What's new
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!

Good idea or bad idea

Is it generally a good idea, or bad idea to cut off dead or dieing traps. Would it help so the VFT would conserve energy in not trying to make thats trap grow, or could the VFT benfit in some way from a dead or dieing trap. Thanks for the input! Also, dead/dieing traps look ugly  
tounge.gif
 
I snip mine off so they don't promote mold or fungus.
 
Well, I let mine die before cutting them off. My theory is that the plant could be soaking up the nutrients of the leaves back into the bulb.
 
generally, i cut off anything that's black on my vft's. if nothing else, it just makes the plant nicer to look at.

peace,
technoracer
 
Wait until they turn black. There are stored nutrients in the green leaves the plant can translocate. It is a good idea to trim the black parts to prevent mold.
 
i cut off anything that looks yellow and wrinkled. i don't know where i got it from (i think it was a book at my old library), but i think i heard that once the leaf is starting to die, the plant will pore resorces in saving it. of course, the leaf is gonna die no matter what, so the plant is just wasting its time. anywho, i wate till there is a little blackness on the traps because then it means its probably gonna turn all black, and like greenhouse 1 said, it promotes mold and fungus. the plant will probably not get much resorces from the dead leaf as it needs to decay a lot first. just my crazy thoughts
rolleyes.gif
. Zongyi
 
I grow most of my VFT very much like I do my Drosera regia. Below is a photo of one of my "odds and ends" trays for VFT plant parts -- left overs when planting/transplanting other VFT plants. I flood these trays whenever I notice that I can no longer see water on the surface of the media. This is one of those 3" deep disposable plastic food storage containers. There is a little redwood bark on the bottom, inside and then just 100% peat moss. For dormancy I just put on the lid and pop it into the refrigerator for 3 months or so. My wife once mistook one for her "lunch salad", took it to work and discovered her mistake only when she began her lunch.

Fungus schmungus, if it isn't aseptic culture then fungus and every other microorganism known to man is going to be there anyway.

Who trims these off in the "Green Swamp"?

In my conditions I notice that fungus/bacteria take care of the problem of old dying leaves, etc. quickly and naturally.

Picture = worth 1000 words.

See photo:
vft_flooded_sml.jpg
 
Wow! and that's your "Odds and Ends" tray?!?!?!
tounge.gif
 
Dang! The worst of your VFTs look better than my best!
sad.gif


I really need to learn how to grow these guys better.
 
Back
Top