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VFT colour

Hi , my name is justin and i'm new to this site. I started to grow carnivorous plants about a year ago and I have four plants. A sundew, a nepenthes, a sensitivity plant, and also a venus fly trap. I grow all of them in the same terrarium. The only problem is that i can't seem to get them to colour nicely. If someone could giveme a few tips it would be greatly appreciated.
 
Hi I have a VFT that I recently put under a 400w metal halide light with my orchids, ever since the new leaves are allot redder. I think this is common to most VFTs. You could try a small light above your terrarium. Don't know about the rest of the carnivores most likely will react the same.
Stephen
 
do you have a pic of what it looks like? I might not have enough room for the one your sugesting
 
It sounds like you are going to put it outside. I wish I had that option its -20 c out side right now. Good luck.
Stephen
 
No way, i live in canada and it's also -20C here, Ive got a small terrarium that is now holding 5 small plants. It has a lid that also holds two small grow lights (the lights that look like springs).
 
I'm guessing that you also have an indoor terrarium then?
 
Hears a pic of where i have my plants now, I also live in Canada AB.
Pana0019.jpg

I didn't put mine in dormancy, maybe should have, just bought it this summer at a grocery store it was quite small.
Sounds like your lights are just regular incandescent bulbs.
I think you can get grow lights the same size at Home Depot they give off a better spectrum of light for plants.
Stephen
 
They usualy don`t need a dormancy the first year. This because of the fact that they are tissue cultured and so they are in essence still babies.
 
I like your set up, nice plants. Do you by chance live in calgary?
 
  • #10
Nope, I live about half way to Edmonton west of Ponoka near Rimbey. I have mostly orchids. They are in a basement shower for the winter the shower is 8'x8' I don’t know why it was built so big, but works nice as a grow room.
What kind of VFT do you have and where did you get your plants? I might be ordering some this spring. I am looking for other people in Alberta that would be interested in purchasing some with me. Might get a discount and could share shipping expenses. Let me know if you are interested.
For now I have to figure how to get my VFT to shift from growing at 16Hrs light period to dormancy. I thought I could skip the first year of dormancy (probably a tissue cultured plant) but other threads say it’s a myth. I think I will gradually shift the light period to 12 Hrs then put it in the fridge.
Stephen
 
  • #11
I'm not sure exactly what kind of vft I have, but I do know where I got it from. I bought it at a grocery store (actually the one I work for...) and they got it from a company called coastal carnivours. If you want to visit their site its www.gublers.com. I also got my nepenthes from them, just check the carnivorous section (obviously)

As for ordering some plants with you, I think that would be nice. This critmas im asking for my mom to order anothere nepenthes for me. There is also a site for that..... Just go to the forum front page and scroll down to the topic of Foreign Carnivorous Plant Resources... Click that. Then go down to the second last topic (Canadian Vendor). And click on the web site. I'm hoping to get a N. Ampullaria green from that vendore.

And what does domancy mean? What does it do to the vft?
 
  • #12
O, and how did you post that picture of your plants. I can't seem to figure out how to do it. I have the pictures stored in My Documents, but I have no clue on how to post them. I'd like to show you my set up, and plants of course.
 
  • #13
The way I post a pick, open up an account with photobucket.com it's free. Put the pick's you want to use in your photobucket. Then when you want to use them in a post, copy the IMG, it will show up under the pick in photobucket, then paste the IMG where you want the pick to show up in your post. That's it.

I'm no expert but the way I understand it is were VFTs normally live in the wild the winters just get to freezing may a little above. They naturally go dormant for the winter kind of like all of the plants in Alberta in the winter. This gives the VFT a chance to rest. It seems they need this dormancy ( rest period) or they will not live long.
That's the way I see it. You might have to take my words with a grain of salt, like I say I'm no expert.
There are lots of posts on dormancy do a little searching there are some experts around hear.
Post some pick's of your plants I would be interested in seeing them.
Stephen
 
  • #14
Hello Turner

Welcome to the forums!  
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One problem you might run into by growing so many different plants in the same terrarium is that each one has its own cultivation requirements and those requirements may not match.  For example, your VFT will need dormancy which means cooler temperatures and shorter photo-period.  But your nepenthes wouldn't tolerate those conditions very well.  I don't know what nep or sundew you might have but one might need stronger light than the other or higher humidity.  Unless you really like the look of plants in a terrarium, they don't NEED to be in one.  A VFT will do just fine in a pot.  They don't need real high humidity.  And most sundews can be acclimated to grow in less humidity than you might think.  (I have sundews both in tanks and also growing openly on a shelf.)

In my experience, I have had better success with plants individually potted as they can be "handled" easily when something needs to be done (repotting, trimming, pest/fungus treatment).  Also any plants with pests or fungus can be easily separated from the rest and then returned when "cured."

VFTs need dormancy.  The general rule of thumb is Thanksgiving to Valentine's Day although that's not an iron rule by any means.   Basically, your plant just needs a couple of months of rest to store energy for the spring growth.   My VFTs are outdoors so dormancy is taken care of by Mama Nature.  Some people use cool basements, garages or refrigerators for dormancy.  My outdoor plants are still green and still have traps but are worn-looking and not growing.  By spring, hard freezes will have killed off most of the traps but the bulbs will be fine.

Your nep does not need dormancy.  I don't know about the sundew without knowing what it is.

Make sure you are providing all your plants with a lot of light (NOT incandescent bulbs).  Sunlight or fluorescent lights work well.  And use pure water for them all (distilled, R.O., rainwater).

I hope your plants do well.  Stick around and have some fun.  
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  • #15
hey sdeering, i can't figure out how to post them. Could you give me your e-mail adress (if you want) so i could show them to you?

Thanks PlantAKiss for your advice, it could have been very handy when I started my terrarium. I'm getting a new terrarium for myself and i'll be sure to give each plant their own individual pot and temperature/ humidity
 
  • #16
[b said:
Quote[/b] (pond boy @ Dec. 07 2004,11:50)]They usualy don`t need a dormancy the first year. This because of the fact that they are tissue cultured and so they are in essence still babies.
I dont think so, only if you bought the tissue cultured plant between October-March.
 
  • #17
My rule of thmb for VFTs is if it starts to go dormant in the fall after I have just bought it, I let it. If it doesn't I don't force it. I give it time to get used to the seasons where I live.
 
  • #18
[b said:
Quote[/b] (turner @ Dec. 07 2004,5:43)]O, and how did you post that picture of your plants. I can't seem to figure out how to do it. I have the pictures stored in My Documents, but I have no clue on how to post them. I'd like to show you my set up, and plants of course.
About posting photos, take a look at
http://www.petflytrap.com/cgi-bin....t=10835
 
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