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- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+14Easiest way of growing plants like these is to set up a small covered aquarium/terrarium with moist peat and sow on that. The aquarium will allow keeping the air at near 100% moisture, which is vital for them.
The serious high-tech carnivorous-plant-growing geek would get an ultrasound water fogger run on a timer, and some nice plant-growing fluorescent lights. He'd then add some white moss (sphagnum) for looks, perhaps a piece of driftwood with some bromeliads, some orchids (this setup is perfect for epiphytic orchids)...
...and then he'd realize he'd built a terrarium for poison dart frogs: http://www.wildsky.sakura.ne.jp/vivarium/hasegawa20060816.htm - burningmonk, on 10/12/2007, -3/+13I don't think they were trying to write a text book, just a layman's product description that sounds exciting and mysterious.
- PatrickFisher, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7It's cheaper at ThinkGeek:
http://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/science/76c9/
I'm from Canada, and it's too dry where I am to grow these plants. I've tried, many times (I named one of them Audrey Jr.), but no luck. Unfortunately. - mbthompson, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5This looks a lot like the "Grow Your Own Bonsai" kit I purchased a while back. You had to put the seeds in a styrofoam cup that was covered and leave it in the fridge for a number of weeks. This tricked the seeds into thinking it was winter and they would then germinate. Only problem? I forgot the cup was in the fridge. Seeds sprouted and everything too. Poor little bonsai tree never had a chance. :(
- priegog, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Growing carnivorous plants is NOT for everyone. They are not your typical "kindergarten class mascot", which means they are indeed hard to grow. So, if you were expecting to just have them there and water them once every time you remember, you WILL fail. I say this because one of the reviews on the page you linked said it was "disappointing for the kids". Well, these are not plants for kids (unless your kid is a geek like I was and actually takes the challenge to grow them pretty seriously). Get your kids a hamster instead. Furthermore, Many of the species sold in this kit are EXTREMELY difficult to grow, even for experienced growers. Out of all the species mentioned there I can imagine that only the Diaonea Muscipula, some droseras and MAYBE some sarracenias would survive with the care of an average, DEDICATED (but) inexperienced grower. So don't just tell people to cancel their orders, only to know what they are up to.
- tysonkad, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5I would definitely appreciate a gift like this for Christmas, "KILLER!", ha ha.
- beaudh, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4I've been growing Carnivorous plants for quite a few years now and while it is rewarding for the avid geek, these plants usually take quite a bit of care. There is a lot of misleading information out there and for the most part it's because these plants are great impulse buys to those that haven't any experience. If you want to grow carnivorous plants pick up a Venus Fly Trap at the local nursery and start from there. Don't go raiding nature if these plants do grow anywhere near where you live as for the most part they are endangered and listed as such.
I wouldn't advise growing these from seed unless you are well experienced, its otherwise a waste of money IMHO. - Kizzle, on 10/12/2007, -2/+6Before any of you buy this, check the feedback on Amazon.com. I was going to buy this last christmas but it turns out it has to sit in your fridge forever and the seeds rarely grow. If you just ordered this I suggest you cancel.
http://www.amazon.com/DuneCraft-Carnivorous-Creations/dp/B000AR84B0/ - CiXeL, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Pfft if you want some cool pitcher plants buy from sunbelle exotics
http://sunbelleexotics.com/
these are pics of last time we visited their greenhouse
http://www.cixel.com/coppermine/thumbnails.php?album=32
disclosure - we're friends with the owners and grow CP ourselves - xidica, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4LOL! Poor little bonsai!
- kakwakas, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3ThinkGeek? Cheaper?
Whaaaa? - CiXeL, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2@ priegog
geez. you act like theyre pieces of china
if you live in the southern US its a piece of cake for things like flytraps, sarracenia and nepenthes
drosera capensis (the most common sundew sold at nurseries) grows great in california. just make sure it sits in a saucer of distilled water.
the #1 tip would be use distilled water
that works for just about every CP except nepenthes which really dont care about water quality because i hose them down in my backyard with highly alkaline florida tap water and they do wonderful.
of course if youre in a pinch and dont have any distilled water, water them with tap because its better than letting them dry out. but flush them out as soon as you can again.
depending on the ambient level of insects flying around most of the time you dont have to feed them and theyll catch things on their own. leo song who used to run the fullerton arboretum in california used to drop a few time release osmocote fertilizer pellets in each pitcher because you dont have alot of bugs in california.
i have a friend out there who feeds sundews the vitamin enriched dried flies they feed reptiles. - Providence, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Also, this picture: http://scientificsonline.com/images/250/30/30827-80.eps.jpg looks fake/photoshopped.
The Sarracenia leucophylla on the left (the red pitcher plant with white spots) is far too mature to be only a mere 5 inches tall. For that plant to look like that, it would have to be at least a foot to 16 inches tall.
There's also way too many mature sized Sarracenia Flava in the back (the yellow ones) to fit int hat little pot.
Buried. - Kizzle, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4This company sells easy to use, educational kits of all kinds. You buy them, follow the directions, and cool stuff happens. There is not a disclaimer saying this kit is impossible unless you are some sort of master jedi garden person. Thus it's a scam.
- CiXeL, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2indeed. it is ILLEGAL to harvest them from their native habitat.
besides, they grow up THOUSANDS upon THOUSANDS of them at agristarts cheaply using tissue culture. thats where most commercial ones come from now.
as you can see on this page
http://www.dangerousplants.com/our_traps.asp
there are MANY varieties or cultivars of flytraps now. theyre slowly diversifying them just like orchids. - garrettnb, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2canada is a big place depending where you live they may work. Like they worked when i tried them, but thats because i live in the west coast
- TyRaNNOus, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2That's why you grow these in a terrarium, so you can control the humidity. Not all carnivorous plant's require high amount of humidity either. Some of those plants even grow in Canada. I know of one species in Nova Scotia. So don't fret if your in Canada you can definitely give this a go!
- Coronagold, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3These would make great holiday presents for members of PETA. The thought of them abhorring a natural plant while vomiting in terror as they try to feed them makes me laugh like Peter Lorre.
- superbonbon, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1They are high maintenence plants, but so so cool. And they are quite lovely as well.
- Providence, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Not really. Carnivorous plants are terribly difficult to cultivate from seed. Trust me.
You're better off ordering unpotted/potted live plants from http://www.californiacarnivores.com or Cook's Carnivorous Plants (two great sites). - xidica, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I've used the same method to grow some other...tomatoes :)
- burningmonk, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2No, but you get grow yourself a nice 1up Mushroom. :)
http://www.thinkgeek.com/stuff/41/1upmushroom.shtml - tysonkad, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1You just shattered my dreams of getting these plants, I'm also from Canada.
- RichPowers, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2No Piranha Plant seeds?
:( - CiXeL, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1awesome way of thinking about it. i have both a reef tank and grow carnivorous plants. i moved to south florida from LA to indulge in both.
- ylikone, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Don't bother buying the seeds over the internet... it is easier to go to your local nursery (or anyplace that sells a lot of plants) and look there for the mini carnivorous plants. They come already pre-grown! I got a few of these last christmas, and let me warn you, they are difficult to keep alive. Using a plant heat lamp with suggest watering and feeding, my plants only lived for about 3 months. But then again, I tend to somehow kill any plant I take care of.
- momopeche, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Wow! Thanks for this link! This site has a bunch of other neato stuff. but hot damn, I'm getting one of these killer bogs for myself.
- revenant, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1this is more like a coral reef on land than a typical garden.. as most of the cool reef polyps and anemonies that decorate a typical reef do eat meat.. yay for land reef. :)
- MrSidnet, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1CP..is that carnivorous plants or child porn? Ive heard both before...
- CiXeL, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1SLOW?
what are you doing wrong?
or what are you growing?
maybe heliamphora, cephalotus or a highland nepenthes grows slowly but most people wouldnt be messing with them. most everything else grows quickly. - PrometheuZ, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2Screw the meat-eating plants! Go for something just abit more mentally stimulating. http://www.amazing-nature.com/mushroom.htm
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1This would help me if I had bratty kids plucking fruits off my trees. And pesky guests.
- jftitan, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0You took the words out of my mouth. I am currently working on a new habitat for my new baby blue darts. But for now, its a slow growing place for evil pacmans... and tokay geckos. I have just ordered two 'orders' of these plants from think geek. I can't wait to start this up.
- JamesWyatt, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Still waiting for Audry 2 seeds from Little Shop of Horrors..
FEED ME! - JayD16, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0Must...buy...mushroom!
- TuxedoMax, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1Pfft! No Triffid seeds = no Digg.
- everfalling, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1well i know what im getting myself for x-mas :-D
- chicbicyclist, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0Not to shatter another dream but carnivorous plants are notorious slow growers. Especially now that it's almost winter in North America, it might take a year or two before you can actually enjoy these. Even after all that care(they are also rather finicky), they would be rather tiny.
- LordLucless, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1Organisms don't adapt to their environment, but species do; that's the whole point of evolution. When the article says "these plants" they could just as easily be talking about the species as individual organisms. If you actually look at what other people are trying to say, rather than finding ways to prove them wrong on technicalities, you might actually learn something.
- Azap, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1Kudos, i was gonan say somethingabout that but you beat me to it, if it worked the other way we would spend lots of time trying to grow a tail, or wigns and eventually our spawn would get better then us at it etc
- Makaveli, on 10/12/2007, -4/+1haha no doubt,thats definetely killer
- Stonedonkey, on 10/12/2007, -7/+4This is pretty cool, except for this section of the product description:
"Like all plants, carnivorous plants use the sun to produce energy through photosynthesis. However, these plants grow in peat bogs where there are no additional minerals or nutrients in the soil. Because of this, over time, carnivorous plants began to catch insects for food to get the much needed minerals and nutrients the peat around them lacked. After having acquired the skill of hunting, these carnivorous plants began to thrive."
This not remotely how evolution works. Organisms don't adapt to their environments. Rather, the organism that has traits most conducive to survival will continue and eventually establish a dominant strain of offspring. (And these divergent traits are usually the result of functionally random mutation). These plants didn't mysteriously start catching bugs, any more than the giraffe made its neck longer to reach the tree branches instead of bushes. - heinzanova, on 10/12/2007, -8/+3Damn it signed into the wrong digg, please bury
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