I take exception to this advice. I received 10 VFT's from xscd and potted them up. I had them in the attic where it was cool but not frigid. Then I had them under the porch for a week, so they could acclimate a bit before putting them in full sun. To all appearances they seemed adjusted, so I put them in full sun, where they all promptly "burned". All the xisting leaves died but it was also evident that there would be new growth. Only one plant actually died, but they were all set back.
Then there was the move I had in late July. I put the whole collection outside on the porch until I could get something set up inside. Strangley, nothing reacted the first two days. But after the third day, all of my Mexican butterworts, nearly all of the utrics, and about half the sundews reacted. Ultimately, the butterworts nearly all recovered, as did the utrics. The sundews were the worst victims of the change from window sill / closet, under artificial lighting. I was picking dead plants for weeks thereafter. The VFT's, Sarrs, and temoerate sundews did fine.
My point is that even stable, acclimated indoor plants can go into shock, if placed in direct sunlight.
Jim,
thats a good point..my plants always burn too..
(I should have mentioned that..and I have..many times before!
here it is again..
I do not consider that "shock" and I do not think "acclimating slowly" will fix the burning problem..its simply sunburn, and IMO it does not harm the plants at all.
When you buy a VFT from Home Depot or Target, the ones with the clear plastic covers, the leaves are always very UN-acclimated to direct sunlight..they will burn no matter how slowly you try to acclimate them to direct sun..they simply arent equipped to handle it.
So you stick them out in the sun..they burn..the leaves facing the sun quite literally turn brown from sunburn..new leaves come out, that have *always* been in the direct sunlight..those leaves do not burn..after a few weeks several new leaves are out, the old burned leaves are cut away..presto! the plant is now acclimated to direct sunlight!
I stand by my advice:
just stick them outside in the bright light and they do great.
(VFTs and Sarrs..not Neps)
yes, some leaves will burn..
thats simply a given.
and its not a problem..and I dont think you can do anything about it..
individual leaves are expendable..the health of the plant as a whole is more important than a few burned leaves, and the plant NEEDS to be in direct sun for optimum health..
a few burned leaves must be sacrificed for the greater good.
Every spring my plants come out of dormancy in mid-February..they sit in front of sliding glass doors, indoors, to come out of dormancy..but its still too cold to put them outside for the season..spindly weak growth starts up indoors Feb-March..they get direct morning light, but not nearly as intense as outdoor light on the deck..
finally sometime in April they go outside for the season..
those first weakling leaves fry..
new growth quickly replaces the burned leaves, and the plants are off and running..
the "burning phase" is only a few weeks in April..after that all the new leaves are fine and the plants are totally acclimated to the sun
for the rest of the season.
been doing it this way for 15 years now..the plants are perfectly fine.
happens with all my VFTs and Sarrs..I dont think the burn can be prevented, and IMO and in my experience it is unnecessary to try..
Scot