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Reducing the photoperiod for winter

I have mostly tropical CPs in my terrariums (Drosera, Utricularia, Nepenthes) and I've been told that I should reduce my photoperiod for winter. Do I really have to do this? If these plants don't need a dormancy, why would someone have to reduce the photoperiod in winter?
 
They may not require a dormancy, but unless you've got plants that are indigeonous to the Equator, where there are no seasonal differences to speak of, there is a natural change in photoperiod. Think of let's say, southern Florida. There are many types of CP's that are native to the area, a lot of Sarracenia, for instance. While not to the extreme of something like the Arctic Circle, they experience a lessening of photoperiod in the winter and a lengthening in the summer. The plants are adapted to the normal ebb and flow of light throughout the year and they slow down, instead of go dormant.
 
Plants and many animals use the time of year to tell what they should be doing. Even if your plants aren't ones requiring dormancy, they still have a biological clock that's keyed to changes in photoperiod and climate. The ubiquitous timed event is reproduction - species tend to breed at certain coordinated points in the year to maximize their selection of mates and provide their offspring with ideal conditions. What that means to you is that if you give your plants a varied photoperiod, they'll flower more easily, because they 'think' that they have a better shot at finding mates during certain parts of the year.
~Joe
 
True words of wisdom, but I like to live dangerously.  
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I keep the photoperiod constant (14h) for those CPs that don't require dormancy and they seem to grow and flower fine with the conditions I provide.  I tried reducing the photoperiod once and found that it placed my plants under too much stress as even good fluorescent lighting (6" under 80W cool white in 2x2' grow area) is not as intense or beneficial as bright sunlight and so the plants are probably under less-than-optimal growing conditions to begin with.  But this is just for my conditions--if you are using high-output fluorescent lights, this may not be an issue for you.

As for those requiring dormancy, I keep them together (separate from the tropicals) and gradually reduce the photoperiod (14-->9h) until I place them in the fridge.  Unfortunately, since they are growing indoors, they experience a concommitent gradual temperature reduction of 10-15F (to ~65F), which is less than ideal but the best I can provide.  They seem to be doing ok, though.
 
So Chloroplast, are you saying you just keep the photoperiod the same for your tropical CPs all year long with no problems?
 
Sweet
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Now I don't have to look at half-dead plants all through the winter!
 
I'm still going to take my temperate sundews and Utrics out of the lab and bring them home next week and let them get both reduced light and temps, until it gets too cold for them. The rest of them will get the reduced light and somewhat lower temps on the window sills.
 
I can see the logic in doing that to temperate species, but do you do the same for your tropicals?

Oh, and if memory serves me correctly, you've got those very nice wide windowsills which I would kill for in my apartment. Unfortunately, mine are very narrow and directly above radiators, so any delicate plant that is placed on them is dried the minute I begin turning on the heat.
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So it's all grow-racks for my plants.
 
  • #10
Last year I had everything outside, temperates and tropicals, both, until min-November. I ended up losing a D. anglica and I had severeal pots of pigmy dews overturned in a 3" rainstorm. I also experienced a lot of D. intermedia, spatulata, U. livida & sandersonnii showing up in other pots (months later). But the most frustrating thing was to end up having aphids on D. adelae, spatulata, and capensis. Don't know if it was coincidence or not, but it was only the 3 tropicals that got aphids. So I decided this year to just leave them on the sills.

My gravy train with window sills and deionized water is about to end, since we are moving to western NY later this fall. We all have to work with what we have. I can suggest window sills and open tray to new members all I want, but if they don't have the window sills or are facing the wrong way or if they gave cats.... it does no good. Grow racks will work for you and terraria will work for others, while a greenhouse will work for those that have them.
 
  • #11
I took in all my tropical plants that were growing outside about 2 weeks ago. Night time temps were just dropping too low. I have reduced the photoperiod inside my grow-shelf to 14 hrs. In another week I will drop it down to 12 hrs. I'll eventually have my light timers setup to the winter sunrise/sunset of the sun here.

You should give your tropical plants a decreased photoperiod. Afterall even in environments they naturally inhabit get less light during the winter months. Plants do react to the time differences. Tropical pings for instance do not truely go dormant. Their winters are drier, and less light. This triggers them to produce the winter succulent leaves. This is also one of the times these pings will flower.
 
  • #12
[b said:
Quote[/b] ]They may not require a dormancy, but unless you've got plants that are indigeonous to the Equator, where there are no seasonal differences to speak of, there is a natural change in photoperiod.

Jim makes a good point. One of the advantages of growing tropical plants under lights is a person can maintain a 12-14 hour photoperiod.

I observed temperate sundews in the mountains here and noticed that they are extremly sensitive to the photoperiod. I went to check on a spot late August and all the sundews had already died back and formed hibernacula, even though the temperatures weren't below freezing yet. A slight reduction in the photoperiod was all it took.

Brian
 
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