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rezan_gw

VFt and disease

rezan
17 years ago

Hi there,

I just recently noticed my vft i bought in october was acting a little sluggish and few black spots have appeared on its leaves. Furthermore, when i gently touch the traps , they don't close any longer. Is the plant getting ready to go dormant? The temperature in my area is about 20-30°C and very sunny. i have taken some photo's below:

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My question are the following:

1. Should i buy some acid based fungicide and try using it?

2. I have been trying to plant vft seeds unsuccessfully and recently found some green fungus growing on it at the bottom near the water sauce pan. So i went to the gardening shop and they told me to get this brand of fungicide: Kocide blue xtra( main composition copper in the form cupric hydroxide). They assured me its a acid based fungicide which can treat a whole range of fungus. Is this fungicide suitable for my vft plant?

3. If i need to repot my vft, to a bigger pot, are this plant are ok for repotting?

Appreciate any info .

zan

Comments (5)

  • ga_meteors
    17 years ago

    I'm not an expert so if others feel my "advice" is lacking, so be it!

    If it was mine, I would definately repot it, judging by the photos. What I would suggest is getting a bigger pot and preparing the medium, putting it in the pot --- then move the entire "clump" of medium they are currently in into the new pot. This should not disturb the roots, and the VFT may never know the difference, except now its roots can stretch out! This worked great for me last year.

    Your description certainly sounds like dormancy, though at this time of year it would be a false dormancy -- they were grown and sold a bit out-of-sync from the grower, perhaps. Occasional black leaves are normal and to be expected.

    I can't speak to the fungicide...

    KY in GA

  • petiolaris
    17 years ago

    You can repot or choose not to do so. It isn't that crowded. If you do, I would prepare the new and larger pot first, with a hole in the center, to accommodate the entire contents of the original. In other words, move it all as one unit. Mix sand & peat and LFS on top. That's a standard mix. Snip anything that is blackened. Keep well lit and open to the air. No need to add fungicides. Now is the time for VFT's and the like to be waking up. This is the new growing season!

  • bugman
    17 years ago

    Do not use copper-based fungicides as they are toxic to carnivorous plants. Try to find a sulphur-based fungicide; they are safe to use.

  • rezan
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Thanks for the advice bugman, petiolaris and ga_meteors. I will repot the plant and spray some sulfur based fungicide.

    Does it make a difference between copper and sulfur if both fungicide are acid based? I was told by the gardening shop the copper based fungicide was acid based and it treated a wide range of fungicide.

    zan

  • bugman
    17 years ago

    The reason that copper-based fungicides will kill your plant is because copper is a heavy metal, and carnivorous plants can't handle any metals in the soil or even on the leaves. Sulphur is not a metal and therefore safe to use. any other plant could handle the small amount of copper just fine, but CPs just can't. I have killed some VFTs by using copper-based fungicide before but the sulphur fungicide doesn't seem to affect them. Happy Growing!

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