What's new
By:
Filters
TerraForums Venus Flytrap, Nepenthes, Drosera and more talk

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

New member

C

chaotic_poet

Hey ladies and gents,
My name's Robbie and I hail from Chicago. I just purchased some VTFs yesterday on a whim and with some dead time at work, I stumble across these forums.
Unfortunately, I didn't do much research before buying my plants so do have to do some last minute shopping after work tonight. The plants themselves aren't great quality... I saw them during lunch at Wal-Greens. Should I expect these to not last long?
Worse comes to worse, after looking up the info on VTFs, I'm interested enough to replace them from a place of higher quality if these go the way of the dinos.
I've read through a bunch of sites on-line and the stickies at the top of this forum, but was wondering if anyone else had any tips. I plan to keep these guys indoors as I live in the middle of the city with no way to safely keep them outdoors. Should I be concerned with feeding them small live crickets every week from a pet shop, or will the typical apartment have enough things hanging around for them to be fine? Chicago's also had a weird outburst of spiders recently... would those be fine for plant food or does that not sound so palatable to the green?
I plan on getting some distilled water tonight and some dishes/gravel to keep the pots in if Ace Hardware is still open when I pass by it. I have them in the windowsill right now and they'll get about 4 or 5 hours of full sun there and a few hours more of indirect.
Not many people here seem to live in the middle of the city... does anyone know how apartment plants will do and if there's anything in particular I have to pay attention to?
These plants are pretty small right now... about 3 inches across and I'm thinking of not letting them go dormant over the winter. Is this a bad idea?
Any random tips you have will be well appreciated.
 
Hi Chaotic and welcome to the forums. Since it is still "room temperature" outside I would begin by nursing it back to health by putting it outide. The first few days I would putthe pot in a relatively shady spot, in a plastic container that holds water. I would fill it to the top with water (rain, distilled, RO) and gradually move it to brighter light. It has obvously been neglected at he the store and is very weak. Keep us posted. One caveat, as more people respond to this, you will see varied opinions. Just look for the thread of commonality.
 
One thread of commonality is, "Hush up, Jim!!" Quit givin' away our best secrets, and start charging for the info! Sheesh!!!! Welcome, CP!!!!!
 
Steve, you're back! I was seriously contemplating initiating a topic about MIAs - you and BigCarnivourKid and Trapper and Tink and...
 
Hi and welcome

Firstly, you can grow your plant on a windowsill all season no problems from March through to November. Put it outside occasionally in summer when it's nice. A south facing window is best, but an east or west window will also be fine.

Don't worry about feeding. Food is like fertilizer and your plant will still be ok if it's never fed. However, feed it if you want - as long as it's alive and not in a big shell, your plant will eat it.

I would also keep your plant just in a saucer or tray of water - don't bother with gravel.

If you skip dormancy, it should be fine. It will probably go into a light sleep since there will be little light, but it should be ok as long as you let it sleep proper next year.
 
Jim, You are the only one who seemed to realize I was gone for a week. Yes, I'm back, and its time to make money off the new guys!!!!!! CHARGE!!!!!!!! LOLOL!!!!!
 
Ok, got a gallon of steam distilled water. I figured that will last awhile and distilled water is distilled water right? Nothing I have to worry about on that front.
I took them out of their little plastic cylinder things, but I didn't really have a good tray to put them in with water, so I made a makeshift one till I can browse the local stores. I still have them in the pots they came in: tiny plastic pots with drainage holes. I placed the min plastic cups whose sides I've cut down and put a small amount of water in the bottom, though I'm unsure of how deep it should be. It's probably about as deep as half my finger nail. I then placed the tops of the plastic cylinders they came in back around them and put the cap with four holes back on top.
 
CP, an old Cool Whip container makes an excellent water tray for VFT's. Water up the side of the pot to a point halfway up the pot is good. Refill when down to 1/4", or totally dry. Repot next year to a six inch pot for the root depth. Straight peat is best. Anything except Scott's Peat or Miracle grow Peat will work. NO fertilizer, NO plant food.
 
How deep do the VTF's roots go? The pot's not too deep.. around two, maybe 2.5 inches. I'm afraid to drown them. I figured it's far too soon and fragile to repot a the moment, but is it too small of a pot?
 
  • #10
VFT roots may go as deep as 6 inches, occasionally longer, but a 6 inch pot will do. Plant in straight peat, and keep'em wet. Drown them?? Good luck trying, but not likely. Two and a half inches isn't deep enough, but suprising in how the VFT will adapt to that small amount of soil. Their survivability is incredible. Just DO NOT let them go totally dry for more than a day, or bye-bye VFT's.
 
  • #11
The generous hosts of these forums (petflytrap.com) have a cool setup that they ship all their plants in for sale here. If you ever find yourself wanting new plants, PFT is the way to go!

~ Brett
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top