First of all, it should be said: Never start your collection with a larger assortment of carnivores. In the beginning it is better to limit yourself to a maximum of two related genera and only expand your collection after you have got a grip and time for the "intensive treatment" of new varieties.
About the temperature
The plants from different climates need different cultivation temperatures. Accordingly, the plants from colder home areas should be placed lower and vice versa, those from warmer areas should be placed higher. In the case of tropical species, the night setback at the location is very often overlooked. During the day it is brooding and at night, in extreme cases, there can even be frost. This night setback can - but does not have to - be vital for the plant. Since it is hardly possible in a showcase or in a greenhouse that is not subdivided, several, clearly different ones To mimic climatic areas, only plants from the same or rather similar climatic zones should in such cases being held. One should always keep in mind that the assumption that all tropical plants always need it warm and wet is based on ignorance.
Humidity and water
The same applies to air humidity: you have to be aware of the climate in your home area. In this context, it should be made clear that constant high humidity is good for tropical plants, but is quite detrimental to humans. It is expressly advised against converting part of the apartment into a "greenhouse". Certainly carnivorous plants will certainly thrive in culture even at a little lower
Humidity than in the natural location. But you shouldn't make this the rule.A high level of humidity in the showcase or in the greenhouse can mainly be achieved by keeping the soil moist during the growing season. But damp does not mean dripping wet. Although some of the carnivorous plants tolerate a temporary "foot bath" well, most of them do not like "wet feet" at all.
For plants that are going through a dormant period, the substrate in which they are potted should be kept slightly moist during this recovery period.
Carnivorous plants should be watered with desalinated water if possible, as those in normal Salts contained in tap water accumulate in the substrate over time and the plants slowly but surely let go. Wherever possible, rainwater is the first choice. A desalination system is likely to be too expensive for many carpenters.
It should also be noted that the quality of tap water can vary enormously from place to place. However, the water quality can be vital, especially for freshly planted plants. Weakened imported plants are more sensitive than strong specimens that have been in cultivation for a long time. Since chlorine or fluorine is often added to tap water, such water should only be used, if at all, if it has been stale for a few days.
Dormant period
Failure to have a necessary dormant period will in most cases result in the loss of the plant. Indications for a period of rest are the slowing down of growth, there will be none
more new leaves are produced - winter buds are often formed in connection with the death of the above-ground parts of the plant.The rest period can fall in both our summer and winter months. Some carnivorous plants do not have a defined rest period. Aldrovanda species z. B. can, if the conditions are met, enter the rest phase at any time of the year. Again, it is important to closely observe the plants in culture. Plants that naturally go through a dormant period, but are "cultivated through" with care, often show a fungal or Pest infestation which can result not only in the loss of the plant in question, but also other plants endangered. During a dormant period, the plants should always be kept cool and relatively dry.
fertilization
Fertilization is also handled differently. While some cultivators never fertilize, others often use fertilizer. But if fertilization is used at all, you should work with very low concentrations of inorganic fertilizers. Over-fertilization very easily leads to the loss of the plants.
Multiplication
The propagation of flowering plants can basically take place in two different ways. On the one hand, it is difficult to propagate the plants - via seed, on the other hand vegetatively - through division or via meristem culture. Both methods have advantages and disadvantages and require a very different amount of effort.
Generative propagation
You can harvest seeds from all flowering plants. The seeds are produced by the plant after a successful pollination. In nature, pollination generally occurs by wind, water or an animal pollinator. Other flowering plants have specialized in self-pollination. As far as is known, all carnivorous plants are pollinated by insects. Pollination takes place through the transfer of the pollen to the stigma. If it is successful and the pollen is compatible with the mother plant, it is either harvested and checked for a Brought the seedling substrate, or the capsule is allowed to "mature" so that the seeds are automatically placed on the growing medium Mother plant distributed.
Seed germination often only occurs when special conditions are present. The seeds of the species that have a distinct winter dormancy at low temperatures often need a frost period to
The easiest way is to bring the seeds to the substrate of the mother plant and let nature run wild. Another method, which requires more effort, is the targeted sowing on substrates that have been specially prepared for this propagation. While this requires more work, it is generally more successful in terms of the number of seedlings to be expected.
A targeted and controlled seed multiplication also includes at least one pricking process: The seedlings are transferred in a suitable number into a community pot. Depending on the species, a transplanting process may also be necessary later, with the young plants being placed individually in their final culture containers. Seed multiplication has the advantage that it is a "normal" process, as it also occurs in the wild.
Vegetative propagation
Vegetative reproduction means primarily a physical division of the mother plant. The hobby cultivator will usually achieve this by simply carefully tearing apart larger plants during repotting or by cutting up the rhizome.
Propagation of cuttings
One method of vegetative propagation is propagation from cuttings. The best way to do this is to cut off leaves and petioles from the mother plant. A cutting tool is used to make a longitudinal cut through the petiole up to about 1/3 of the leaf blade. The leaf treated in this way is then embedded in sphagnum or a culture substrate that has been kept moist. Young plants emerge at the interface. This method is also fairly easy to use, but it also has the disadvantage that only a limited growth rate can be achieved.
Merist culture
This propagation culture is based on the fact that all plants have a so-called undifferentiated tissue during their entire life cycle. The cells of this tissue are not restricted to any form or function. This means that a complete plant can be "created" from each individual meristem cell. However, this requires a great deal of effort and is hardly suitable for the enthusiast.
