FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

thepitchergrower wrote: ↑Wed May 11, 2022 4:30 pm 200.gif
However, I doubt you'll get any help here. Only encouragement...

Intheswamp wrote: ↑Wed May 11, 2022 4:00 pm Somebody stop me, please. I've got a TDS meter and some 5-gallon paint strainer bags ordered.<sigh>

"OCD Me"

But have you gotten a teeny, tiny, air conditioner for your mailbox yet?

evenwind wrote: ↑Wed May 11, 2022 6:37 pm

Intheswamp wrote: ↑Wed May 11, 2022 4:00 pm Somebody stop me, please. I've got a TDS meter and some 5-gallon paint strainer bags ordered.<sigh>

"OCD Me"

But have you gotten a teeny, tiny, air conditioner for your mailbox yet?

I'm working on it, I'm working on it!!! First I've got to get the 3Kw pv system up and running to power the a/c during the day just because the USPS said they would definitely not run me 120v for a window unit to my mailbox...I don't know why they're so unaccommodating!!!! The guy I talked to acted like I was crazy or something, too!!!!

Hmmm. Just spitballing here but what if you let it be known around the Post Office that you had a cooler with ice cold beer at your front door? Maybe you'd get "more direct" delivery?

My family feels bad for the delivery drivers when they're out so late around Christmas so we leave snacks and beverages in a cooler by our front door.

evenwind wrote: ↑Wed May 11, 2022 10:29 pm Hmmm. Just spitballing here but what if you let it be known around the Post Office that you had a cooler with ice cold beer at your front door? Maybe you'd get "more direct" delivery?

The way things work out for me I'd get a felony charge for mail tampering... "Your Honor, this man was intentionally providing a controlled substance to the letter carriers, thus delaying mail delivery and causing most of the people on that route to receive the wrong mail. He keeps babbling about seeds for flesh-eating plants. This man deserves having the book thrown at him and intense psychiatric therapy!!!!. Put him in the psycho ward with the big indian and the virgin-guy!!!!".

I can see it so clearly....

Make sure you have umbrella policy.

I was just re-reading (for the 3rd?...4th? time<grin>) the "Potting, Re-Potting, and Transplanting Venus flytraps" page and I'm curious about something. The standard recommendation for us new CP addicts, er, uh...growers, is to use a 1:1 of ratio of perlite to peat for a growing mix. In reading the re-potting article there's a recommendation to use a "1:4 ratio of Perlite:peat". This seems to be a heavier mix, in that it will hold more moisture for a longer period of time. What I'm finding down here is that my 6" pot needs watering just about every day and the little emancipated death-tube pots need watering every day. This is with bottom watering and allowing all the water to disappear and allowing the pots to get a tad lighter before adding more water to the trays. Naturally the four little pots will need re-potting soon so for my south Alabama climate should I go with the 1:4 ratio for more moisture retention or stick with the 1:1 for faster drainage?

I think either would work, but maybe add a little sand in the 1:4 ratio for more drainage. Don't go only off my opinion; wait for others to give their suggestions, too. Pretty much any sand would work; just make sure you rinse the sand unless it is horticultural sand.

Sundews69 wrote: ↑Fri May 13, 2022 5:21 pm Pretty much any sand would work; just make sure you rinse the sand unless it is horticultural sand.

The party line is only silica/quartz sand.

I would fill a pot with each mix but no plant. Then treat the pots as you would if there was a plant in there for a week or so. It won't be exactly the same as with a plant's influence but you should be able to get an idea of which mixture is more likely to fit your conditions.

The sand should look like grains of quartz/crystal.

If I do the vinegar test on the sand and it doesn't fizz and foam would it be ok. My wife bought some play sand for the younger grandchildren and some for an activity for some children at church last year. It is white'ish colored and fairly fine-grained. I've used it to fill a couple of holes around the yard/driveway and grass does not grow "in" it...maybe through it, but I haven't seen anything sending roots into it. I think I'll go throw some vinegar on it.

Hmmm... I just dumped (probably too much) white vinegar onto a bit of the sand in a bowl and I see no fizzing or foaming...does it take a while to react? I know baking soda is pretty much instantaneous but not sure in regards to sand. ???

Probably CP safe.

I just now checked the sand and vinegar and no foam. So, I went out in the garage and got a pinch of garden lime and drop into the bowl...it foamed. I may try it with later with some sundews and maybe a trap. I've got a couple of 2-gallon buckets of it. I'll wash and rinse it a few time before using it. Thanks for all the feedback!

Here's a shot of the sand...I see "stuff" in there, so if I do use it I'll rinse it a few times before I use it.