How to manage 3 weird plants...help!

[questa]

My unusual son gave me for Christmas...a 20cm terrarium, a clump of "Rose of Jericho" dead looking vegetation, half a cup of special compost, 2 tiny plastic pots like egg cups and seeds in tape on paper for Venus Fly trap and Cobra Lily.

You will note...no instructions!

I have consulted all the usual suspects on the interweb and still not sure what goes where. Is the compost for the rose or the tiny seeds? Do they all go in the terrarium or just the rose.? My son just shrugged...all he can tell me that the dead looking rose comes to life quickly when watered. Internet, naturally, gives conflicting advice.

Have any of the anyport gardeners had experience with these and can help me?

[patricklondon]

I have a Rose of Jericho, and my instructions say it's a desert plant. You don't need soil or compost for it, you just put it in a dish or bowl on half an inch or so of water, and it will open up and turn into a dark green mat, looking rather like a bad imitation of a William Morris design. Just keep adding water, but let it dry out for a week or two every few weeks.

So I surmise the compost is for the seeds. I don't know about the cobra lily, but the Venus flytrap will need something more humid, hence the terrarium.

But I'd be inclined to double-check with the donor. I take it you could remind him you always made sure any toys you gave him as a child came with the batteries and instructions supplied...?




My blog | My photos | My video clips | My Librivox recordings
"too literate to be spam"

[questa]

Thanks Patrick
I think he bought them at an "alternative culture Fayre" and the chances are that any instructions given would have been forgotten by both parties by now

I'll start with the rose, I believe they are virtually un-killable which is my kind of plant anyway.

If anyone knows about growing carnivorous plants, I would value your advice. Maybe I will start my own 'Little shop of horrors'

[Deleted]

Most perplexing!!!
I wish I could offer some advice.

Keep us posted please and good luck!!

[bixaorellana]

Some of this might help, Questa ~

Overview: www.handyman.net.au/growing-carnivorous-plants

How-tos: www.bestcarnivorousplants.com/sowing_seeds.htm

[questa]

My goodness, Bixa, that second reference covers everything in such detail. It is going to be a tricky undertaking, specially as the seeds are the size of the dot over the ' i ' here. Thanks for your help and interest.

[cheerypeabrain]

Here in the UK if I get anything remotely exotic I invariably fire up the heated propagator. I use small pots (3") and a fine Sandy seed compost. Stand the pot in a saucer of water until it's moist then place in the propagator. With very fine seed I mix it with dry silver sand or similar and scatter over the prepared pot, pressing it lightly onto the surface. I then spray lightly with an anti fungal like Cheshunt compound, maybe cover loosely with cling film and pop into the propagator...usually on my desk in the conservatory.

Big seeds I soak in warm water for 12-24 hours before sowing, putting into the seed compost at an appropriate depth...

Exotics can be sporadic when it comes to germination...I average zero to twenty percent success...

Sorry if I'm talking rubbish...just saying what works for me...obviously seeds from plants used to arid conditions would have more sand in the seed compost mix. I know nothing about the plants you have...presumably the terrarium is for the plants to grow in together once the seeds have germinated. You could ask at a garden centre or email the supplier?

[questa]

You are not talking rubbish, Cheery, it is hands on directions that I am looking for. I like messing around with plants but usually it is easy 'grow from cuttings' stuff. All my plants are in pots as my flat only has a concreted area at the back and a narrow strip in front. These carnivorous plants are going to be moved around to avoid our 30-40C summer days and cold windy winters.

Thank you for the tips, I'll let you know how I go.