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VTFs in the desert

Estrella

Your plants eat what???
I live in high altitude Semi-arid desert, zones 6-8.

So far my VFTs are doign well. I have 3 of them, none mature. I keep them in individual sized Terraiums inside, in my windowsill facing west. with well saturated peat moss mixture. this actuallly works best for me for plants, because here the sun reaches its highest point at about 3 pm, which means more time on the west side.

I put them out for a few hours in the morning about every 3 days, keeping them out no later than 2 pm, to avoid major fry sizzle action. When they are outside they are on the patio table under the shade of an umbrella.

Over all they are doing fine now. I take care of my purple pitcher and my sundew the same way.

Now my question is more about the upcoming winter.

Is is possible for me to keep them from going into hibernation? If so, how? if not, what do I do with them?

Also how often do you really have to feed them?

Finally, am I being an overbearing plant mom?


thanks!

Oddly enough, so far my plants have not only survived, but grown. I would like to continue this string of luck.
 
What are your outside conditions? IE humidity.

They require dormancy. The first year "can" be skipped but there's no reason two unless you got it during the winter out of TC. No dormancy = death. If you're outside winter isn't cool enough, put them in the fridge.

You don't have to feed them at all.
 
I Live in Albuquerque New Mexico.


Right now it humidity is bouncing around thanks to a miniature rainy season. It can be very dry ( Chapstick and moisturizing cream are very popular), or very humid. Right now during the middle of the day, the temperature can reach upper 90s, we've even had a few upper triple digit days. THat's why I take them inside before the hottest part of the day.

As far as winters go, It's too cold for them I beleive ( The high altitude part). IT is possible to reach low teens, and get more than a foot of snow on the ground. The only thing the seasons have in common from year to year is that it's mostly dry. I heard someone tell me at Lowes that they're purely indoor plants here.

Thanks. I'll look up winterizing them. Can they be kept in a garage? That may provide enough warmth for the roots to not freeze, but enough cool to keep them dormant.
 
I keep my dormancy plants in buckets, as minibogs. When fall arrives I tote them to the attic for the winter. I place them right at the windo sill and water sparingly. When the temps and photoperiod incresae enough, the plants wake up. They need light and cold.
 
Well, New Mexico is a little bland when I was there, so, I know what the conditions are like (ironically it rained 45 minutes after I came though). You cannot keep them from going into hibernation or they'll die. I think they'll do outside in your weather as long as it's below 55F but above 32F with brief dips down to 15-20F.
 
...and xscd is growing his in the desert SW.
 
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