How do you grow your Pinguicula (butterworts)?
 

I just have one type of butterwort but it multiplies rapidly and though I give them away at a nice pace, I still have three pots of them. I just set them in soaked NZ sphagnum moss, let them root, and then give them away.
A couple of years ago, I made some sort of mix for my CP's but I can't remember what I used to make it. Does anyone have a good recipe for a mix?
I keep my pings (and other CP's) sitting in water, always using rain or distilled water. They get cattleya light and tend to bloom ten months out of the year.

I grow mine the same but let the water in the saucers dry-out before filling them again. I do have some in plain sphag and some in a fine-bark/sphag mix. I can't say that I have noticed any difference in growth between the 2.

Leafmite,

You may want to check out this thread from Paul, he's who I got my pings from. I've followed his instructions and my Pings are growing quite well.

http://www.orchidboard.com/community...tterworts.html


He does recommend using 50/50 mix of peat or ground up coir and very coarse non-calcareous sand and states that it works quite well which is what I've used and found to work well for me too.

Hope thats helpful!

Judi

My pings are in bark but their media is sitting in water all the time. They seem to like it that way. And they prefer the north window light exposure. If I put them in the west they easily go crisp. I do not wet the leaves, just the media sitting in tap water.

I wish I can grow the other CP's..but they are too picky with water.

Nepenthes are actually pretty tough when it comes to minerals in water. A general tip is to keep the water at 100ppm. They might handle more, if you routinely run water through the media. Nepenthes don't like being bottom-watered either.

Anyways, for the OP ; I haven't gotten pings yet but I know the basic care as I've done my research. I think a perlite and peat mix is good. If you have any silica sand, that works great ; but avoid regular sand. Pings can be lithophytic at times, so some people add a little bit of lava rock to or extra perlite to the mix. Allow the plant to get a dry, cool dormancy. The temps depend on the species, but generally, 60F is fine.

Mine is in very fine bark & peat mix, but I keep it in water all the time. I always use rain water for it.

Wish we got rain ..nada rain here..will probably see it in November yet..

I would totally do an orchid trade for a butterwort of yours- I have been wanting one for a while and have a few orchids I would trade for one. If you are interested let me know. Of course there is shipping though.