Page 1 of 2

Best CP for a newbie???

Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2015 3:31 pm
by briea
What is the best cp to start with? I am in love with these plants but im not sure what to start with and if a small to med terrarium is ok. HELP!!!

Re: Best CP for a newbie???

Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2015 3:37 pm
by Laizura
The best cp to start with is a cape sundew


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Re: Best CP for a newbie???

Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2015 3:37 pm
by Laizura
They can be kept inside year round


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Re: Best CP for a newbie???

Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2015 3:49 pm
by hollyhock
The sundew D.Cspensis is an easy starting plant. It depends what kind of CP's interest you. The vfts and sarracenia are great to grow but thrive best when grown outside and do have dormancy requirements. My first nepenthes D.ventrata has been a very rewarding plant for me to grow...Both of these are very forgiving if you give them the basics.. Distilled water, good lighting, and the proper growing medium.. Get one of each because they are relatively inexpensive. Then you will be hooked :D

Re: Best CP for a newbie???

Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2015 5:25 pm
by nimbulan
Forget the terrarium, it's a more advanced method of cultivation and is completely unnecessary for most plants. It's likely to cause additional problems for plants that don't require it.

Drosera capensis and common Nepenthes like 'Miranda' and x ventrata (commonly labelled as Nepenthes alata at non-CP stores) are very good starter plants to keep on a sunny windowsill. You may also consider Drosera spatulata or if you like flowers and can find one, Utricularia sandersonii.

Sarracenia make easy outdoor plants if you have a spot to put one in full sun, though you will likely need to protect them from harsh winter weather. I move mine to the garage when it gets too cold. Other outdoor plants you may consider are Drosera filiformis or a venus flytrap, though flytraps are far more sensitive to freezing temperatures than other temperate plants in my experience.

Re: Best CP for a newbie???

Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2015 6:11 pm
by briea
Thanks everyone, i will need to keep it inside. So is a glass bowl ok? And what kind of lighting do you use during the winter months? I like the fly traps and drosera camporupestris. Do you hand feed them????

Re: Best CP for a newbie???

Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2015 6:36 pm
by nimbulan
Drosera camporupestris as a South American sundew is likely not a good beginner plant, though I don't have any experience with it specifically. With all the plants mentioned above, you need no containment, they will do just fine in open air. This is generally preferred since the soil must be kept much wetter than other house plants and keeping the plant enclosed will encourage fungus growth.

Re: Best CP for a newbie???

Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2015 7:27 pm
by briea
Sorry for all the questions. So just a pot is ok? Do i need artifical lighting in the winter?? What about flytraps?

Re: Best CP for a newbie???

Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2015 7:35 pm
by hollyhock
Depending on where you live flytraps will be dormant in winter.. Not a very fun plant to watch sleep...waiting for when it wakes up in spring. :D

Re: Best CP for a newbie???

Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2015 7:53 pm
by briea
And i can purchase these from this site?

Re: Best CP for a newbie???

Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2015 7:58 pm
by briea
Do you use any artificial lighting in winter?

Re: Best CP for a newbie???

Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2015 8:00 pm
by briea
How deep should the pot be? What do you feed the indoor cp? :?

Re: Best CP for a newbie???

Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2015 8:14 pm
by briea
Any experience with shaggy sundew, drosophyllum lusitanicum, butterworts or bladderworts???? They are all beautiful, i just want to pick ones that i will do well growing.. thanks everyone

Re: Best CP for a newbie???

Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2015 8:37 pm
by Laizura
briea wrote:Any experience with shaggy sundew, drosophyllum lusitanicum, butterworts or bladderworts???? They are all beautiful, i just want to pick ones that i will do well growing.. thanks everyone
You really need experience with easier plants before you get ahead of your self


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Re: Best CP for a newbie???

Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2015 10:42 pm
by nimbulan
Shaggy sundew I believe is Drosera scorpiodes, which is fairly easy as well. It's probably more picky about light levels than Drosera capensis though and may have a dormancy period.

Drosophyllum lusitanicum is quite difficult and keeping them alive eludes many experienced growers. It's rather unfortunate since it's a beautiful plant and grows very quickly.

I'm not sure what butterworts to recommend for a beginner, but many of the Mexican butterworts require a dry dormancy which can be difficult to provide in cultivation.

Some bladderworts are quite easy, though it can be difficult to persuade many to flower. Some are also prolific weeds and can easily contaminate every pot in your collection such as Utricularia bisquamata and Utricularia subulata. I recommended Utricularia sandersonii above since it's not picky about conditions and flowers profusely. I don't have experience with very many species so I'm not sure what else to recommend.

Keep it simple to start with, don't get ahead of yourself!