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I'm new to all this

Hi Everyone,

I just got a VFT and I can use some help. I read some basic care info and am now looking for some supplies to start.

Where can I get mineral/ fertilizer free peat moss and perlite? :banana2: Help much apprieciated :-D

---------- Post added at 07:22 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:18 PM ----------

:boogie:perhaps i should also mention that i'm looking forward to re-pot my VFT. I'll probably place it on my fire escape so it can soak up some sun.. hopefully NYC will get some soon. So whens the best time to do this? I got my VFT about two days ago. EXCITED!!:boogie::banana2::0o:
 
Hi Everyone,

I just got a VFT and I can use some help. I read some basic care info and am now looking for some supplies to start.

Where can I get mineral/ fertilizer free peat moss and perlite? :banana2: Help much apprieciated :-D

---------- Post added at 07:22 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:18 PM ----------

:boogie:perhaps i should also mention that i'm looking forward to re-pot my VFT. I'll probably place it on my fire escape so it can soak up some sun.. hopefully NYC will get some soon. So whens the best time to do this? I got my VFT about two days ago. EXCITED!!:boogie::banana2::0o:

Well, you can get the peat and perlite from Flytrapshop.com....the store attached to this forum. Peat can be bought at garden centers and places like Lowes, but mineral free perlite is hard to find these days.

The best time to repot your VFT is when they are dormant, but you can do it now as long as you are gentle, it wont set it back too much.
 
Welcome to TF! I was born in the Bronx. Hard to find decent pizza in WNY!
 
Welcome! Good to see another NYCer on this forum... I'm in Brooklyn. Tough to find good growing supplies around here!
 
Well, you can get the peat and perlite from Flytrapshop.com....the store attached to this forum. Peat can be bought at garden centers and places like Lowes, but mineral free perlite is hard to find these days.

The best time to repot your VFT is when they are dormant, but you can do it now as long as you are gentle, it wont set it back too much.

Do what he said he knows what he is doing. :)

Welcome you will certianly like it here.
 
Hey jimscott and TheFury. :-D I love how everyone is supper friendly in this forum!! I followed Exo and got some peat & perlite from Flytrapshop.com. But where do you guys get your growing supplies?
 
I get my peat moss from my local Lowe's and i get about 2 bales for $4.00 to $5.00. The perlite i get from a local nursery. They have organic perlite. Supposed to be the best for flytraps. But here it is a little more expensive. They sell it for about $11.00 or $12.00.

Ean.
 
@Ean oh wow that seems pretty cheap, kinda wish i was in bklyn now. I don't think there's a Lowes around me. There's a Home Depot around here but they pretty much only sell miracle gro brands. I see you grow VFTs, do you use artificial lightening? What do you do on off weeks? We wont get much sunshine this week. :down:

---------- Post added at 12:29 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:26 PM ----------

@Ean oh wow that seems pretty cheap, kinda wish i was in bklyn now. I don't think there's a Lowes around me. There's a Home Depot around here but they pretty much only sell miracle gro brands. I see you grow VFTs, do you use artificial lightening? What do you do on off weeks? We wont get much sunshine this week. :down:

@TheFury and @jimscott I forgot to mention this question goes out to you guys as well.
 
I use natural sunlight. Now to this day i get as much direct sunlight on them as possible each day. I give them about right now 10+ hours of direct sunlight a day. I used to use artificial lighting for my tropical carnivorous plants but i have never for my outdoor hard Noth American carnivorous plants. You can use artifcial lights but you have to make them really bright and you will not get the best health and colors out of them compared to natural sunlight.

Sorry but i don't know what you mean by off weeks? It's ok to get a day or two of no sunshine because in the wild it happens to them also. I also am in a very simular climate as to where flytraps grow in the wild (North and South Carolina). I live in Metro Atlanta, GA so yes not that far away form where they grow (about 50-70 miles maybe) so not that ig of a difference. I really only have to keep the dead growth off and water them with pure disstilled water and rarely when it gets 20 degrees F. or below for two or more days at a time i have to protect them because in the wild they are underground (their roots) but mine are in pots so the pots do not have that much of protection as they do in the wild. So that is all i have to do keep them sitting in very pure water, protect them sometimes, clip off dead growth to keep fungus and mold away, and depending on the pot size repot them every year in early Spring.

Ean.
 
  • #10
I use natural sunlight. Now to this day i get as much direct sunlight on them as possible each day. I give them about right now 10+ hours of direct sunlight a day. I used to use artificial lighting for my tropical carnivorous plants but i have never for my outdoor hard Noth American carnivorous plants. You can use artifcial lights but you have to make them really bright and you will not get the best health and colors out of them compared to natural sunlight.

Sorry but i don't know what you mean by off weeks? It's ok to get a day or two of no sunshine because in the wild it happens to them also. I also am in a very simular climate as to where flytraps grow in the wild (North and South Carolina). I live in Metro Atlanta, GA so yes not that far away form where they grow (about 50-70 miles maybe) so not that ig of a difference. I really only have to keep the dead growth off and water them with pure disstilled water and rarely when it gets 20 degrees F. or below for two or more days at a time i have to protect them because in the wild they are underground (their roots) but mine are in pots so the pots do not have that much of protection as they do in the wild. So that is all i have to do keep them sitting in very pure water, protect them sometimes, clip off dead growth to keep fungus and mold away, and depending on the pot size repot them every year in early Spring.

Ean.

I most likely will grow mine on my fire escape. The thing is we often have varying weather in NYC and I wonder if this would be hazardous for the plant. So far according to our forecast its supposed to rain straight through till Friday. We haven't been having the sunniest summers these past few years. Since I'm new to growing VFTs I wonder if they would be happier under a artificial lighting?
 
  • #11
I would just leave them outside if i were you. You can put them under the lights if you want to until it sunnys up but remember they grow in North and South Carolina. But overall i would leave them outside.
 
  • #12
I most likely will grow mine on my fire escape. The thing is we often have varying weather in NYC and I wonder if this would be hazardous for the plant. So far according to our forecast its supposed to rain straight through till Friday. We haven't been having the sunniest summers these past few years. Since I'm new to growing VFTs I wonder if they would be happier under a artificial lighting?

Jane,
your VFT will be much much much much much much, and did I mention, much? better off outdoors on your fire escape, then it will indoors under artificial light..not even close, not even debatable..

dont worry about the cloudy weather this week..its completely and utterly meaningless..
when it comes to growing CP's, you cant think in terms of days or weeks..those are far too short periods of time to concern yourself with..you have to learn to think in terms of seasons! ;)

NYC will get plenty enough sun April - October for your plant..
which way does your fire escape face? if it was a clear day, how much sunlight would that spot recieve? In the fall, you will have to think about winter dormancy, but thats a ways away yet..for now, keep your plant outside, and it will do fine..

Scot
 
  • #13
Jane,
your VFT will be much much much much much much, and did I mention, much? better off outdoors on your fire escape, then it will indoors under artificial light..not even close, not even debatable..

dont worry about the cloudy weather this week..its completely and utterly meaningless..
when it comes to growing CP's, you cant think in terms of days or weeks..those are far too short periods of time to concern yourself with..you have to learn to think in terms of seasons! ;)

NYC will get plenty enough sun April - October for your plant..
which way does your fire escape face? if it was a clear day, how much sunlight would that spot recieve? In the fall, you will have to think about winter dormancy, but thats a ways away yet..for now, keep your plant outside, and it will do fine..

Scot


Listen to him also. :)

---------- Post added at 02:05 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:02 PM ----------

The best place to face it would be South If it is North you should try to find a different place same thing t=for a East facing place. The best place to put it is where it is facing South another option could be West but South is usually best.
 
  • #14
I went ahead and added a bare root D. capensis to your box. So don't leave it out in the mail box.
Enjoy,
Andrew
 
  • #15
Welcome!

Welcome to TF! I was born in the Bronx. Hard to find decent pizza in WNY!
I just watched TMNT2 the other night and the opening scene made me crave some NY pizza.

xvart.
 
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