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Any sarracenia growers in northern latitude?

Hi there,

After years of growing here in Quebec, I still experience a big problem with my Sarrs (excepted for S.purpurea of course): I can't make them spend their dormancy indoor (too hot, and they are getting too big with the years).

I tried the outdoor dormancy, in an insulated casing (a wood box closing tight, insulated with styrofoam), and 'test plants' hadn't like it much... 1 of 3 VFT hadn't come out of dormancy, and Sarrs experiences few rotting problems, and freezing too...

I can't have a cool greenhouse (i'm still a student, with all the implications as low budget...)... So I'm curious to know how you, northern cpers, are growing your Sarrs, particulary on how you treat the dormancy period.

Thanks!

Tom
 
one word...Refrigerator.

I live in Rochester, NY, a climate just as cold as yours..we just spent nearly the entire month of January well below freezing..most days not even reaching 10 degrees F.
(negative 12C)
so keeping the plants outside all winter is simply not an option..far too cold for most of them.
Indoors is also no good..I live in apartment, no basement, no porch, no "cold windowsills"..everywhere inside my apartment is at 70 degrees (21C) all winter, which is far too warm!
what I really need is someplace that is cold enough to keep them truly dormant all winter..someplace just above freezing, 35-40 degrees F would be ideal..(2-4C)
at ha! a refrigerator keeps those exact temps all the time!
its just too perfect..in the autumn I leave my plants outside as the temps begin to fall, usually right through late October, I only bring them inside at night if there is threat of a heavy overnight frost..this way they begin to go dormant naturally on their own..they spend the whole month of October "preparing" for dormancy, just as they would in the wild..then in late October or early November I cut all the stalks off, cut off everything growing above the surface of the pots, leaving only short stubs..wrap the pots in plastic bags and stick them in the 'fridge..and there they stay for 3 months until early February..they then come out and go into windows to come out of dormancy..by mid March to early April they can start going outside again..coming back in at night if it falls below freezing..by May they out for the season..im bringing my plants out this weekend!
smile.gif
 their 3 months is nearly up! even though it is still in the heart of winter..our winters last 5 months here, but the plants dont need to be dormant that long..

the only drawback to this method is the threat of fungus attacking the crowns, and possibly killing the plants..in the 6 or 7 years I have been doing this, I have lost maybe 2 or 3 plants to fungus..but thats out of dozens..
you could spray with an anti-fungal in the fall, but personally I dont want those dangerous chemicals in my fridge with food...someday I will have a dedicated fridge meant ONLY for winter dormancy of CP's! then I will probably spray for fungus..

so thats my method..it works! and its my only option..but fortunally its a good option..
scot
 
Hey, I live in Indiana, and it isnt as cold as where you are at, but for my plants' dormancy, I crack my window open, turn down the heat, and it usually is around 40-45 degrees F, or cold enough for me to see my breath. I have been doing this for almost 3 dormancies, and my plants seem to like it is just fine. It may be too cold for you to do that, but just set the thurmostat at 40 (~10-12C) and see how it goes. Experiment, but if all else fails, DO THE REFRIGERATOR.

smile.gif

Cole
 
Hi Tom,
I am in Northern NY near Boldt Castle, Thousand Islands region. Anyhow for my Sarracenia's I put them out on my porch, sure an occasional blast of the -20 weather we've had isn't good but isn't bad either, all plants are superb and some are doing thier dormancy growth like VFT's the slow pace and all should be very well rested up this spring!
 
Outside is too cold in Alaska. I've had to put them in a dark corner of my warm (too warm) house, and made sure they stayed dry. They seemed to go to sleep just fine, and are now coming out of dormancy in my special plant room. Simple as that for me.
 
My solution here in CT, which is a milder place, is to sink pots into the ground and to loosely cover the plants with 12"+ of red oak leaves.  I fluff up the leaves every few weeks and will begin removing some in early March.  Red oak leaves don't mat down like other leaves, but I didn't remove snow as promptly as I should have and some of the leaves are now frozen into heavy chunks.

I've been doing this for other almost-hardy plants, but last year was the first time with southern Sarracenias.  My big Sarr. leucophylla thrived, with its previous year's pitchers maintaining their color up above the oak leaves, but it was a mild winter and rarely dropped below 10F.  This winter is more normal I'm worried about how the plants are doing.

Bruce
 
I live in Michigan and have my plants in the basement. I live in a very old house, 140 yrs +/-, and some sections of the basement is very drafty and cold. Yesturday when I checked on my plants, the soil was frozen! This is my first year growing Sarr's so I'm nervous.

If anyone is currious on what happens in the Spring I will post an update. Keep your fingers crossed.
 
I live in Michigan and i put my sarrs into the freg for about 3months, were in michigan do you live.
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Hi Phil

I live in Fenton. Have you been to the CP display at the Meijer gardens in Grand Rapids? If not, check it out!
 
  • #10
no I haven't unfortunly I plan on going there this summar to check t out and buy some cp's there. What do the have+can you tell me there zipcode there so I can look up the driving directions or meybe call them and aske them when they will get cp's in so I would be there in the right time, Thanx.
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  • #11
I have a cabin in Bloomingdale, on Lake Scott, near Kalamazoo. The Meijer in Kalamazoo has a big cp selection the last time I was there (1 year ago) im going back this summer
tounge.gif

Kevin
 
  • #12
Hey Phil,

I don't think they sell CP's at Meijer Gardens. However, they have a plant sale and an orchid show. The CP currator Steve LaWarre metioned that there are CP's for sale at the orchid show on occasion. Check out the ICPS (International Carnivorous Plant Society) website and consider subscribing to the listserver if you havn't already (Steve LaWarre posts there).

http://www.carnivorousplants.org/cplist/AboutCPList.htm

Meijer Gardens has a website as well. The website lists events and has directions.

http://www.meijergardens.org

Hope this helps.
 
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