Carnivorous plant "N. ventrata"

[elgecko]

awesome hamata, thanks to you two i am into cps and the ventrata cutting i have is starting to open up a group of new leaves and my seedlings are looking the same(neps) but my sundew seedlings are getting pretty big.

Thanks for the comment.

CP's are cool.
Glad to hear your plants are doing well. It always starts with a plant of 2, and next thing you know you have a bunch of them.

 

[Danno]

If you stick your finger in one of those bells on that one plant will it try to eat your finger?

 

[elgecko]

If you stick your finger in one of those bells on that one plant will it try to eat your finger?

No, the traps are passive. They stay open like that all the time. Insects are attached to the traps by nectar. The nectar from most nepenthes have a chemical which intoxicates the insect and the fall into the pitcher. The pitcher has juices at the bottom and will release acids and enzymes to digest the bug.

I have a site with information on CP's here:

http/www.geocities.com/elgecko1989/carnivorous.html

 

[Danno]

If I wanted to get my first caniverous plant is a VFT a good plant to start with? I know I need bottled water but what else? Im pretty sure that lighting isnt a problem but just..do I have to feed it flys?

 

[elgecko]

VFT are very easy plants.
Use rainwater, distilled, or reverse osmosis water.
Use the tray method keeping the soil very damp. Place your potted VFT in a plastic water tray with 1/2" of water. I let the water in the tray evaporate and stay dry for a day or two before watering the plant again.
Grow them outside in full sun till the weather gets to the freezing point. Then place it in a cold location, and drier soil so you do not get fungus, till spring and place back outside.
If grown outside they will catch their own food. If grown inside food is not necessary, but will help their growth to feed them a cricket or 2 every other month.

 

[Shark_Lover]

oooo!!!
Love pitcher plants!!

 

[Danno]

Sorry bout hyjacking your thread. But I would have to keep the plant indoors all year round. Is 1 criket a month too much? Also my room is very highly lit and was wondering if this is a ok place to hang the plant.

 

[elgecko]

Sorry bout hyjacking your thread.

You are not hijacking the thread.

Which direction does that window face, and what plants are you thinking about?
Most CPs are sun loving plants.
There are many CP's which need a cold dormant period. Such as VFTs.

 

[Danno]

The sun is always shinning in my room and our house does go cold in the winter and warmer in the summer

 

[elgecko]

I would try some kind of tropical plants which do not need a dormant period then.
Easy Nepenthes like the ventrata might work. Many different sundews, butterworts might work. I say might because everyones house is different with lighting and humidity. The picture of my hamata being grown as a windowsill plant has several people in disbelief. I certainly would not have tried it if I did not have a humidifier on my furnace, especially for the price I paid for the plant.
You can also use fish tanks as terrariums to grow CP's in which make lighting and humidity easier to control.

You can find lots on info on the CP forum here:
http/www.petflytrap.com/cgi-bin/ib312/ikonboard.cgi?;