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karachigardener

Flytrap and sarracenia dormancy

karachigardener
11 years ago

Hi guys,
I have recently bought three sarracenias and a Venus flytrap
Since I live in an area where the winters do not go below 20 ish degrees c
(around 65 f) how would I successfully be able to make the plants complete their dormancy?

I have read that the fridge method is my only option, but some people say that the plants will die out of shock, if I do not do this then will the plants enter dormancy naturally?

What should I do?

The plants are indoors next to a fairly bright window.
I also have a pitcher plant that I have been growing for the past year and it has done well.

Comments (24)

  • tommyr_gw Zone 6
    11 years ago

    You can use the fridge method. In the fall when your temperature gets down to as low as it gets take the pots out of the water tray, drain off the excess water from the pots, put them in zip lock bags and pop them in the fridge. Where are you located?

  • Leafhead
    11 years ago

    Rule of thumb:
    Thanksgiving to Valentine's day should be their dormancy period.

  • karachigardener
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Are you sure that the fridge method will not stress them too much?
    I live in Karachi, Pakistan

  • tommyr_gw Zone 6
    11 years ago

    If you put them in for an hour a day and increase the time each day for about a week until they stay all day they should be fine. This will also slowly reduce their light period which also triggers dormancy.

  • karachigardener
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Ok great I will definitely try that!
    Should I use the same method to bring them out of dormancy?

  • tommyr_gw Zone 6
    11 years ago

    I just take them out of the fridge and leave them out but slowly get them used to full Sun in west, south windows.

  • Gerris2 (Joseph Delaware Zone 7a)
    11 years ago

    I have a lot to learn about VFT. Is there hope for my plants if I induce dormancy now?

  • tommyr_gw Zone 6
    11 years ago

    Don't bother with dormancy now, it's too late for that. When the last frost has passed your area slowly introduce them to FULL sun, 6+ hours a day until fall.

  • Gerris2 (Joseph Delaware Zone 7a)
    11 years ago

    Thank you. I've had them under bright light in short day photoperiod in an aquarium near cold windows. They look ok and even made flower stems over winter. Does the plant require a dormant period for proper health? I suppose so since that is how it evolved?

  • tommyr_gw Zone 6
    11 years ago

    Yes they require 3-4 months of cold for dormancy. Cold, NOT freezing. Mine live in the fridge from about Oct. to Now. Just brought them out in the past week.

  • karachigardener
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Will the plants show signs of dormancy?
    If they don't and I put them in the fridge then will it trigger dormancy?
    Also, can I sip this year and make them go dormant next year?

  • Leafhead
    11 years ago

    The plants will show signs as days grow shorter. Their habit will be more prostate c broader petiole blades. The traps may be smaller in size, too. The bud will produce smaller and smaller leaves.
    This is when you should start to introduce them to cold, in mid to late Nov., before the plants begin to flower.
    I would bring them out slowly in Mid Feb and let them sit at rm temp for a day before slowly introducing back to full sun in the terrarium.

    But at this time, VFTs should be blooming and growing.
    I would definitely let them go dormant next year.

  • karachigardener
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I do not think that my plants are doing too well I will put pictures of them up shortly. Any suggestions are appreciated. I want to know what I should do to them to make them grow better, they get about an hour of strong sunlight and then bright shade for like 7 more hours, this might be all they can handle because if they get anymore sun, I think that they will wilt in the heat. How heat tolerant are they? Also, can someone give me the botanical names of each of them?

  • karachigardener
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    ok ignore the last follow up for some reason i am not able to put the pictures up...

  • tommyr_gw Zone 6
    11 years ago

    They may be doing bad because they're not getting ENOUGH Sun. SLOWLY each day introduce it to more and more Sun. Until they are in 6+ hours or more a day.

  • karachigardener
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    But will they tolerate the heat?

  • tommyr_gw Zone 6
    11 years ago

    Yes.

  • karachigardener
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Ok I tried that method and now they are in full sun.
    They recieve about 8 or more hours of sun everyday and each plant has a tray of water underneath it at all times. They are given distiller water.
    They have been like this for about a week and the parrot pitcher plant seems to be getting red around the edges of its completely green leaves. Also, one of the new pitchers of the sarracenia flava is turning completely red, (the old picthers are not like this).
    The flytrap has shown no sign of change but is has grown two new leaves. The other sarracenias have developed brown edges at the ends of their pitcher lids and some of the their old pitchers have drying out lips.

    The brown edges and dried out lips had occurred when the plants were next to the window and the other changes (the red colouring etc) have come after putting the plants outdoors. Does this show that the plants are doing well or do they possibly have too much sun? The temperature keeps fluctuating between the high 90s and mid 80s and it will rise up to the 110s in the hot summer months.

  • tommyr_gw Zone 6
    11 years ago

    Leave them alone and clip off any dead pitchers or traps. Give them time to settle in.

  • karachigardener
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Ok fine.
    And the red colouring is normal?

  • karachigardener
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Is the red colouring the true color of the pitchers or are the plants getting a bit sun burned while the are in the process of getting used to the full sun?

  • tommyr_gw Zone 6
    11 years ago

    Yes, parrot pitcher plants are normally red colored. If you acclimated them to Sun properly there will be no problems. Give them a few more weeks time to settle in.

  • karachigardener
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    ok i have good news!!!
    the flytrap has been making some new leaves and i fed one of them and the trap closed instantly. the sarracenias have also made many new leaves. i also found an extremely tiny parrot pitcher plant baby growing in the same pot as my parrot pitcher. the leaves of it are less than half an inch high and they are all coming from a separate plant.(not the main plant.) i was wondering if i could make a new plant out of this somehow. recently, the trays of water underneath the plants dried out for a day as i was away and the plants are fine.

  • tommyr_gw Zone 6
    11 years ago

    Leave the baby pitcher plants alone. The tray drying out for a day or 2 won't hurt them but refill ASAP when you see that happen.

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