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Dormancy question

This question applies to my vft and Sarracenia since they both go dormant around the same time. I live in Miami so we don't have a true winter. The coldest it gets is maybe 50-60's. I know I have a long way to worry about Dormancy since it's just March but better to ask early. In the past I have tried the fridge method and that didn't work out too well. Would a wine cooler help? I also heard from other sources that I can keep my vfts and Sarracenia outdoors but I just need to keep it damp and not moist. Also my Sarracenia seedlings are going to be 2 years old and my vft is going to be 2 or 3 years old. Do I let them dormant or do I induce dormancy when they are 4-5 years old? I never had any success growing temperate plants when it comes to dormancy...that's mainly why I prefer tropicals but I do enjoy vfts and Sarracenia and temperate sundews also.
 
The lowest it has gone for me is about 40 F and we have less of a day length change than you guys. I keep mine outside and they do fine. I cant grow the really super cold loving species Like D. rotundifolia or S. purpurea pupurea . However, overall Sarraceni and VFTs do fine for me.
 
The current observations concerning Venus Flytraps is that season changes in photoperiod is more important for dormancy rather than a seasonal minimum temperature zone. These are from people who have been growing them indoor under lights for over 10 years. You're doing it right if the VFTs slow down in the late fall and flower regularly each year.
 
Don't worry about dormancy here in South Florida. While it's not optimal, the plants will adapt. You are correct in your assessment, during winter keep them damp/moist, but not too wet. Most will do fine and grow well year after year.
 
Ok, since I am just getting started, I also have a dormancy question. My small plant collection just went through their first dormancy, and so far, everything looks good (fingers crossed). The plants are starting to grow nicely again, but I was reading something the other day that suggested the different plants had different dormancy periods (i.e. some sundews might need longer dormancy than VFT's). Does anyone out there have experience with that or do you just give all your plants the same dormancy period?

Thanks!
 
As for my plants, they choose how long they stay dormant. They're outside year-round. It can be very warm here during winter, the plants will mostly stay dormant. They usually start growing in late February.
 
Wow, that would be great to have my plants outside year round! Unfortunately, because of the winters here, I can't do that (well, I probably could with some of them ...). Since I only bought my first plants last spring, this last winter was their first dormancy. I put half of them in the garage near a window, and the other half in a cold greenhouse window in our den. I took them all out a couple weeks ago, and put them in the aquarium where I grow them. So far, they all look like they got through their first dormancy experience and are happy ...

I finally created a grow list - I only have a few plants for now, but am looking to expand!
http://www.terraforums.com/forums/showthread.php/136221-deryl-s-growlist
 
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