Lookin sickly

[tyrel]

well, Im a beginner when it comes to plants, athough ive learned alot very quickly. Im starting a collection of the most unusual plants out there. My collection incluse mimosa, lithops, an orchid, airplants and so on.

Well, as soon as one of the negbours alerted me that the local superstore had gotten flytraps, i got on my bike and zoomed down to see! I was dissipointed. I should of suspected as much from superstore, but the were unhealthy.
there were many rotten leaves, and the plant were out to the open for all to touch.

 

I picked out the best one i could. some were tall and some were laying on the ground. I got a low one, so it could fit under the plastic cup it came with.

Its slightly yellow, with not much pink inside. its in a three inch pot, and the plant dosent go over the edge. (thats why i picked it) Its got six full traps, and three new sprouts. One of the sprouts might be a flower stalk, I dont know.

I gave one trap a small wood louse (also known as a sow bug)

So expert flytrap keepers, does it sound like a lost cause? or will it heal in time? When should i feed it next? its sitting there with more traps ready to eat.

thanks for any answers you guys come up with!

-tyrel-


EDIT: update a few posts down!

 

[dewy]

WELCOME TO THE FORUMS!

I am not much of an expert, but I do know alot about VFT's. First, if you give it alot of TLC it should come back. I had a venus flytrap that was attacked by some kind of fungus that attacked the whole plant. I left it alone , and it came back and lived. Secondly, you might want to hold off on feedin it till it gets more traps on it and it gets healthier. I would wait till some of the vft experts come along, but thisis my advice.

 

[FlytrapGurl]

Just keep up the TLC and gradually give it more sunlight, keep it uncovered, and make sure the soil is always moist.

 

[jimscott]

Welcome to the forums! As Flytrapgurl says - gradual - is the way to go. What does gradual mean? I would do as she suggests until you see new growth emerging from the center, keeping the pot in a plastic container of store-bought distilled water, at a window sill. Don't feed it right now. When its new growth appears, seriously consider putting the plant outside - first in a shady spot, and then gradually, over several days, move it to full sunlight.

 

[tyrel]

well, I Think it would be too cold to put it outside lately, (being in the great white north and all) but here is what i did: i made a drip tray into a pebble tray and put a large glass dome over it. I thought this terraium treatment would be benificial, seeing as my room is very warm and dry.

could you elaborate on why you think it should be uncoverd?

 

[jimscott]

A quick profile check shows that you are in British Columbia. Unless you are getting consistent freezing overnight lows, there isn't a problem. VFT's experience freezing conditions every winter. They do the best when outside, in direct sunlight,once they get over shock and negelct from garden centres.

VFT's aren't the best terrarium candidate and humidity is over-rated. Terrariums, by their nature, do not allow air circulation, unless it is artificailly created. When there is little air circulation, the humid environment is prone to mold, which can kill your plant(s).

When a pot of VFT or most CP's (not all) are sitting in another container, uncovered, filled an inch or two with water (rain, distilled, RO, DI), it provide air circulation, more direct light, moisture for the roots, and local humidty.

I have grown my plants in the lab in which I work, which is a very dry environment, expecially when I had them in the main lab, with the hoods running and the AC or heat going. I simply had my plants / pots in plastic containers with deionized water, at the window sill. Below is one example of a plant that did quite well in these conditions. It was in the beginning stages of sending up a flower.

BTW, we have at least one other member here who lives in B.C. - Trapper7 *Niki*

 

[FlytrapGurl]

Covering a VFT is cutting off circulation and encouraging mold and fungus. If you have to, then go ahead, but as soon as you don't have to, then get rid of it.

 

[tyrel]

thanks for you advice guys! this is a very friendly fourm.
I was planning to take the dome off for a while every day, But Ill take heed of your mold caution. I'll play it by eye.

-tyrel-

 

[Lord Humungus]

I live in Florida with the AC going 24/7. That gets rid of all humidty. My plants are uncover and the pots are sitting in an inch of water. I have had them for about 2 months and they are growing like wildfire. Even the lame half dead ones I got from Equilibrio are coming around. I would not buy any from a superstore. Petflytrap.com sold me a nice health one. One of the guys on this forum had a link in his sig that reviewed about ten different web sites.

 

[tyrel]

ok... Ive got my flytrap in a dish of water, Ill see how that goes. I would buy more plants online, But i cant pay for shipping. That can get quite expensive cant it?

 

[jimscott]

~95 % of my plants have come from the generous people on this forum. Keep tabs on the Trading Post and cultivate friendships. That goes a long way toward expanding your collections.

 

[Lord Humungus]

I wounder if Ugly will share his G14 Dirk Ventham's Giant?