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enviroment for my Vft Help

hi guys so i have planted some vft seeds a while ago and they have done nothing i.e by a while ago i mean long enough that they should be growing by now is this ok for my venus fly trap im growing it in a propagator is that ok pics can be found here ...


http://img90.imageshack.us/gal.php?g=dsc00129f.jpg


i hope this is ok for them as ive planted more seeds inside this propagator its not small its a fair size and i have both air hole open any help on this would be great just to get them growing surley it is warm enough in there cause my D.cape is growing in there if it is ok for the seeds the only other thing i can think of is dead seeds maybe PLEASE HELP !!!! :D hehe


Richard
 
Richard,
its hard to figure out what you are asking please consider using puncuation in the future I think you are asking if it takes awhile for seeds to sprout yes it does it takes weeks to months just keep at it although based on your photos it looks like you might not be giving them enough light I think you should take off the cover of the propagator and just put the seeds outside where they will get direct sunlight they will probably do better that way what kind of light are you giving them right now sun and bright light is much more important right now that temperature

Scot
 
but seriously..

what kind of light is there inside that propagator hood?
that could be your problem, why they havent sprouted yet.

personally I would ditch the cover, put the propagator right up against the window..the brightest window you have..direct sun is best, keep it plugged in (if its electric) to keep the bottom heat going.

If it comes down to choosing between heat and light, choose light.

Scot
 
lol sorry for my english nope im not asking how long the seeds take to spout im asking if this propagator is ok i.e the temprature for the seeds to grow inside. it is not an electric propagator and i am using sun light when the sun is out lol on my window sill should i remove the propagator lid then or not but my point is what if i remove the lid and its not sunny i.e dull rainy then what ? please get back to me thanks

richard
 
No matter what, the lid cuts down light a lot..sunny or cloudy..
the cover has to go..
if you dont have any artificial light (lightbulbs) over the propagator, which it sounds like you dont,
then you need to get maximum light from the sun..which means removing the cover..

IMO, you have 4 options.

1. (best) remove the cover, put the propogator outdoors, where it will get maximum sun.
leave it there until November..sunny or cloudy, doesnt matter..
if you go that route, you should put a thin layer of Long Fibre Spagnum over everything, to keep rain from splashing peat around..(what are you using for the growing medium?)

2. (better) remove the cover, put it in the brightest window you have, and add some artificial light over the propogator.

3. (ok..but could be better) remove the cover, put it in the brighest window you have.

4. (absolute worst) leave it as it is now..you arent getting NEARLY enough light with your current setup.
not even close..

If you go with artificial light, there are a lot of threads here about the best kind of lightbulbs to use..
Fluorescent is best..dont use normal incandescent lightbulbs, they generate too much heat..

actually, that propogator probably isnt best container to grow seedlings..
how do you control water with it?
does it have a drain? (holes in the bottom) or is it solid?

best method for seedlings is the tried-and-true "tray method"..where you keep the pots in a tray of water..
then put the pots under bright artificial light, or outdoors..

Scot
 
i will have to put it in brightest window with lid off i cant put them outside as my dog will wreck them as shes a runt lol and if i put them in the front garden they will get stolen i.e i live in the ghetto lol.

the propagator doesent have no holes im using a spray bottle as well though i need to know that if i take the lid off will this be ok for my D.Cape ? if so ill take it off straight away as soon as i get your reply ill be waiting :) thanks for all your help so far as well

Richard
 
Yes the cape sundew will be totally fine with the lid off..
(actually..it will be BETTER off with the lid off)

Hummidity is far overrated..you dont need a cover for any CPs really..
(VFTs and Sarracenia anyway..some Nepenthes need extra humidity, but thats irrelevant to your current setup and plants)

putting it in the brightest window you have, without the cover, will definately benefit all your plants..do you have a south-facing window that gets direct sun?

long-term the Cape and the VFTs shouldnt be in the same container..
because the VFTs will need dormancy, but the cape doesnt..
but its fine to leave them together for now..

Scot
 
ummm normally the back window gets most sunlight but no place gets more sun light as its moving..... well the sun isnt moving i am i.e the world lol so its always in a different place but direct sun light is in the back garden window i would say



p.s.... do i have to give my cps dormancy ?
 
generally south-facing windows get the most sun..(uless you have a large roof overhang)
east and west windows are second best..
North is worst..

Just pick whatever window you think is the brightest, and go with that..

yes, the VFTs will need dormancy..the cape sundew doesnt.

but dont worry about VFT dormancy yet..wait to see if some seeds sprout first! ;)
then you can worry about dormancy later..

generally VFTs do very poorly indoors long-term..
they should really be outside if you want them to live for many years..

but again, dont worry about that right now..
first step is just getting the seeds to sprout!

Scot
 
  • #10
thanks for all your help much greatful

Richard
 
  • #11
No problem richard! :)

keep us posted on how your plants are doing!

People often let newly sprouted VFT seedlings go their first winter without dormancy..
personally I dont recommend it, but apparently it works..
so in theory you should be OK for a year..

but if your seeds sprout, you will need to plan for dormancy next spring..
a year from now, Spring 2010, your VFTs will really have to go outside if you
want them to survive long term..

persoanlly im not a big fan of growing CP's from seed..
(VFTs take 5 years to reach adult size when grown from seed..
they stay very tiny for a long time..)
I tried it once, dont need to try it again..
its much easier to just buy full-grown plants..

although I do want to eventually build a large-ish outdoor bog..
in that case, I might try a whole bunch of VFT and sarracenia seeds..

Scot
 
  • #12
intresting i will keep you posted on how they go i just found out that from the morning till mid day the sun is at the front of the house then after it moves to the back hehe :p


Richard
 
  • #13
Just so you're aware, and not to be a killjoy but you should know what you're getting into growing Venus flytraps from seed...

IF you are expecting them to grow very soon into full-grown plants, they won't. For the first few years, the entire plant will probably not be much bigger than a dime with traps about the size of two pieces of dry rice. They won't be fully grown for about 4-5 years. If you knew this and growing them from seed is exactly what you want, good luck! I may do it someday, but I haven't yet. I've been told that it's not easy but I'm no authority on growing from seed.

If you didn't know that and if you are now thinking "oh crap...I wanted a larger plant with traps the size of quarters", you'd be better off ordering a few VFT's from Andy over at http://www.flytrapshop.com/ - Andy also runs this forum. He'll do you right if you order from him; everyone you see with a green forum name has ordered plants from Andy; its his way of saying "thanks".

Either way, good luck.

Oh and if you want to learn more about VFT's and carnivorous plants in general (and how to grow them, etc.), I think everyone here would agree that this is the book you want:
http://www.amazon.com/Savage-Garden...=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1241189775&sr=8-7

Edit: Regarding your comment just above, morning sun is better for plants than afternoon sun - you know, in the event you have to go away from the house for a few days and pick a window to leave your propagator in, or something.. ;)
 
  • #14
I agree with Valydius it does take a long time for the to get the size of the plants you'd see in stores, but if your willing to keep growing them I'm sure you'll be rewarded and while your waiting for the seedlings to grow you can always get a flytrap from andy's store.

I have a small pot of seedlings of Dente/red dragon flytraps which are tiny and cute, but they're growing pretty well eating plenty of springtails that are in the pot.
 
  • #15
I agree with Valydius it does take a long time for the to get the size of the plants you'd see in stores, but if your willing to keep growing them I'm sure you'll be rewarded and while your waiting for the seedlings to grow you can always get a flytrap from andy's store.

I have a small pot of seedlings of Dente/red dragon flytraps which are tiny and cute, but they're growing pretty well eating plenty of springtails that are in the pot.

Are the springtails a stroke of luck? If not, where did you get them? I could use those for my capensis... :D
 
  • #16
i know they take a while this is why i have not bought one which has been grown as i wanted to do it my self and im willing to spend my time doing this as im only young really hehe i would like to see the whole procedure which i think is coool no matter how long it takes :D


p.s D.cape grown very quick hehe.... welll quickish


Richard
 
  • #17
i know they take a while this is why i have not bought one which has been grown as i wanted to do it my self and im willing to spend my time doing this as im only young really hehe i would like to see the whole procedure which i think is coool no matter how long it takes :D


p.s D.cape grown very quick hehe.... welll quickish


Richard

I hear you. I have two narrow sundews and they grow crazy fast; from new leaf sprout to dew'd up trap in as quick as 1.5 days.
 
  • #18
yea haha they was dust like seeds i put a couple to many i think lol 1 or 2 days later it was a field of green hehe its good thought how do you see the seeds if there so small and more to the point lol how do u even pick them up :p


Richard
 
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