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VFT feeding issue

So, bought one, a month ago, about 2 inches across...

Has been growing very nicely except for one thing... I seems to have what I would call an eating disorder...
In the month that I've had it, it only trapped a fly on it's own, but then the trap became brown and rotten-ish, so I separated it from the leaf...

2 days ago it caught something else (dunno what), but today there is a suspicious looking brown spot on the trap...

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't they used a trap several times?
Or am I misinformed and they use and discard them?

Thanks!
 
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Your plant has no feeding issue, and no eating disorder..
here is the reason you think something might be wrong:

You have only owned it a month! ;)

seriously..that's all it is..
one month isnt NEARLY enough time to observe normal behavior of one plant..
watch what it does for a year, then we can talk! ;)

yes, they can use a trap several times..
but do you know how old the individual traps are?
It sounds to me like there are no problems at all with the plant..
everything you describe is perfectly normal..

What are the plants growing conditions?

Scot
 
Let me see...
Apparently peat 100%, high humidity, above 30 celsius, daily watering 3 hours of direct sunlight daily, over 6 on weekends...
I know it isn't too much light, but only so can I avoid another plantocalypse...
 
It's best for flytraps to have either sand or perlite in the mix, but it shoudln't be really a problem soil wise. However, flytraps need as much as, if not more, sun that Sarracenia, with 6 + hours being minumum. If they don't get this, then the traps rot from food due to energy use. Not sure whether the high humidity+high temps are any part of it, but if it is due to a container, it could be death to the plant. Where is it being kept? I live in Colorado, with famously low humidity, and the plants survive outside in no more that 40% humidity due to the pool they sit in, and they have flowered and set seed, with inch long traps plus for over two years now.
Last of all, if the meal extends outside the trap, that can also "overfertilize" the leaf and rot it.
 
Let me see...
Apparently peat 100%, high humidity, above 30 celsius, daily watering 3 hours of direct sunlight daily, over 6 on weekends...
I know it isn't too much light, but only so can I avoid another plantocalypse...

that sounds pretty good!
using pure water too? (rain water, RO, or distilled)
yeah, the light is on the low side, but it should be enough, for now..
try to increase it if you can though..but if not, its not a deal breaker for the short term..

what do you mean by "daily watering"? are they sitting in trays of water?
if not, they should be..

I know it isn't too much light, but only so can I avoid another plantocalypse.

wait.what? im not sure what that means..are you saying you are giving them less light on purpose?
if so, stop doing that! ;)
if you can give them more light, you absolutely should..when it comes to VFT's, there is no such thing as too much direct sunlight.
more is better, less is worse..

It's best for flytraps to have either sand or perlite in the mix,

Not really true..perlite or sand is a preference, not a recommendation..
I doubt there is any evidence that sand or perlite in the mix is "better"..
I have been using pure peat for nearly 20 years..no problems at all.
I tried peat & sand mix for one season probably 15 years ago..hated it..too dense and solid.
I tried peat & perlite..hated it..the perlite is ugly, floats to the top, and serves no useful purpose that I can see..
So I switched to pure peat and never looked back..(with a top dressing of LFS to keep rain from splashing the peat around)

with 6 + hours being minumum. If they don't get this, then the traps rot from food due to energy use.

Also not true..
I agree that "more is better"..and everyone should strive to give their VFT's and Sarrs as much direct sun as possible,
but I have some flytraps that get 4 to 5 hours of direct sun a day..they have been thriving for 6 years in that spot.
personally, based on experience, I would consider 4 hours the absolute minimum..less than that can be problematic..
but 4 hours works, the plants dont die, even if it isn't ideal..

If they don't get this, then the traps rot from food due to energy use.

dont know where you heard that, but..not true.

Scot
 
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oh wow..I just noticed two things that didnt quite register before.."Mexico" and "30 degrees Celsius"!
ok, maybe you are the exception to the "no such thing as too much light" rule..
your climate is a bit extreme for VFT's...not so extreme that you cant grow them!
but your sun and temps is actually a bit more than they are used to!
(I have the exact opposite problem..I live significantly *north* of their native range..my main problem for much of the year is keeping them warm enough! ;)

So ok..maybe in your case, there is something to be said for keeping the sunlight down a bit!
(but you are a rare exception)

still..if you can give them 6 to 8 hours of direct sun a day, that would be good..
but 12 or more hours of direct sun, with temps about 30C, could defiantly be too harsh..
where I am, 12 hours would be great!..but most of my summer days are 20 to 25C..
more light is fine if its cooler..
with your harsh temps, I can see why you might want to cut back on the light..

shoot for 6 to 8 hours of sun if you can..

how are you going to handle winter dormancy?

Scot
 
What I meant by energy use, should really be more along the lines of it overfertilizes the leaf. Every flytrp I've ever seen that didn't get enough light,and was fed, was not able to finish the job before the leaf, old or new, rotted. I'm just writing form personal experience, different places may mean different outcomes.
 
Is this plant indoors or outdoors?
 
Ok ok...
One at a time XD

[using pure water too? (rain water, RO, or distilled) what do you mean by "daily watering"? are they sitting in trays of water? if not, they should be..]

Yeah... Rainwater, I live next to the sea so there's no air pollution that could contaminate it... The thing is... When humidity is high, water tends to warm up instead of evaporate... Imagine Sarracenias (or any CP) in 42°C water (I've measured)... That's why I water abundantly...

wait.what? im not sure what that means..are you saying you are giving them less light on purpose?
if so, stop doing that!

Well, I used to have my tray in a table on my backyard... They would get direct light like 3 hours, then indirect (due to a neighbor´s tree) during the hot, hot hours if 12-3pm then again evening sun like 3 more hours...
But THEN, mi sister's dog discovered that EATING CP's and chewing pots was fun... I returned one day to discover nothing of my beautiful Cephallotus... And I mean nothing... It was eaten along with the soil... That one was the more painful, but I also lost that day 2 Sarracenias and 1 Nepenthes...
So... That's why I can't give them the light they deserve...

still..if you can give them 6 to 8 hours of direct sun a day, that would be good.. but 12 or more hours of direct sun, with temps about 30C, could defiantly be too harsh..
Indeed it is... I only see dew on my Droseras at night, when I spray water on them so that they can thrive on the butchering mosquitoes...

how are you going to handle winter dormancy?
Step 1) Place the plan in a cardboard box with holes in it, with a piece of ice melting inside to lower the temperature in order to give the impression that there is less light and it's cold.
Step 2) Plastic baggie and into the fridge after a bit of fungicide.
Do this in the week around Halloween and keep it there until the birthday of Benito Juarez (March 21st)

Is this plant indoors or outdoors?

Indoors mostly... When I started, I had all my plants in my window... But then along came Spring, the Earth shifted and sunlight stopped entering my room...
 
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if you live right on the coast your rain water might have salt in it, would be best to check it with a tds meter with a large amount of watering you might have a salt build up in your soil mix
 
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Your conditions are certainly a challenge, probably beyond the experience of almost all the growers here. Cindy in Singapore can probably give you the best advice as well as some of CP forums in that region.

Some insects and bugs will burn the traps. Bees, wasps and large ants tend to. Probably from their venom or high sugar content.
 
  • #12
Rainwater, I live next to the sea so there's no air pollution that could contaminate it...

yeah, I agree with Mickey..strong chance that the sea could be contaminating your rain water! adding salt to it..
you need to check it..

But THEN, mi sister's dog discovered that EATING CP's and chewing pots was fun... I returned one day to discover nothing of my beautiful Cephallotus... And I mean nothing... It was eaten along with the soil... That one was the more painful, but I also lost that day 2 Sarracenias and 1 Nepenthes...
So... That's why I can't give them the light they deserve...

well..in order to sucessfully grow them, they need to be outside..
we all have wildlife issues! ;) I have birds and squirrels..I have to rig ugly chicken wire covers over my plants..
you have a dog problem..you need to make something to dog-proof your pots..
that would be MUCH better than keeping them indoors..how about just a simple wire cage?

140006-425x282-RabbitCage.jpg



Step 1) Place the plan in a cardboard box with holes in it, with a piece of ice melting inside to lower the temperature in order to give the impression that there is less light and it's cold.
Step 2) Plastic baggie and into the fridge after a bit of fungicide.
Do this in the week around Halloween and keep it there until the birthday of Benito Juarez (March 21st)

hmm..I wouldnt bother with the ice cube..unless you feel like adding an ice cube several times a day for about 60 days in a row..
(all of September and October)..otherwise, its not really going to do anything..
and being in the box would also be bad, because you be cutting down the light levels way too much..

I understand you have a challenging climate..but IMO you have two options:

1. If the temps and photoperiod naturally drops somewhat in Aug-Sept-Oct-Nov, the plant might go "semi dormant"
on its own..in which case you can just leave the plants outside 24/7/365 and see how they do..

2. If the temps and photoperiod naturally drops somewhat in Aug-Sept-Oct-Nov, the plant might go "semi dormant"
on its own..in which case it might be "dormant enough" to go in the fridge by December, and keep it in there Dec-Jan-Feb..bring it back out in March..

Depending on the difference between your summers and your winters, one or the other might be good..
if the difference between summer and winter is virtually no difference, they probably cant go in the fridge, because they wont really be dormant.
if the difference is just different enough, then you might have some luck..

What is your latitude? how much does the photoperiod vary throughout the year?
and what is your average winter temp vs. summer?


Is this plant indoors or outdoors? [/B]
Indoors mostly... When I started, I had all my plants in my window... But then along came Spring, the Earth shifted and sunlight stopped entering my room...

really needs to be outside..VFT's simply die when grown indoors..
outside is *always* better..even in your climate..

Scot
 
  • #13
Ok, sea... Nope... If I lived right in front of it, the salty wind would be an issue... I live about 1Km inland and between me and the sea there are several high trees and others houses...

Photoperiod winted-summer... Practically nule... And the temperature isn't a deal breaker either... Lest's say my house is here: 19°12'59.42"N 96°10'54.62"O (it's near enough)

I though about using a large plastic container as a pot, covering it with chicken fence and hope the dog would keep away... But it's a golden retriever...
 
  • #14
I live about 1 mile from the ocean. Salt spray is a concern as everything outdoors gets a gray film and iron and steel rusts in very short order. I spray down my plants now and then and flush out the pots.
 
  • #15
I do the same every 2 days...
 
  • #16
30C is extreme for vfts ??
 
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