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Efficient little killers

Since I have moved my VFT's outside,they are doing remarkably well. Also, I am amazed at how well they do on thier own. Of the four plants I have, eleven traps have victims! Plus,four are open showing corpses! It's kinda neat to see what they have been feasting on. They do alot better job on thier own v.s. me trying to stuff things in. OK, I'll admit guilt here. I herded a little spider into one trap.But it was just a matter of time for him anyway. The nerve of him taking up residence in the pot! Next year,they are going outside A.S.A.P!
 
Vfts do great outside. Mine are much healthier since I put them outside a while back.
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The only drawback is that they are open to other critters doing damage - like aphids and birds. I experienced that this Spring. My VFT was gnawed down to it last visible leaf and trap. It took a month for it to send up new growth. now there are 5 plants in its stead. But all that aside, they really need to be outside for most of the year, depending upon where you live. Their survival rate after flowering is significantly higher.
 
I know most people are against letting their VFT flower. With good reason. But, does being outside change that theory?
 
I let all my VFT's that flower this year, save one. The one I didn't let flower was recovering from something (still don't know what), so I felt it better to save it's strenght for the recovery. None of the healthy plants showed any ill effect from the flowering. Now I have a few ittsy bittys seedling VFT's from the seeds I collected.
They are all outside. What gluttons they are!
 
I have never experienced problems with VFT flowering weakening the plant. Never saw it in Nature either where VFT's were concerned. I had 56 VFT scapes this year, and a thousand seed from that. (Maybe more.) The VFT's are so happy, they are sending up more. Weak?? Not mine.
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (jimscott @ Sep. 01 2004,5:48)]The only drawback is that they are open to other critters doing damage - like aphids and birds.
and don't forget rabbits and squirrels......
 
And small children.
 
or pretty much anything else other than you
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Mine do best in the greenhouse... Bobz the clumping form I got from you is now 3 times the size it was than when i got it from you 6 months ago!!
 
  • #10
The other day I was sifting through the graveyard.(my container with VFT's) outside and every open trap had a mangled corpse in it. All other traps were closed. One trap even had a large Yellowjacket in it which was almost as large as the trap it'self. This year will be the first year my plants go into dormancy. NExt spring if my VFT's want to flower I figure I'll let them just to have extra seed to trade/mess around with. Maybe I can do an experiment leaving all the seed out here year long (in an Ohio climate) all the plants that survive into adult hood from the harsh winter will be allowed to breed and so forth till I have a plant that can healthily survive under all conditions Ohio can throw at it.
 
  • #11
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Papatoad @ Sep. 01 2004,8:19)]I know most people are against letting their VFT flower. With good reason. But, does being outside change that theory?
Being outside does a few things for them. For one thing it toughens them up. The biggest thing is that direct sunlight gives them the unfiltered spectrum of light for growth and nourishment. As Tamlin says, even a thin piece of Saran Wrap filters things. Window sills are nice, but a pane of glass takes away even more. It is less ath the best situation and puts that much more stress on the plant. A marginal plant flowering, combines with less than the best growing condition can and has many a plant over the edge - toward death. Basically, indoor conditions put a negative spin on their health.

Keep it outside for as long as possible. Even if you don't live in North Carolina and it gets too cold, people (Wild Bill, for instance) have been successful with mulching their plants to survive the winter. Not that it is necessary to do that, but it is possible.
 
  • #12
I live across from the park and we have tons of squirrels. They are friendly and make nice ez targets. So far none have messed with the VFT's. But there is seemingly no end in sight of them. My plants are in the sun about 6-8 hours of direct sunlight. Is this too much for them? I noticed the actual leaves are getting a tinge of orange to them. The traps have a pink inside which is ok. I keep them propped up in a large saucer of water. Is the water magnifying the suns rays?
 
  • #13
it's all good, papatoad
 
  • #14
I tried my outside, everything went great until mites decided to have a visit. Back inside. Any way to keep the mites at bay? Staring at the sidewalk for a few seconds is all it takes to spot one.
 
  • #15
I'm jealous. Every time I've tried leaving my VFTs outside something eats the traps. I left them out for one day a few weeks ago and lost a total of about 10 traps because of it.
 
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