is remarkably satisfying and as an added benefit the plants grow really well.

If you want to squish things may I suggest Bubble Wrap the Red kind with Stress Relief Pad stenciled on it?

Col

Plus, bugs usually crunch. Which isn't the same as 'pop'.

When the bugs squash some send a jet of their gizzards spurting out and sometimes hitting your clothing making a mess.

The Stress Relief Mat can not do that and is far cleaner.

Besides dumping bugs into Nepenthes Pitchers is far more fun and it's good for the plant. See how much I like growing plants.

I even had to take a jumper off today it was getting a bit warm and I started sweating slightly. When I looked at the Temp it was only 25C which is a long way from hot by we are finally getting there.

Col

I have this one and they have such a great fragrance http://www.whiteflowerfarm.com/35433-product.html# Its a shame that the flower heads are so heavy. If you don't stake them, they end up on the ground.

AV

We also have an Angel Cheeks, I think maybe the old ones were Shirley Temples, and then we have two different pink ones.

It generally doesn't get cold enough. I top-dress and feed them but all I get are leaves; no buds. I'm on the line between US agricultural zones 7 and 8 (the higher the number, the warmer the winter). I found a new peony rated for zone 9, so maybe it will perform in my area.

Tulips are the same way. They'll bloom the first spring, but only leaves in subsequent years. Daffodils are hit or miss, depending on the variety.

You could try icing the ground once, like if the freezer needs emptying of ice formations anyway... and of course, you can cover the ice with an insulator/reflector layer to keep it working for a while.

People up here do odder things to keep their stuff alive through winter, so why should you have it easier?

refrigerated for a few weeks, then replanted, as far south as you are.

Putting up a feeder with a big a$$ cat face in front of it. And it bobs up and down when they try to land on it. That has to be traumatic for the poor Lorries who only want to take a bite.

Where can I get one? I'd love to put it up in my yard.

AV

You have the most interesting plants in your garden. They look so compelling. I know its early on in the Spring for you guys, we're still enjoying Summer here. I'm not looking forward to the winter.

It was a really tough season here. We had 100 degree temps for several days and that burned a lot of what I was growing out. I did have a fabulous lettuce crop and its still growing. Salads all summer long with different lettuces and Mesclun were great this year. I also have lots of potatoes and they're just about done now. Little Fingerlings and Red potatoes. The deer ate all of my string beans and I only got one bunch out of my plants. And, the chipmunks, who are usually benign wrecked all but one of my Dinner Plant Dahlias. They ate the leaves in protest because I didn't put enough food out for them.

Ah, nature. Isn't it grand?

AV

Yep I know not much difference but.

S Flava with Flower Spikes & new growth

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00721.jpg

Same weed but with the Yellow Petals of the flower starting to show and some new growth in the right hand side

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00720.jpg

S Hybrid with new growth showing the red shoots.

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00715.jpg

Another S Hybrid with a Flower Spike just breaking the surface of the dirt and some new growth

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00714.jpg

S Purpura with a Flower Spike

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00713.jpg

Another S Flava with flower spikes

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00719.jpg

There should be some new Saracenia Pitchers within a week or 2 so spring is defiantly getting close.

Col

It's finally happened the Lorries are eating out of my new bird feeder

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00722.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00723.jpg

Well 1 is at least.

Col

Now you just have to find an identical looking real cat and teach it to hang on an identical looking trough... and ...

All this time, I must confess, I have refrained from looking up what a lorry is in this context
Now, seeing is believing
Those sure are colorful... looks like it would be a noisy bird, but what would I know

And yes, they're noisy. People pay $1.00 for a couple of ounces of pineapple juice in a plastic cup, then enter the lorry enclosure to feed them. I like to switch the cup from hand to hand frequently and make the little suckers work for it. Sometimes you can get four or five fighting over one cup.

Of course, they frequently return the processed juice...

Are a parrot and are only known as being Extremely Noisy. Not only are they noisy they have to get the last squawk in so they compete with each other to get in the last noise.

I of course sit there and say Hello Hansom and it drives them nuts, they end up flying away squawking their little heads off. I must have trained one to say Hello as it scared the living daylights out of the neighbor as one sat up in their back landing and when she walked out to feed her birds it said hello to her. Seems that she threw the bird seed all over the place when that happened. She next stood out the front throwing some bread for the wild birds and it sat on the gutter above her saying hello.

It scared her senseless the first time so I decided to change from Hello to Hello Hansom.

Those things love wet bread so you soak some bread in milk and they go crazy over it. The Bird Sanctuary at the Gold Coast here has thousands of them and they actually fight with each other to get the best position to feed on you. They are also known as Squirter's as they squirt their appreciation of you from a fair distance away to stain your cloths and show just how much that they like you. People here say if they crap on you they really like you so if you have several different birds stain your clothing you must be really special in their eyes

http://www.cws.org.au/

Oh and should I add that these noisy little monsters have taken up residence in several trees besides a Football Club down the road here and can be heard well into the night arguing on who gets the highest branch to roust on over night. Seems that once the Football Club turns off the Lights over the fields they quieten down but while they have light they fly around making lots of noise.

Also if you sit down holding some bread they will come and eat it out of your hand while standing on you to get the best position to feed. They are the Wild Birds here and have not been encouraged to eat off people they are just that greedy.

Col

it will probably be the size of a turkey, come Christmas ;D

The Saracenia Flava's are really close to opening their flower this one has part of a petal exposed and should be open tomorrow followed by several more opening in the next few days

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00744.jpg

same pot with both flower spikes

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00746.jpg

Another shot of S Flava with 2 flower spikes

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00745.jpg

A S Hybrid now with easily spotted flower spikes and new growth

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00743.jpg

A 2 year old S purpura Seedling showing new growth

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00747.jpg

The parent Purpura that donated the seed for the above weed with a developing Flower Spike

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00742.jpg

12 month old S Flava Seedlings

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00748.jpg

Col

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00750.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00749.jpg

3 Saracenia Flava Flowers.

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00754.jpg

and another pot of Flava's.

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00753.jpg

And I have 4 Saracenia Flowers Open though 2 are past their Best Buy Date. The first Flava to open a Flower

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00756.jpg

The second pot that opened flowers

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00755.jpg

The S Purpura now has 2 flower spikes on it and one will be open within a day or two

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00758.jpg

A Complicated S Hybrid that is a Hybrid on a Hybrid on a Hybrid but hopefully I'll get some seeds this year from it

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00757.jpg

And naturally being the first day of spring it's cold unlike yesterday which was quite warm.

Col

S Flava Seedling showing new growth

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00767.jpg

S Hybrid with Unopened Flower Spikes and new growth

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00761.jpg

S Flava Flower Spikes and new growth with Pitchers beginning to open

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00762.jpg

S Hybrid with new growth

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00764.jpg

S Phisitinia showing new growth

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00765.jpg

S Flava with new Pitcher opening and flower

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00766.jpg

S Purpura Flower Opening today

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00760.jpg

N Hybrid with new growth

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00759.jpg

It's amazing what a difference a week makes to new growth.

Col

Its probably not even officially Spring yet. Love that N Hybrid pic. The pitchers must get pretty big if they're just starting to grow now.

AV

I re-potted a couple of weeds during the week which is usual at the beginning of the growing season but one was this plant.

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00702.jpg

Being very careful I managed to smash a new unopened pitcher and break every end off the leaf tendrils as I was pushing the peat moss down around it. I did not however manage to damage the pitcher in the picture but every other one I destroyed. I also re potted that Nepenthes Hybrid in the above post and didn't do any damage at all to it in the same size pot with the same mix. The only thing I didn't manage to break off was the growing tip so it would shoot from the base and get nice and thick.

Even the Drosera that I re-potted looks somewhat worse for wear at the moment though by the end of the month it should look much better I Hope and be growing in the tub quite nicely. It's in the back of this picture and is now just the bumps at the top of each tip. The one in the blue pot in the background with the red leaves.

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00706.jpg

But as I say you don't have to be stupid it just helps no end.

Col

edited to add OH Spring Officially Started here September 1 so it's now the ninth day of Spring here at the moment.

What is it? Hal, you naughty thing for growing that. Geez, Louise, Nature at its finest (blush)

AV

It's been a long couple-three years since mine was well tended Been the longest couple-three years of my life. Nothing shows that here more than my back yard. It's had more care this year than in the last two. I'm a little surprise what's hangin' in.

I'm fairly sure the raspberries are gone. I've a blackberry along one fence line that appears to have made it. There's a young blackberry coming up in what has in past been the main garden. I hope to move it successfully in Spring. I've two of three red currant bushes going strong. I'd like to have about three more. That big ol' gorgeous rose is still happy, and spit out five babies. I've given them all away.

I'm losing to ash borers. I think I'll just cut the trees to the ground and hope they spit fresh growth in Spring. Spiders lilies are blooming.

In Spring, I'd like to dig up the raspberry bed, with an eye to replacing them. I desperately need to get rid of the garlic chives. Biggest mistake I've ever made. I want to move all berries to Walter's side of the yard,

In the meantime, I'm getting in trouble on Facebook.

Re potted D Capensis

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00770.jpg

How they all looked after I re-potted them

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00773.jpg

and now that they are growing even if the pot is not draining properly

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00772.jpg

Utriculia re-potted and it will eventually cover the entire pot and this pot drains right though with this plant it could afford not to.

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00771.jpg

A Saracenia Complex Man-made Hybrid that is taking off even if the flowers are not open yet and in the background a bone of contention a Red Hatted Gnome which magically appeared after SWMBO threatened to buy me one.

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00774.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00783.jpg

Some other Man made S Hybrids

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00777.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00778.jpg

S Flava with the pitchers now fully open and starting to color

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00779.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00784.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00776.jpg

S purpuria with flower fully open and no new growth

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00781.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00780.jpg

S Psicinia showing new growth

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00782.jpg

N Ventrosica well 2 actually that are out of control and need attention as they have grown together. Even if SWMBO insists that they"ll be right.

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00785.jpg

Upper Pitcher from one of those Ventrosica's

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00786.jpg

This weed again showing not how to re-pot

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00789-1.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00787.jpg

and a view into this crushed pitcher showing it still works

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00788.jpg

A N Hybrid showing new growth and existing open pitchers both Upper Lower and Intermediate pitchers

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00769.jpg

The Complex Sarracenia Hybrid flower opened today

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00790.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00791.jpg

Another S Hybrid is getting ready to open it's flower in the next week

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00792.jpg

And the Flava's are fully open and beginning to color up quite nicely

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00793.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00794.jpg

I always like to see your pics. So exotic.

This Complex S Hybrid with both flowers open.

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00796.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00795.jpg

Of course you realize I only post these to make you jealous as you are heading into Winter and will be stuck indoors.

Col

I don't head too far South if I head South.

You don't want me to post the pics of the next Sarracenias Flower to open sometime this week.

Or for that matter any of the new pitchers that are growing when they open.

Col

Nepenthes Ventroscia intermediate pitcher I thought you may like this one.

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00807.jpg

Nepenthes Mirabilis lower pitcher and plant

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00803.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00804.jpg

Nepenthes Mirindi smashed pitcher and it's contents

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00806.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00805.jpg

Sarracenia Hybrid Flowers

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00798.jpg

Sarracenia Purpura flower dropping it's petals today

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00797.jpg
The Stamens are clearly visible the the yellow powdery coating on the lower bit of the flower is Pollen.

Sarracenia Leucophylla new pitchers opening

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00801.jpg

Sarracenia Flava Pitcher

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00802.jpg

Drosera Capensis a week after re-potting and again today

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00770.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00800.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00799.jpg

it's actually looks as if it might be growing.

Finally a Drosera Binata a forked leaf sundew

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00808.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00809.jpg

Don't say that I don't try Davette.

Col

A Nepenthes Ventroscia Upper Pitcher forming

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00840_zps88ef21ff.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00841_zpsc6c667dd.jpg

Sarracenia Purpura second flower

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00842_zps0a11ba0c.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00847_zps36e3316c.jpg

S Hybrid flower starting to open and the second one is showing signs of dehydration

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00843_zpsba8ae148.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00844_zps23014b8d.jpg

S Hybrid with new growth

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00845_zps96d43add.jpg

S Hybrid with new pitchers open and coloring

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00846_zps078fcbd7.jpg

Forked Leaf Sundew with first flowers of the season

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00848_zpsb5ed4a1a.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00849_zpsd4fdded8.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00850_zps3cc748d0.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00851_zps2184c41d.jpg

The Day that SWMBO went into Hospital so it's taken a bit of time to get these up.

A S Minor finally showing decent growth for the year

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/October%2016%202012/DSC00871_zps2313ec10.jpg

N Hybrid starting to grow fast after repoting

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/October%2016%202012/DSC00863_zpsc11c945d.jpg

S Purpura Seedling 2 years old

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/October%2016%202012/DSC00872_zps967e0c25.jpg

Parent of the above seedling

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/October%2016%202012/DSC00874_zps17bdcbd7.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/October%2016%202012/DSC00887_zps43ed1204.jpg

S leuphillia

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/October%2016%202012/DSC00870_zps44b05c72.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/October%2016%202012/DSC00882_zps5f9de3ba.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/October%2016%202012/DSC00881_zpse817c816.jpg

Forked Leaf Sunder in flower

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/October%2016%202012/DSC00873_zpsec3978e1.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/October%2016%202012/DSC00889_zpse6479927.jpg

N Ventroscia Upper Pitcher unopen

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/October%2016%202012/DSC00868_zps22d9050e.jpg

N Mirabillis Female Flower Spike

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/October%2016%202012/DSC00865_zps1fa742dd.jpg

N Hybrid new pitcher forming

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/October%2016%202012/DSC00864_zps84776d48.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/October%2016%202012/DSC00890_zpsd75d04cf.jpg

N Ventroscia

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/October%2016%202012/DSC00867_zpseb8f8251.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/October%2016%202012/DSC00884_zpse379d542.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/October%2016%202012/DSC00885_zpsa3eee204.jpg

S Flava

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/October%2016%202012/DSC00875_zpsc11bcebe.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/October%2016%202012/DSC00869_zps88ce66fe.jpg

S complex Hybrid

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/October%2016%202012/DSC00876_zps37726e6b.jpg

another complex Sarracenia Hybrid

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/October%2016%202012/DSC00877_zpsd62811fa.jpg

Yet another S Hybrid

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/October%2016%202012/DSC00878_zpsef838fe2.jpg

and another

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/October%2016%202012/DSC00879_zps974b9770.jpg

Drosera Capensis growing at last after repoting

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/October%2016%202012/DSC00880_zps65e8737c.jpg

Col

Nepenthes Hybrid with new flower spike showing

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00899_zpsd8875609.jpg

The flower spike just emerged from the newest leaf today

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00900_zpsde723f75.jpg

New Nepenthes Hybrid unopened pitcher

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00901_zps14933c68.jpg

And a new pitcher starting on a leaf above it

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00902_zps8ce0fb13.jpg

Newly opened N Ventrocisia Upper Pitcher before the Lip rolls over, this pitcher has not been open 24 hours yet

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00903_zps388a48ed.jpg

N Ventrocisia Female Flower. You can see where the Pollen lands to fertilize the flower

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00904_zpsf87e5954.jpg

N Ventrocisia Upper Pitcher with Lunch waiting to fall in.

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00905_zps4d4f51e3.jpg

Col

I love how they will grow amongst the ferns. Is that so they don't get too much light?

Also, I was wondering, because I noticed when I had a VTF, when the plant captured some food it made the pod quite unsightly after that. When one of the pitchers eats the food, can you see remnants left behind after its finished? With my VTF, there were dark spots from the carcasses.

AV

I got bumped by spammers.

AV

The VFT's shouldn't discolor unless the insects overhang the actual trap or they are dead. A VFT requires the insect to struggle to fully close and dissolve the insect. Of course if there are any chemicals on the insect that can change how things work. When a VFT Catches any insect they should put on a Burst of Growth and the number of leaves should increase in both Number and size. If that doesnt happen there is something wrong with the potting mix or there is fertilizer involved.

As for the Nepenthes and Sarracenia's they have a fluid in the bottom of the pitchers which is the same as what is inside a human stomach, it dissolves the fleshy parts of the insects and the leaf absorbs the nutrients while the Exoskeleton remains in the bottom of the pitcher.

Sarracenia Pitchers can laterally fill up with ants in a couple of days and be useless after that. Of course the Crows love them when they are like that they poke a hole in the bottom of the leaf and suck the remains out that way for their own food. Destroys the leaf and doesn't do the plant any good either as it's no longer getting the required nutrients to grow.

Currently Im taking some photos of a Nepenthes Pitcher and Flower Spike opening for a Book that someone is writing so I'll post a link to the photos which are one a day roughly every 24 hours showing the nearly fully developed pitcher opening to the fully open stage. Unfortantly the Beta Photobucket doesn't allow me to create any Albums at the moment so I'll have to post the individual photos.

Col

I like to displace the spammers though and push their unwanted threads down to the bottom. I have no way to kill it, otherwise I would. Right under this thread is another undesirable spammer thread in the Water Cooler that I would like to blow to smithereens.

I have to admit, and you're gonna laugh, I fed my VFTs and I probably overfed them. I feel evil and dirty. I used to capture flies and stick them in the pods. I hope that doesn't mean I'm going to Hell. o:-) I thought they weren't eating enough, so I helped them.

To me it was a win-win situation. I got rid of pesky flies and they had a feast. Whats wrong with that? So sue me.

Anyway, I guess I gave my VTF's a little too much food and they couldn't digest it all and sort of passed away.

Unlike the pitcher plants, the VTFs don't have much of a waste receptacle to contain what they don't eat. I'll bet too that you don't see the darkness in their skins from the outside like in the VTFs that kind of mars their beauty when things don't digest all the way. I could be wrong.

AV

Edit: My Angel emoticon didn't work. Not sure why

Though when they do catch things you can see them through the actual leaf as there is a bulge in it. The way that they close is a 2 part setup. They trigger quickly and trap the insect and then over the next 12 hours or so closes fully and squash the insect. They close all around the outside of the trap so that no fluid escapes and they then crush everything inside the trap They can only eat something about 3 times but if you trigger the trap they can close and reopen about 12 times.

That however very much depends on the individual plant though. I currently have a couple still living here and as they have just come out of Winter Dormancy they are really small. The bigger pot didn't survive winter but the moss is growing very well on it if that helps.

I've never been very successful with VFT's myself and the pot that is still alive is the wifes so I'm just avoiding them all together.

Col

Mine just didn't work. Maybe its an omen.

The only kind of VFT's we have here are pretty puny. Its just not the right climate, even if they live in an enclosed environment. I guess they're fussy little plants being that they can only eat something 3 times.

How is SWMBO doing? I hope shes getting better.

AV

That if I treat her as Fragile she's going to beat the living daylights out of me. So to that end she's walking up and getting the papers herself now, cooking for the house but only because she doesn't trust me in the Kitchen or worse still her Daughter in Law who will poison her at the first opportunity.

She's still not up to driving or mowing the lawn but she's well and truly up to beating me if I touch her Honda Lawn Mower. Some people seem to think that I'm being nasty making her mow the yard but she really wants to as she takes out her frustration about the Daughter in Law on the Poor Defenseless Grass apparently it's therapy for her.

Been exactly 2 weeks today since the opp so over all she's doing well and is as cheeky as ever, She's still insisting that she's Innocent and can do no wrong so overall she's doing quite well.

Pity that she is so delusional and unfortunately there is no treatment for that.

The new Medication is a bit different and will take some time to get used to but over all she's doing well.

Col

Sounds like you have your work cut out for you with SWMBO. In some ways, I think you might not mind her penchant for mowing the yard. You are a lucky man, Col. Just ask any guy anywhere.

You know, you never know how meds are going to affect someone. Just look at the commercials that advertise the meds and you'll wonder why anyone ever takes them. Yes, they will cure your ailment, *but* if you experience blindness in both your eyes and have thoughts of suicide or your arm suddenly goes limp, call your doctor. LOL.

AV

Driving me around for a couple of days to see if I could survive the IV Valium she decided that she was OK to drive. Only took me 3 days to stop shaking.

As for her new Meds she's on them for the rest of her life apparently your Thyroid is sort of important and if you stop taking what they prescribe you get sick.

On the up side she's saying now that she's loosing weight and even her Monster in Law says that she's looking better than she has for a very long time.

So it must mean something.

Col

It was about 10 years ago and yes, she has to live on medication forever, as most of us do anyway, but she has done very well with it. I think with meds that it takes awhile to get used to, but they are just a blessing once you get used to them.

So, Hal, you can count on SWMBO being around for a long time to come.

AV

A VFT that has been under SWMBO destructions for several years now it may even survive another year but I'm not hopeful

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00978.jpg

A Sarracenia Purpuria seedling actually growing and it's parent

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00979.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00982.jpg

Sarracenia Leuphillia probably in need or re potting

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00980.jpg

A S Hybrid growing quite well now that it's got it's hope of reproducing out of the road

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00981.jpg

S Hybrids

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00983.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00984.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00985.jpg

And finally a S Minor

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00986.jpg

Col

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC01024.jpg

Yes the wood you can see behind this pitcher is 12 inches wide so this is a big pitcher.

Finally a Male Nepenthes Flower beginning to open

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC01022.jpg

Col

How would these do in FL, basically untended for the bulk of the year, do you think? I hate the friggin' bugs down there.

The Hybrid Male Nepenthes Flower opening the give away are the yellow blobs of Pollen and it's now surrounded be Female nepenthes Ventroscia Flowers.

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC01041.jpg

One of the many Female Nepenthes Flower Spikes they are so common that I feel I now have a Harem of Female Nepenthes.

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00853.jpg

Col

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC01157.jpg

And one with Food waiting to drop in

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC01154.jpg

A Drosera Capensis flower about to open

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC01159.jpg

But then again I may be wrong.

A hungry Drosera Capensis eating

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC02742_zpsb8382069.jpg

and the same plant today

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC02785_zps08461589.jpg

and another one with a flower

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC02784_zpsb1755b06.jpg

A new weed that the Wifes Daughter got for me a Drosera Spatulata a Local to the area

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC02653_zpsaf9be2ae.jpg

and again today

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC02783_zps76da5e03.jpg

The Big Nepenthes Hybrid Pitcher is still going though with all of the hot weather recently most have stopped growing this is what it looked like when it was first opening

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC00901_zps6e55bdfe.jpg

and today

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC02774_zps8341b598.jpg

Finally a Hungry Nepenthes Ventroscia Pitcher well the ants are hungry at least, this pitcher has been open for 3 days

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC02779_zpsd8d0f3a1.jpg

Everything took a bit of a hiding when the tail end of Cyclone Oswald came past the place and got blown around but no real damage was done.

Col

eating with their mouths open...

Over a 8 day period showing a Nepenthes Ventroscia Upper Pitcher opening.

The photos where taken on a Tripod at the same placing and same height and any movement shown is down to the plant growing and wind.

I'll add a few more pictures till the pitcher is fully open.

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC02707_zpsf539723f.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC02722_zps779735a4.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC02736_zps50782cb7.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC02752_zpsa41840c1.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC02766_zpsa999f357.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC02780_zps1649251c.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC02796_zps7c71a23a.jpg

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC02812-1_zps9b8154ac.jpg

Very lush looking. I guess soon the pitcher will be "open for business", so to speak.

AV

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC02828_zps353dd92f.jpg

It's well fed actually.

Col

When it captures something, doesn't the lid slam shut to keep it trapped? Maybe thats just true of VFTs.

AV

Anything that falls into it can not climb out as the inside of the pitcher is covered in a Wax substance which clogs insects foot pads so they can not get a grip on anything.

Then according to some researchers the nectar that the insects eats has a slight drug effect on the bugs and they get stoned and just lie in the fluid at the bottom of the pitcher drowning.

The fluid is similar to what is found in Humans Stomachs and it dissolves the insects and the leaf absorbers the nutrients. It's the same as most plants which absorb nutrients thought their leaves and that's why leaf Feeding Fertilizer is so effective.

Col

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC02829_zpsf425c680.jpg

Though today it's raining and black outside so there is some Flash Bounce and while things are better than the usual time I take them it's not much better.

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC02844_zps78de2754.jpg

Col

But it's no where near as dark and the Pitcher is now fully open.

Col

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC02862_zps76bd9579.jpg

See if you can pick this pitcher on the plant.

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC02864_zps83f07a25.jpg

How about some Magic Beans which the wife brought on Saturday and I'm attempting to Bonsai.

I don't want the vines growing up to the Giants Realm in the sky or worse still aircraft flying past crashing into them. These are what Jack traded the cow for in Jack and the Beanstalk.

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC02837_zps38b73ebc.jpg

As it's raining heavily outside and very black I'm not sure just how good any other pictures will turn out today but I'll leave it a little while and see if the lighting gets any better. Otherwise I'll have lots of Flash Bounce over the other plants.

Col

I've started a good number of veggie seeds indoors, using a lighted plant rack my sister gave me years ago. I had to buy new bulbs, but no biggie.

I've done some heirloom tomatoes and peppers (both sweet and hot), malabar spinach, okra, cucumber, pumpkin, cantaloupe, watermelon, and several winter squash. I've got to hunt up some rudbeckia and echinacea seed to fill a fourth tray. Most things have sprouted, though the peppers are excruciatingly slow.

I've pole bean and corn, as well as a greens mix, carrots, and beets to sow directly.

My soil is not acidic enough, so I'm going to be amending heavily this year. *sigh*

I'mma tear her up soon!

Spring is coming you'll be able to play outside very soon.

Col

We still have a snow cover, so nothing happening here. I tried starting peppers inside one year, but it didn't work well enough for me. The seedlings from the peppers were so small, and no, they didn't grow fast enough. I did not have luck growing them indoors.

I didn't have luck with the potato bags either. The potatoes grew much more robustly in the planter beds. My planter beds got a little beaten up from Hurricane Sandy, so I have to fix them (I'm amazed they are still standing).

I might try some heirloom tomatoes this year. Usually I just grow cherries and beefsteak tomatoes. I love the bush beans. They are so easy. I had a lot of critter problems last year, so I fenced in the beds and pots, but some of the plants didn't like it and died.

My worst critter last year was the CHIPMUNK! Yes, chipmunks climbed up my raised garden beds and pots and roto-rootered all the seeds. They ate the buds off of my Dinner Plate Dahlias. I was so worried about the deer and the gophers, but I forgot about the tiny little chipmunks. *SIGH*

AV

Alvin would never do something like that.

Honest.

Col

http://now.msn.com/carnivorous-plants-glow-bright-blue-to-attract-prey

Its the equivalent of the bugs going to Vegas. Decadence in bugville. Sin City. The equivalent of sex, drugs and rock and roll. Ha Ha. Even the bugs do it.

AV

Now I wonder what my Ventroscia would look like under those circumstances.

It's a bit big and there is a steady stream of ants and flies visiting it. The flies just sit there while I take their photos like this.

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC03051_zpseb0269a9.jpg

Col

I guess the fly is considering going inside. Kamakaze mission.

AV

This is Gimpy the Baby Magpie who demands to be feed and then sings for about 30 minutes saying thanks or maybe I'm chocking and about to die. Actually he is singing to me now.

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC04401_zps72562554.jpg

Also as it's now getting really close to the start of Winter here is the last new pitcher I expect to see this growing period.

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj121/HAL9000_photo/DSC04370_zpsc06dd41d.jpg

Col