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Discuss Pinguicula care here

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By Starchy
Posts:  962
Joined:  Sat Jun 02, 2012 3:58 am
#155228
Is it actually bad for the plant if you manipulate the climate to force your ping to not grow non-carnivorous leaves? My ping (P. Weser) will consistently be in a temperature of 65-70F and higher. Basically the only thing that would cause non-carnivorous leaves would be the amount of moisture the plant is receiving. I am just wondering if it would be bad for the plant (like a VFT skipping cold dormancy) if I prevented it from growing non-carnivorous leaves by making sure it is always very well watered?
Last edited by Starchy on Thu Nov 08, 2012 2:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
By Jimbok3
Posts:  322
Joined:  Thu Aug 30, 2012 6:29 pm
#155371
They don't need it to be cold to go into dormancy the Mexican butterworts dormancy is triggered by lower moisture levels and shorther photo periods. (though cold can also trigger it but it is not required) ;)
By Starchy
Posts:  962
Joined:  Sat Jun 02, 2012 3:58 am
#155376
That's not what I meant. I am curious if I manipulate the conditions to keep the pings moist all year round, if they will continually produce carnivorous leaves, and remain healthy. To compare to VFTs, they should not skip their cold dormancy because it is unhealthy for them. Can a ping skip the production of their succulent leaves and remain health?
By Jimbok3
Posts:  322
Joined:  Thu Aug 30, 2012 6:29 pm
#155378
Starchy wrote:That's not what I meant. I am curious if I manipulate the conditions to keep the pings moist all year round, if they will continually produce carnivorous leaves, and remain healthy. To compare to VFTs, they should not skip their cold dormancy because it is unhealthy for them. Can a ping skip the production of their succulent leaves and remain health?
They need to go dormant in order to stay healthy. The amount of time they need to be dormant for is the same as VFTs, skipping dormancy will do the same thing it does do VTP's that skip dormancy.
By Grey
Posts:  3255
Joined:  Mon Jul 26, 2010 3:48 pm
#155416
Mexican Pinguicula don't techincally go dormant as they resume growth at an adequate rate, they simply change their growth habits. Without a decent winter "rest" period though the plants may fail to produce flowers, fail to produce pollen and may succumb to rot. I've noticed lackluster growth in plants that have had a disturbed winter period so I wouldn't advise skipping it.
By Grey
Posts:  3255
Joined:  Mon Jul 26, 2010 3:48 pm
#155424
Are your plants kept indoors on a windowsill? They'll enter their winter growth phase if you reduce water levels in conjunction with a natural decrease in photoperiod but if you want to do it artificially I'd say start near the middle of October and start bringing them out in January/February, this is going off the usual amount of time my own Mexican pings change their growth habits.
By Starchy
Posts:  962
Joined:  Sat Jun 02, 2012 3:58 am
#156858
It is now almost November, and neither of my pings are showing any sign of succulent leaves:

Image
P. esseriana (left), P. weser (right)

I keep them regularly watered (from top-watering), and on a south-facing windowsill near Boston, Massachusetts. They start on an east facing window until I have to go to work, then I move them to the south facing window. They are probably getting about 6 hours of sunlight or so daily right now.

Should I be worried?
By Daniel_G
Posts:  5472
Joined:  Thu Mar 25, 2010 7:27 pm
#156859
If you want them to go dormant stop watering them regularly :)

Treat them like cacti (No water, at all!) Until spring...

P.S Saw the rollicking you got from Ada on the CPUK forums. Ouch!
He's a decent guy though :)
By Starchy
Posts:  962
Joined:  Sat Jun 02, 2012 3:58 am
#156860
Daniel_G wrote:If you want them to go dormant stop watering them regularly :)

Treat them like cacti (No water, at all!) Until spring...

P.S Saw the rollicking you got from Ada on the CPUK forums. Ouch!
He's a decent guy though :)
Hehe, I think it was just some newbie hazing. :oops:

When you say no water at all, do you mean literally, or just very little water?
By Starchy
Posts:  962
Joined:  Sat Jun 02, 2012 3:58 am
#156913
Quote from ICPS (carnivorousplants.org) on Mexican Pinguiculas:
John Brittnacher wrote:The seasonal changes are cued by light, not moisture. Water the plants according to the leaf type, not season. When the plants have carnivorous leaves they need to be kept moist and enjoy high humidity although they do just fine at 20% RH. When they have succulent leaves the plants need less water. Keep the soil lightly damp. Some species can be totally dry if the air is very humid. Chances are your conditions are not humid enough so don't let the plants dry out.
http://www.carnivorousplants.org/howto/ ... exican.php


So based off this, I should continue to water regularly until I start to see succulent leaves. Maybe I am giving my pings too much light?
By Starchy
Posts:  962
Joined:  Sat Jun 02, 2012 3:58 am
#157689
Okay, it has now been 12 days since the last watering of my 2 pings (esseriana & weser). I have taken pictures of the soil, and of each ping. This is my first experience with pings, so I don't know what I am looking for. To me, it doesn't seem like they are growing succulent leaves. They are getting 5-8 hours of sunlight daily.

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If you need a point of comparison, please refer to this post, where I had just watered them (12 days ago).

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