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When sarrs go dormant

Well, do they? If they don't have any leaves in winter I would guess they don't, but I don't know much about them. I ask because my celler is just the right tempurature for most during winter, but it's dark. Thanks
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Yes, they do need light.  In the fall most sarrs put up phylodophia(sp?) so that they can do photosynthisis(sp?) in the winter.  As for the sarrs that don't have phylodophia their pitchers from the summer and fall will do photosynthisis. That is usually what the little fan thing is that go up the center of the picther. It helps the plant do its photosynthisis. The phylodophia look lake thick pieces of grass. I hope this helped.

Later
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Wes
 
</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Yes, they do need light. In the fall most sarrs put up phylodophia(sp?) so that they can do photosynthisis(sp?) in the winter. As for the sarrs that don't have phylodophia their pitchers from the summer and fall will do photosynthisis. That is usually what the little fan thing is that go up the center of the picther. It helps the plant do its photosynthisis. The phylodophia look lake thick pieces of grass. I hope this helped.[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Wait a minute....if that's true, then how does refigerator dormancy work? I though that dormancy meant that the plant didn't do ANYTHING. The phylodophia are aborted pitchers that are capable of photosynthesis, but I didn't think they did that during dormancy...
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Where's Mike King when you need him?
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Well I thought that just because the plants got stay alive even sleeping. Just like humans when they sleep. they have to breath. Wait! I'll use bears as an example. When a bear hybernates. It does NOTHING other than use the bathroom. So maybe sarrs don't need light. Where are you Mike King!!!
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Wes
 
Well, Im not mike but I will try to help
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. The sarrs that get put in the fridge for the winter survive bec it is a much deeper dormancy than what it would get on a chilly window sill. I prefer not to put them in the fridge, but I am running out of room for cold windows, so I will have to put some of mine in the fridge this winter.

Cole
 
I dont believe that light is an absolute requirement. People bury their bogs under a foot of mulch, I don't expect they get much light that way. If you can just leave them outdoors that would be the best bet, but it seems to me that the basement would work too. If you are really worried you can always supplament the light with short periods of artificial light. Be careful not to get them too warm with the light and not too long (extended photoperiod and warmth may break dormancy)
Good luck
Steve
 
</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Wesley @ July 29 2003,10:29)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">It does NOTHING other than use the bathroom.[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Correction!!!
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They don't even go to the bathroom. Their kidneys and intestines and things like that shut down completely. I'm smart
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Plants need temperatures of about 6C to photosynthesise, albeit slowly. In the wild, whenever the winter temperature rises above this, they can take advantage of and produce a few sugars for the next growing season. By putting it in the fridge you are in effect creating a severe winter, where the temperature never rises above about 4C, which is fine. A pitcher grown in light and in temperatures of 6-10C will have a slight advantage though in the spring in theory.
 
</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Correction!!! They don't even go to the bathroom. Their kidneys and intestines and things like that shut down completely. I'm smart [/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>

I am sooooooo glad I'm not a bear. I don't think I could hold it that long.LOL!!!

Okay, back to the point. I guess it is a matter of opinion, and depending on where you live.

Later
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Wes
 
  • #10
Um, okay. I live in Michigan. We freeze solid here. My windowsill is probubly like 50-60 degreas farenhight. My basement is more like 30. I have no clue what that means in celcius(sp?). I can't exactly put my plants the the refrigerator.
 
  • #11
Then they should be about right in the cellar. That would be a nice deep dormancy.
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  • #12
Darcie (and anyone else who's curious),
Here is how you change celcius into fahrenheit:

((c/5)*9)+32=F

So 10 degrees C:

((10/5)*9)+32:
(2*9)+32
18+32
=50

You can also go in the reverse direction

((F-32)/9)*5=C

Cheers!
 
  • #13
I always learn that formula and in about a month I have already forgotten it.
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Wes
 
  • #14
I really can't compare tempratures here in England to yours in Michigan, but onver here I make sure the Sarras get as much light as they can get to promote the largest growth with all the dead pitchers removed to give the live pitcher bases and phyllodia a chance to photosythesize. The daytime temps in the greenhouses rises in bright sunshine to well over 10 C, but nightime could be a low as minus 10 C.
 
  • #15
I was wandering why you were using celcius... then I remebered that America is the only one (to my knoladge) that using the English measurements. Duh! In farenheit, what is ten and negetive ten celsius? My brain doesn't want to work while it's on it summer break.lol

Wes
 
  • #16
10°c = 50°f
-10°c = 14°f

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  • #17
Thanks for translating BCK. So, they can handle a major freeze thaw cycle? Interesting. Too bad we hit negative farenhight here. Well, I guess I'll be using the seller. At least when my baby northern purps grow up I can leave them outside... hey um, is it better for seedling nothern purples to skip a dormancey or have one their first year?
 
  • #18
In my experiences, light is not needed. However, if, like me, you stick your pots in a garage for the winter, some light is beneficial, as far as not letting fungus become too rampant (fungicide also is a must if you do this).
 
  • #19
My sarras are outdoors year 'round. When the temps get cold, I cut off any dead material on the pitchers but leave any part that is capable of photosynthesis. My s. purpureas have surivived winters with surprisingly little damage. They have done fine through freezing weather. Then in the spring, I cut off any dead pitchers or ends of pitchers to make room for the new growth.

I'm sure having some light thru dormancy would be best seeing as that's their state in the wild. But they do survive refrigeration.
 
  • #20
I overwinter all my species in my cellar. Temps are above freezing, but just above, with occasional freezes for short periods. I think plants getting some light do have the advantage as Alvin says; I keep the prized plants in the small cellar windows, and these always seem to "recover" first in the spring. It takes the others until July to really look their best. I think your cellar will be fine for dormancy, just dont forget to keep them moist (not wet). The only plants I have lost dried out over the winter.
 
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