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Quote (Nicholas_Bostaph @ Aug. 28 2003,09:17)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>
Quote (scottychaos @ Aug. 27 2003,10:49)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">In late October, prepare your VFT by cutting off all the leaves, leave the rhizome in the pot, and wrap the whole pot in a plastic bag..then just stick in the fridge until mid-february! thats basically it..[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Am I reading that right: You cut off all the leaves, even the healthy ones? I thought VFTs still needed some light and still did some Photosynthesis in the winter. I was planning to use my garage but I heard that they still need some light so I'm still trying to figure out what to do now.[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
yep! you read that right!
if you are going to use (or need to use) the "refrigrator method", the plants go into a DEEP dormancy, the temps are just above freezing, usually around 35 degrees F.
the plants wont photosynthesize at that temp..and besides, its pitch dark inside a fridge anyway!
leaving the leaves on only invites fungus to grow..cut EVERYTHING off! leaving only short green stubs showing above the surface..even you left the leaves on, those leaves wouldnt survive the winter anyway..all new leaves appear in the spring, so no reason at all to leave ANY leaves at all if using the fridge..
under a more "natural" dormancy, where winter temps are in the 40's and 50's..the yes, the plants can use their leaves..but leaving leaves in the fridge will only invite LOTS of mold to grow!
I have been doing it this way for 7 years in a row now..works fine! the only drawback is the potential for fungus to kill your plants..I always have some fungus growth over the winter, usually thin filaments growing on the "short green stubs"..but it seldom kills the plants..usually have about 95% survival..some years 100%.
someday I plan to have a "CP only" dedicated fridge for winter dormancy! then I would spray fungicide...I dont use fungicide now because the plants go into my regular fridge, along with all my food! so I dont want dangerous chemicals in my fridge..so the plants take their chances with the mold..but as I said, the survival rate is always very good...much better than it would be outdoors around here!
Scot