jamesp
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Member since October 2012
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Post by jamesp on Mar 14, 2019 7:02:21 GMT -5
My dear California friends rockpickerforever Pat NRG.. Check out this nuclear growth. I had an overstock of carnivorous (Sarracenia)plants in 6 inch pots and crammed them in a spot close together figuring they would choke themselves out. Quite the contrary, they thrived like never before in 30 years and were totally weed free. Several possible theories for the incredible growth - ***1 Weed eating/chain sawing the old growth in fall allowed the rotten bug rich foliage to rot and fertilize while sitting on top of these specialized feeders. 2 Compressing them certainly eliminated the weeds. 3 The shade factor cools the water they sit in, this plant likes to grow over cold water spring feeds(hot tops, cool roots). 4 The stench of the rotting foliage certainly attracted more bugs for them to feed on. Anyway, this plant normally an expensive slow grower. This pot has over 20 blooming size tubers that sell bare root on the internet retail for about $20 each.  Last year's foliage abusively trimmed and chewed up to small rot able pieces with continual passes with a chain saw. Me smelled like dead flesh after trimming.  Before trim  After trim. Bed is 12' x 14'. Estimated retail value of rhizomes on internet about $60,000 !! Better than Mary Jane lol.  If I had to guess it is the rotting bug liquor in the cuttings that is top feeding the potted plants. This plant does not feed on common NPK fertilizers. It processes dead bugs for food. Buds. Blooming age. Average retail price $23 each !  |
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Post by rockpickerforever on Mar 14, 2019 7:14:28 GMT -5
Awesome! Serendipity and sarracinia. Sometimes the best ways to do things are found by accident. WTG, James. More things to do in your spare time.
Those poor plants just don't do well in the heat and dryness here.
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NRG
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2018
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Post by NRG on Mar 14, 2019 8:09:04 GMT -5
That's so cool!
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jamesp
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Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Mar 14, 2019 9:23:22 GMT -5
Awesome! Serendipity and sarracinia. Sometimes the best ways to do things are found by accident. WTG, James. More things to do in your spare time. Those poor plants just don't do well in the heat and dryness here. Accident it sure was. Classic case of negligence on this one Jean. Spacing them out and giving room to grow simply invited weeds that choked them out. And the duh factor, the healthiest ones in the wild grow naturally and by choice all crammed together, writing was on the wall. I have tried a half a dozen fertilizers over the years in perfect test situations. Easy to do when going 300 of one variety and observe by comparison. No benefits. They say this plant can only prosper by consuming bugs, it was worth a try anyway. I had a pot of them growing under a nighttime flood light once and they grew like crazy probably because of the bugs attracted by the night light. The ultimate fertilizer may just be making a loose mulch out of their own trimmings and top dressing with it. You are correct, it has to be a big help to have the high humidity. They are happiest south of the Florida line which is for the most part swampy and totally humid. Certain you guys out west use swamp coolers in your greenhouse. Perfect way to cool and humidify in your dry air. Guessing they would do fine in such conditions. |
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Mar 14, 2019 9:29:54 GMT -5
A shame the business is shut down knowing this new trick Scott. There is a total of 27 pans 21 feet long an 4 feet wide just sitting dormant. Probably enough to keep two million dollars worth of stock with this new found plant density. And them thriving on neglect to boot. I will share with 2 growers I know. |
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lookatthat
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Whatever there is to be found.
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Post by lookatthat on Mar 14, 2019 9:34:51 GMT -5
Huh, I always wondered if the gallons and gallons of dead Japanese beetles we have in the traps every year could be put to good use. I never thought of feeding carnivorous plant roots with them.
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Post by mohs on Mar 14, 2019 17:20:29 GMT -5
these mutants, blood meal for the plant that plowed m  hs |
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Post by fernwood on Mar 15, 2019 6:11:11 GMT -5
Nice discovery. Why not just specialize in that species in your "free time", lol.
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Post by greig on Mar 15, 2019 8:45:46 GMT -5
Really interesting. What kind of dead bugs are in abundance for the plants to feed?
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Mar 15, 2019 8:59:49 GMT -5
Huh, I always wondered if the gallons and gallons of dead Japanese beetles we have in the traps every year could be put to good use. I never thought of feeding carnivorous plant roots with them. You may have a fine source of nutrition for Sarracenia there lookatthat. Japanese beetles an excellent source of trap-able bugs 30 years of experience with these plants, me and others have tried to speed production of these slow growers by using fertilizers with no success(I know of). There is a good chance no one ever tried using an obnoxious rotting bug soup. A blender to grind the bugs brewed with the proper organic acid, and a container may be all that is needed. Upper one likes ants, lower moths. Japanese beetles just as well.  |
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Mar 15, 2019 9:19:51 GMT -5
Really interesting. What kind of dead bugs are in abundance for the plants to feed? Two years running there was a paper hornet nest in the greenhouse. Poor paper hornets, the plants had a feast both years greig. wasps, ants, butterflies, small frogs, grasshoppers, spiders, beetles, bumblebees and any other bug that crawls down that pitcher. Often from June to September there will be separate layers of bugs common with each time frame. The pitchers with the white tops fill with moths during full moons due to the reflection of the moonlight on the white top. Used to close the greenhouse doors during the August full moon to prevent the pitchers from filling to the top. The weight would lay the pitchers over and render the plant useless for selling..  White top pitcher cross breeds, it is the moon moth mass feeder with added carpenter bee holes. Carpenter bees playing with danger.  It's favorite moth, lower pitcher Carpenter bee drunken from the toxic syrup, optically confused by the illusive structure of the pitcher. This guy will be slowly dissolved by the acids in the belly of the pitcher only to be served for dinner.  |
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Mar 15, 2019 9:49:26 GMT -5
Nice discovery. Why not just specialize in that species in your "free time", lol. Going to do just that fernwood now that all the other plants are gone. I joined a Sarracenia Forum last week. It is also a Proboards forum, easy to use. One fellow listed Sarracenia's in the "plants for Sale" section. He said he sold out, over 200 orders in 24 hours. Apparently the internet market for Sarracenia has become popular. I live in the Sarracenia epicenter. Betting sales will be great. Must have 10,000+ adult rhizomes growing. It is the SE US that has so many cultivars. The other red zone is probably just the purpurea species.  This is the range of just S. Flava in Florida. The range of different cultivars overlap and cross pollinate in the wild in the SE US say Texas to the Carolina's.  |
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Mar 15, 2019 9:55:42 GMT -5
these mutants, blood meal for the plant that plowed m hs Brilliant idea Ed. Never considered blood and bone meal. Ever dated a gal that ate blood meal ? |
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Post by mohs on Mar 15, 2019 11:37:28 GMT -5
ha ha That was some rock poetry I just happened to stumbled upon  thought it was appropriate always interesting stuff James I enjoy ! |
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RWA3006
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Member since March 2009
Posts: 4,647 
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Post by RWA3006 on Mar 15, 2019 21:07:21 GMT -5
Nice discovery. Why not just specialize in that species in your "free time", lol. Going to do just that fernwood now that all the other plants are gone. I joined a Sarracenia Forum last week. It is also a Proboards forum, easy to use. One fellow listed Sarracenia's in the "plants for Sale" section. He said he sold out, over 200 orders in 24 hours. Apparently the internet market for Sarracenia has become popular. I live in the Sarracenia epicenter. Betting sales will be great. Must have 10,000+ adult rhizomes growing. It is the SE US that has so many cultivars. The other red zone is probably just the purpurea species. This is the range of just S. Flava in Florida. The range of different cultivars overlap and cross pollinate in the wild in the SE US say Texas to the Carolina's. James, you might have a nice business model right there. It's nice to have options. |
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Post by Pat on Mar 15, 2019 22:03:59 GMT -5
Hmmm, will check on my little plot. Might be alive underneath. Will toss in some bonemeal to see what happens. Interesting. Thanks, jamesp |
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Post by fernwood on Mar 16, 2019 4:18:11 GMT -5
Interesting discussion. As a child, I was often in the blueberry marshes near my house. They were loaded with pitcher plants, as were the marshes on our land. They are a plant that I love. Doubt the land I have now would be conducive to growing them.
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Mar 16, 2019 8:14:24 GMT -5
Going to do just that fernwood now that all the other plants are gone. I joined a Sarracenia Forum last week. It is also a Proboards forum, easy to use. One fellow listed Sarracenia's in the "plants for Sale" section. He said he sold out, over 200 orders in 24 hours. Apparently the internet market for Sarracenia has become popular. I live in the Sarracenia epicenter. Betting sales will be great. Must have 10,000+ adult rhizomes growing. It is the SE US that has so many cultivars. The other red zone is probably just the purpurea species. This is the range of just S. Flava in Florida. The range of different cultivars overlap and cross pollinate in the wild in the SE US say Texas to the Carolina's. James, you might have a nice business model right there. It's nice to have options. Going to lean pessimistic RWA3006. Succeeding at a new business is like chasing wind. Unforeseen problems seem to sneak out of the woodwork for some reason. Any degree of success is a big victory. |
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RWA3006
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Post by RWA3006 on Mar 16, 2019 10:28:04 GMT -5
Yep, btdt. For example, all it takes is the stroke of a pen by some bureaucrat to muck up a good business.
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
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Post by jamesp on Mar 18, 2019 15:37:28 GMT -5
Yep, btdt. For example, all it takes is the stroke of a pen by some bureaucrat to muck up a good business. Why such a ridiculous concern - revenuers ? The govt. changed status and I was forced to annex into a new city. Got revenuers sneaking around looking for offenses and leveraging taxes on everything including the air you breath. There was 31 years of peace here till the recent annexation. Thankful I am at retirement. Looking at another place smack center of National forest land in the Appalachians where revenuers tread softly. Suches, Georgia. Red pin, center of photo. All green = national forest and 3000 to 4000+ elevations  |
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