New to this... help needed

[TheDroseraOne]

Hi!

So I've been interested in carnivorous plants for a while now and have been browsing this forum and Youtube for a couple of weeks.

And...

Today I bought my first plants!

I am wondering if I need to repot the Drosera's and the Sarracenia?

When I do, can I use a base of 1/3 sand and 2/3 peat moss?

I now have all the plants in a tray of water except for the VFT, is this correct?

Those are my questions, for now...

Answers and comments would be great!

Thanks!

 

[Heli]

what substrate are you currently using?

 

[mluk27]

The venus fly trap is fine in water.. usually you would want to give the sarracenia and VFT dormancy

 

[TheDroseraOne]

Currently they are still in the substrate I bought them in. It was not the best shop...
The soil was all dried up, but I'm guessing the soil is nothing too good for the plants...

---------- Post added at 06:56 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:55 PM ----------

They look like they desperately need some water.. lol never let them dry out like that

I know, I had to refill their trays a couple of times! :-(

 

[Heli]

I mean what is the substrate made of? like mluk said I would give them water, they look a little dry.

 

[TheDroseraOne]

I don't know what it is made of, I hope it's not regular potting soil! Ö

 

[mluk27]

Haha yeah I read that you said you watereed them so I edited my post , Everyone kind of likes their own choice in media. I personally use 50/50 peat and sand

 

[TheDroseraOne]

The venus fly trap is fine in water.. usually you would want to give the sarracenia and VFT dormancy

Haha yeah I read that you said you watereed them so I edited my post , Everyone kind of likes their own choice in media. I personally use 50/50 peat and sand

Haha ok c:

So I shouldn't put the Sarracenia in a tray with water then? And just keep the substrate wet?
And would it be possible to repot them at this time?

 

[Heli]

if you dont know I would rinse the roots and repot them then.

 

[Not a Number]

Nice beginner acquisitions. Yes, that mixture will work fine. More typical is 50/50 sand/peat moss but much of it depends on your climate and how you water the plants as much as it does on the species.

Make sure to get silica sand or pH neutral horticultural sand (usually silica) and that the peat moss is free of fertilizers.

If the plants are from Booman Florals they use a decent quality peat moss and you can probably put off repotting them until next year. I would however flush out the media with pure (distilled or Reverse Osmosis filtered) water.

 

[mluk27]

All of them will be fine on the tray method, especially the Sarracenia, they like their soil moist always (accept for dormancy, where its ok not to water them very often). It seems like your gonna be a little late for dormancy since its probably only got a month or so left for most people. Like Heli said just rinse the roots, so get a bowl of distilled water preferably, and dunk the roots of the plant until the substrate comes off . If you need anymore help feel free to pm me.

 

[TheDroseraOne]

Nice beginner acquisitions. Yes, that mixture will work fine. More typical is 50/50 sand/peat moss but much of it depends on your climate and how you water the plants as much as it does on the species.

Make sure to get silica sand or pH neutral horticultural sand (usually silica) and that the peat moss is free of fertilizers.

If the plants are from Booman Florals they use a decent quality peat moss and you can probably put off repotting them until next year. I would however flush out the media with pure (distilled or Reverse Osmosis filtered) water.

I will use a 50/50 base than

The plants are from a different shop, but the plants they had didn't look that great and a lot of them were in way too small pots. So I don't think that they use good soil.

 

[mluk27]

Depending on where you live you may not need distilled water.. but I highly recommend using it because usually its a must

 

[TheDroseraOne]

All of them will be fine on the tray method, especially the Sarracenia, they like their soil moist always (accept for dormancy, where its ok not to water them very often). It seems like your gonna be a little late for dormancy since its probably only got a month or so left for most people. Like Heli said just rinse the roots, so get a bowl of distilled water preferably, and dunk the roots of the plant until the substrate comes off . If you need anymore help feel free to pm me.

Ok, thanks!

So I don't need to keep the plants in dormancy then?

---------- Post added at 07:10 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:06 PM ----------

Depending on where you live you may not need distilled water.. but I highly recommend using it because usually its a must

Actually I'm currently using melted snow to water them, since I don't have something yet to catch rain water. Our water over here is quite soft, so maybe if I test the water I can use that to water them. I also have a pond, is the water from that also a good source?

 

[Wire Man]

Were the Sarracenia and VFT outside when you bought them? If they were inside I would not put them through dormancy right now, as they will go into shock and die.

Sarracenia like their substrate wet. The ones I have seen in situ can grow in remarkably damp conditions.
Where are you located? This will help a lot with advise.

 

[TheDroseraOne]

Were the Sarracenia and VFT outside when you bought them? If they were inside I would not put them through dormancy right now, as they will go into shock and die.

Sarracenia like their substrate wet. The ones I have seen in situ can grow in remarkably damp conditions.
Where are you located? This will help a lot with advise.

All the plants were inside.

I'm from Belgium actually!

 

[amphirion]

Its too late to be inducing dormancy... Most established sarrs are already throwing flower stalks already. No harm in waiting till next October/November for sarr dormancy-- Yours probably is fresh out of the flask.

 

[Wire Man]

Ok, thanks!

So I don't need to keep the plants in dormancy then?

---------- Post added at 07:10 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:06 PM ----------



Actually I'm currently using melted snow to water them, since I don't have something yet to catch rain water. Our water over here is quite soft, so maybe if I test the water I can use that to water them. I also have a pond, is the water from that also a good source?

We use pong water at Meadowview without a problem. The soil composition in your area will greatly affect the pH and TDS. How close do you live to an industrialized area?

Oh, Belgium, nice! You're in good climate then. I'd guess it's perfectly safe to use pond water, since your watersheds are in pretty good shape. If I'm not mistaken, there are some naturalized Sarracenia purpurea in your country.

 

[TheDroseraOne]

We use pong water at Meadowview without a problem. The soil composition in your area will greatly affect the pH and TDS. How close do you live to an industrialized area?

I live quite far away from any industrie, we live on the 'country side'

---------- Post added at 07:20 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:17 PM ----------

If I'm not mistaken, there are some naturalized Sarracenia purpurea in your country.

I don't know! Ö
Haven't seen them yet, but maybe on the other side of Belgium

 

[TheDroseraOne]

Just a little update.

I repotted my plants yesterday, it was a real pain and I had to do it over. But that was really my fault, I didn't wet the peat moss enough, so when I did water it, everything sunk in. Now my plants look a little bit beat up and to top it off, my mom dropped my drosera and my VFT Ö

Will they be okay?