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Help... again! vft terrarium dormancy in fl?

Ok, its December... my VFT is ok (not great) and now I'm wondering if I need to make it go dormant (after I can get rid of the mushrooms thats is lol). If so, how? Put the whole terrarium (its just the VFT) in the fridge? Its less than a year old I do believe (got it in June 2004 from here). Thanx in advance... again! lol

Pj Mitchell
 
I purchased mine this late summer. I have read posts that say you can skip the first year of dormancy. I put mine under artificial light about a month ago and it is growing like crazy.

Just took a pick the oyher day.

Pana0017.jpg

My VFT has to hang out with the orchids.

Pana0019.jpg

If I were you I would give it some extra light till spring.
Stephen

Forgot to mention the light its a 400w metalhalied.
 
What type of light setup do you have? I currently have my VFT in a terrarium under a typical room lamp with a 100 watt flourecent.

Pj
 
I currently have my VFT in the lower pick you see above.
We call it the porn shower because it is 8'x8'. Yes feet. It is in the bacement bathroom. I have moved all my orchids to the bacement to keep the 1.1 year old's hands off.I usually keep them in a portable in house green house in the house if you can understand that.
Stephen
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (sdeering @ Dec. 05 2004,12:55)]I purchased mine this late summer. I have read posts that say you can skip the first year of dormancy. I put mine under artificial light about a month ago and it is growing like crazy.
it has to be the PLANT's first year of dormancy!
not the first year you have owned the plant!
smile_m_32.gif


most VFT's bought from nurseries or garden centers are several years old.."adult" VFT's are at least 3 or 4 years old,
and you CAN'T skip dormancy on them..
that "skipping the first year of dormancy" thing only really applys to seedlings that sprouted less than a year ago..
and those plants will be REALLY tiny..like leaves half an inch long..
if you have a VFT of normal size, its an adult plant, several years old, and should not skip dormancy..

Scot
 
I bought my VFT from petflytrap.com in June of this year.. I have no idea how old it is, and I cant tell by the size of the leaves since my VFT dosnt recieved enough light as of late, therefore I believe the leaves have become small from that lack of light. IF I do have to out it into dormancy, how do I go about doing that? I still have the mushroom problem as well
smile_h_32.gif


Pj
 
Pj,
keeping VFT's indoors in a terrarium is very problamatic when it comes to dormancy..
because the plant gets none of the natural "cues" that its time to begin going dormant, like plants grown outdoors get..

In August and September, the amount of daylight begins to shorten, and temps begin to fall..
this "tells" plants that autumn is coming, and its time to begin preparing for dormancy..
the plants begin to slow down, and begin to enter dormancy on their own gradually over several weeks/months...
by October, the plants are usually fully dormant, and can just stay outside if your climate allows that, or they can go in the fridge if your winter climate is too warm or too cold..

your VFT, being in a terrarium, has no clue that it was supposed to enter dormancy several months ago, because it got no natural light or temperature cues..
so it isnt "ready" to go dormant..

you have two options, risk shocking the plant by putting straight in the fridge..it might die.

or..just let it continue growing through the winter and do nothing about dormancy..
it will die eventually.

neither option is ideal..if you put it in the fridge it *might* die..its a shock to put a plant into dormancy when it isnt ready for it.

but..if you do nothing, it WILL die eventually if it gets no dormancy..but it could still last another year or two..
so..the fridge dormancy has maybe a 50/50 chance of success..but if it works your plant will be better for it, and can live indefinately..
doing nothing, giving no dormancy, has a 100% chance of death..but slowly over time.

this is why im against growing CPs that require dormancy indoors, in terrariums..it simply doesent work when its time for dormancy..growing the plants outdoors is FAR better..

here is the way I do Fridge dormancy:

Fridge Method

Scot
 
hey wait!
you are in Florida!!
you might be better off because of that..

how cold are winters where you live?
do temps fall into the 40's or 50's??
but..do they also stay above freezing?
if so, simply put your VFT outside and leave it there all winter!
that might be more mild than the fridge, but also slow the plant down and give it a rest..
what is your winter climate like where you live?
what is your average day and night winter temps?
that might be a good solution!

Scot
 
Florida winters are generally above freezing.. it does go below it a few days or so.. but thats when freeze warnings are issued. Temps lately have been as low as 50 and as high as 85 (like today). I could put it in my garage where there is very dim light and stable 70-ish to 50-ish temps? Thanx.

Pj
 
  • #10
Pj,
I wouldnt even put it in your garage,
that might be too warm..
I would put it outside in the open air, and getting sun would be fine..
actually, I would pick a spot that gets LOT of direct sun and leave it there for the rest of its life..years and years..
you WANT lots of direct sunlight..
if the current leaves got sunburned this winter that wouldnt be a big deal, because new leaves will come out in the spring..

dont even worry about bringing the plant indoors at all unless its going to fall below freezing..then just bring it in for the night and put it right back out in the morning..
if the temp is 35 degrees or above its GOOD for it to be left outside!

you have absolutely fantastic outdoor growing conditions..
summer and winter..im jealous!

you should grow VFT's and sarracenia outdoors 24/7 365 days a year!
smile.gif

you are lucky, your winter dormancy problem is very easy to solve..
re-pot the VFT, put the pot in a water tray, and get it outdoors..
that will be MUCH MUCH MUCH better for the plant than leaving it in the terrarium..
Scot
 
  • #11
The reason I got my VFT in a terrarium is so I could enjoy it indoors.. "Pricilla" is sort of a pet. To repot her would be a bit difficult since I have no idea how to do it without harming her. I know I cant leave her in direct sunlight while shes in a terrarium, or can I?

Pj
 
  • #12
well ok, its your plant, you can do what you like..
but just remember, if you leave it in the terrarium long-term, without a dormancy, it WILL eventually die.
not *might* die, but WILL die.
probably within one to two years..
no question..

if you put it outside right now it will likely live for decades..
(assuming nothing unusual hapopens! ;)

is this plant in a small terrarium by itself?
if so, just reach in and grab the soil/peat/moss around the plant,
lift the whole thing right out moss and all, and plop it all into a pot..
it can be done in seconds without disturbing the roots at all..
(or disturbing them very little anyway..)

and yes, direct sunlight with a terrarium would be very bad..
the direct sunlight itself is very good,
but it would cause too much heat build-up in a terrarium, which would be bad.
scot
 
  • #13
Well then its settled... Pricilla is going into a clay pot outside on the porch lol Thanks for your help.

Pj
 
  • #14
Here's what I'm doing.

I live in Colorado and the winters here can get brutally cold and snowy. My house has a back shed that is like an outdoor closet. I have set my terrarium on the floor, rigged my flourescent lighting to the power, and propped the door open a bit. The temps should drop in the terrarium but not at freezing because the heat is still available from my house. I have a slight problem with the humidity, but plan to buy a mister for that.

I figure that if I can keep the conditions properly simulated, I should be OK doing this. The bummer is that I won't really enjoy them until I get them back in my house.

I was thinking about making rainwater ice cubes and placing a pile on each corner of the terrarium, but I think this should work.
 
  • #15
What part of Florida are you at? I'm in Central Florida (between Titusville and Mims in an area that is.. um.. unnamed. That's right, we live in nowhere, Florida), and it gets pretty crappin' cold at this time of year.. gonna be in the high 20's in Orlando on Tuesday morning. I leave my collection outside.. they're outside in their 5 1/2'x2 1/2'x2' rolling greenhouse all year round. When we get a freeze or a frost I roll them into the garage. Unless you live in, like, Miami or somethin', it should get cold enough for outdoor dormancy.
 
  • #16
I live in Clearwater, on the west coast. It can get below freezing here, its rare but it can happen. If it gets too cold I bring her inside, otherwise shes outside all the day and night. I just make sure she has water. Shes doing good so far, and shes been out there a week or so. Thanx for everyones help on this.

Pj
 
  • #17
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Teknomage @ Dec. 17 2004,5:38)]I live in Clearwater, on the west coast.
Clearwater, Florida is on the west coast? Wow! I guess that puts San Francisco on the east coast? Well, California is indeed on the eastern coast of the Pacific, whereas Florida is on the western coast of the Atlantic.
 
  • #18
[b said:
Quote[/b] (BobZ @ Dec. 18 2004,7:47)]
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Teknomage @ Dec. 17 2004,5:38)]I live in Clearwater, on the west coast.
Clearwater, Florida is on the west coast? Wow! I guess that puts San Francisco on the east coast? Well, California is indeed on the eastern coast of the Pacific, whereas Florida is on the western coast of the Atlantic.
Florida has an east coast and a west coast..


Florida.gif
 
  • #19
*dies laughing*

Hey, find Titusville. Can you see me waving?
 
  • #20
You look really small from here, FTG.
 
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