This method has worked fantastic for me in Vancouver, BC. The very surface of the peat gets to around the mid 30s in Celsius under direct summer sun but drops to 18-20 degrees after pushing it an inch into the substrate. The air temperature in August is typically averaging high 10s-low 20s during the hottest months and 12-14 at night. Hot 30 degree days and 18 degree nights are very rare and adding a shade cloth does wonders. I will add some live sphagnum to hopefully to shield and insulate the dark peat from all that solar radiation as well as add some extra surface area for evapotranspiration cooling.
There are some other tricks like nesting your pot inside a bigger pot that is lined with rocks and running recirculated water in that larger pot to make a constant layer of cool!
We're having a few warm days here in the Netherlands, and I've been throwing ice cubes from RO/DI water in the tray to cool the water. My Darlingtonia are still very small, and they are toughing it out! I've been thinking of an attractive way to keep them cool when they get bigger.
I live in Florida and would love to have this plant! I'll probably have to buy some seed and get them that way. Once they get big enough (if they live since Florida gets pretty hot in summer) I'll do this.
I keep frozen reverse osmosis water bottles in my freezer for warmer days... I just pop the lid off and let the water defrost over the roots.. but this idea is an amazing way to add that. I'll have to think of a tiny drainage system though now so it doesn't eventually flood out
I fill ice cube trays with distilled water and put a few ice cubes in my cobra water it's sitting in every few days and then I have a grow light on it 12 hours a day. It seems to be really happy!
I’m not sure on the exact temps but I can tell you that the water is usually still cool inside the cooler at the end of the day, even on a 100 degree day
@@California_Carnivores I always wrote off growing Darlingtonias but now, maybe I'll try one! On a separate but related note, I'm thinking about repotting all of my plants (VFTs, Sarrs, Droseras) into white colored pots to help keep some of the heat out of their roots. And sit them in white water trays for the same reason.
@@pinecone.jeff.carnivores that can be really helpful! We like to have plants like Cephalotus and Darlingtonia in white pots but it can benefit all of them.
Do you guys have any idea of what locale your stock of darlingtonia come from? Sounds like it may be from one of the isolated coastal populations rather than the more numerous and prevalent populations that are more typical inland which experience serpentine soils, intense heat, heavy mineralized water, and soil temp and ph that are very high. Could also be that the strain you guys are growing have evolved under propagation to be more cold root loving. It def can happen quickly if not cloning and are using seeds.
We have a pretty diverse population of plants in our collection because you’re right, it is super important to keep the genetics variable. We’ve grown plants from both coastal and mountainous areas, and in our experience, have not seen major differences in care requirements. (I know that’s a controversial opinion! But it’s just based on our experience)
@@California_Carnivores Very interesting! Thank you for taking the time to reply. Sounds like it could be more along the lines of domestication. Its amazing how fast it happens in plants and animals when humans intervene in their reproduction! Might be a neat series of videos in the future, taking assorted Darlingtonia seeds from your collection and raising some in different parameters and seeing how they do over time. Thanks again!
I recently bought one, live in central Europe, in summer it can have 35C but in winter also -15C sometimes (also 7 consecutive days of not going above freezing are possible), but most of the year its around 17C Can that plant be left outdoors the whole year or is frost protection needed? I have a backyard with an artificial stream and pond and set the pot inside the stream (like 2cm deep), its half sunny only some trees block the sunlight.
Would putting ice on top of the soil being used work? Or putting a tube going to the bottom (like when you do your bog gardens) and put ice down there work?
Whoah i think im a bit late in growing it but next year ill be getting quite a few, ALSO one question are you guys going to have drosera burmanii this year available? Or any other tropical sundews?
I recently got 2 large darlingtonia and this will help me a lot since I live in a fairly hot climate thanks
This method has worked fantastic for me in Vancouver, BC. The very surface of the peat gets to around the mid 30s in Celsius under direct summer sun but drops to 18-20 degrees after pushing it an inch into the substrate. The air temperature in August is typically averaging high 10s-low 20s during the hottest months and 12-14 at night. Hot 30 degree days and 18 degree nights are very rare and adding a shade cloth does wonders. I will add some live sphagnum to hopefully to shield and insulate the dark peat from all that solar radiation as well as add some extra surface area for evapotranspiration cooling.
There are some other tricks like nesting your pot inside a bigger pot that is lined with rocks and running recirculated water in that larger pot to make a constant layer of cool!
It'd be interesting to see a side by side comparison between plants in styrofoam vs not.
We're having a few warm days here in the Netherlands, and I've been throwing ice cubes from RO/DI water in the tray to cool the water. My Darlingtonia are still very small, and they are toughing it out! I've been thinking of an attractive way to keep them cool when they get bigger.
I live in Florida and would love to have this plant! I'll probably have to buy some seed and get them that way. Once they get big enough (if they live since Florida gets pretty hot in summer) I'll do this.
I keep frozen reverse osmosis water bottles in my freezer for warmer days... I just pop the lid off and let the water defrost over the roots.. but this idea is an amazing way to add that. I'll have to think of a tiny drainage system though now so it doesn't eventually flood out
That’s a great idea!
Thanks for the tip, this will he useful when mine come.
Darlingtonia are the coolest looking plants. They remind me of cobra snakes. 🌱
I fill ice cube trays with distilled water and put a few ice cubes in my cobra water it's sitting in every few days and then I have a grow light on it 12 hours a day. It seems to be really happy!
Brilliant! Daniela, what's the warmest do you think it gets in the cooler? Like with your plants in pots that you sit inside of one of these coolers?
I’m not sure on the exact temps but I can tell you that the water is usually still cool inside the cooler at the end of the day, even on a 100 degree day
@@California_Carnivores I always wrote off growing Darlingtonias but now, maybe I'll try one! On a separate but related note, I'm thinking about repotting all of my plants (VFTs, Sarrs, Droseras) into white colored pots to help keep some of the heat out of their roots. And sit them in white water trays for the same reason.
@@pinecone.jeff.carnivores that can be really helpful! We like to have plants like Cephalotus and Darlingtonia in white pots but it can benefit all of them.
Ok! I just saw you put up a bunch of Darlingtonia up on the website. I went ahead and ordered a Med and ordered a styrofoam box. :)
Where can I find a styrofoam box please?
Do you guys have any idea of what locale your stock of darlingtonia come from? Sounds like it may be from one of the isolated coastal populations rather than the more numerous and prevalent populations that are more typical inland which experience serpentine soils, intense heat, heavy mineralized water, and soil temp and ph that are very high. Could also be that the strain you guys are growing have evolved under propagation to be more cold root loving. It def can happen quickly if not cloning and are using seeds.
We have a pretty diverse population of plants in our collection because you’re right, it is super important to keep the genetics variable. We’ve grown plants from both coastal and mountainous areas, and in our experience, have not seen major differences in care requirements. (I know that’s a controversial opinion! But it’s just based on our experience)
@@California_Carnivores Very interesting! Thank you for taking the time to reply. Sounds like it could be more along the lines of domestication. Its amazing how fast it happens in plants and animals when humans intervene in their reproduction! Might be a neat series of videos in the future, taking assorted Darlingtonia seeds from your collection and raising some in different parameters and seeing how they do over time. Thanks again!
omg trying this!! thanks!
I recently bought one, live in central Europe, in summer it can have 35C but in winter also -15C sometimes (also 7 consecutive days of not going above freezing are possible), but most of the year its around 17C
Can that plant be left outdoors the whole year or is frost protection needed? I have a backyard with an artificial stream and pond and set the pot inside the stream (like 2cm deep), its half sunny only some trees block the sunlight.
Do you apply the water like any other plant? Just water the top of the media?
Drain holes?
We top water into these styrofoam containers and have drainage holes near the top to let out excess water but they’re very full of water!
Neat!
Going to give them a try!! Ahhh!😃😂
Just keep an eye out for stolons, they can punch right through the styrofoam!
Would putting ice on top of the soil being used work?
Or putting a tube going to the bottom (like when you do your bog gardens) and put ice down there work?
Pouring cool refrigerated water on the roots helps a great deal! Ice can help but the refrigerated water works better
Whoah i think im a bit late in growing it but next year ill be getting quite a few, ALSO one question are you guys going to have drosera burmanii this year available? Or any other tropical sundews?
We may have other tropical Drosera but probably not burmanii
As a Texan, I don’t even think that would work for me 😢
You should probably try growing indoors.
You can grow them indoors! They will need a chilly winter dormancy but grow well inside.
@@California_Carnivores good to know
does it have drainage holes?
It doesn’t but we drilled drainage holes near the top to allow rain to drain out so as not to overflow the plants