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Dormancy

NeciFiX

Kung Fu Fighting!
I live in Wisconsin, so, it's still pretty chilly up here. 34F today, never really below freezing [except for later tonight] but still dormancy temps, then, it'll hit almost 60F and rain a ton over the weekend, I'm not sure if I should wait until April before putting the plants outside, where it'll be reliable 60's, probably low 70's, and 50's at night, high 40's possibly. I just don't know if I should put them outside now, in dormancy temps, only for it to start pouring rain. The references in this 10-day stretch on like March 28th are probably inaccurate, the Weather stations ALWAYS say it'll be MUCH colder than it actually is in Wisconsin, no matter what time of the year, unless it's in a 3 day period. I just have no idea what to do, I don't know if they can stay in my windowsill, dry, for another 2-3 weeks. They look alright, pretty much like a dormant plant should, but, I don't know if I should just toss them outside or not.

NeciFiX

10 day weather for Saint Croix Falls: http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/54024?from=36hr_topnav_undeclared

P.S. This isn't a life or death situation, though. Even if it was, I've kind of just given up on carnivorous plants. Their requirements to grow them are much too expensive for my taste. As fascinated as I am with them, I know I'll never have the opportunity to grow them in a good setting at any point in my life. My Pings are the only real plants NOT in dormancy and alive, and they're flowering, which is nice.
 
I have had my plants out on the deck for the last 4 days or so..even at night..because the nightly lows have been 35-40 degrees..If its above freezing..even 30, I leave them outside..

I brought them inside this afternoon because the next two or three nightly lows are forecast to be 25 or so..
I dont want to leave them out when its that cold..(although it probably wouldnt hurt them..just for a few hours..)

Usually I put my plants outdoors for the season once we see a week or so of nightly lows above freezing..usually early or mid April..but its been unusually warm lately, so they have been outside..

For the next 2 days im just going to keep them indoors until the cold snap passes.

IMO..if its above 35, they are perfectly fine outside..
I actually use 30 as my "cut off" temp..

Scot
 
I'll put them on the deck on April 1st then. I won't water them right away, unless there isn't some huge spring rainstorm yet. I could put them out in a few days and just take them back in on March 25th if it's too cold at night.
 
I'm in Milwaukee and I've been leaving them out but I think that tonight they are coming in until Saturday. I know how you feel about them sometimes. There have been times I thought about just sticking with the tropicals because dormancy sucks in Wisconsin. Whatever died over the winter is it for me. Although I think this is the year where all my plants lived over the winter.
 
Yeah, I'll just put them out in April. I'm in northern Wisconsin too, to make matters worse. All of my plants lived, miraculously.
 
Here's the 2 week forecast for my area:



Friday, Mar 20
More Details/AccuPop™
Partly SUnny w/ Flurries
An a.m. flurry; turning sunny
Low: 20 °F
High: 37 °F
Saturday, Mar 21
More Details
Mostly Sunny
Mostly sunny and milder
Low: 28 °F
High: 48 °F
Sunday, Mar 22
More Details
Intermittent Clouds
Times of clouds and sun
Low: 27 °F
High: 47 °F
Monday, Mar 23
More Details
Partly Sunny
Sunshine and some clouds
Low: 24 °F
High: 43 °F
Tuesday, Mar 24
More Details
Partly Sunny
Partial sunshine
Low: 33 °F
High: 48 °F
Wednesday, Mar 25
More Details
Mostly Cloudy
Rather cloudy
Low: 38 °F
High: 52 °F
Thursday, Mar 26
More Details
Showers
Rain and drizzle in the a.m.
Low: 36 °F
High: 51 °F
Friday, Mar 27
More Details
Overcast
Low clouds
Low: 35 °F
High: 51 °F
Saturday, Mar 28
More Details
Rain
Rain
Low: 32 °F
High: 42 °F
Sunday, Mar 29
More Details
Cloudy
Cloudy
Low: 29 °F
High: 40 °F
Monday, Mar 30
More Details
Flurries
Overcast with snow showers
Low: 28 °F
High: 39 °F
Tuesday, Mar 31
More Details
Showers
Cloudy with afternoon rain
Low: 31 °F
High: 45 °F
Wednesday, Apr 1
More Details
Snow
Periods of snow
Low: 29 °F
High: 42 °F
Thursday, Apr 2
More Details
Rain & Snow
Snow and rain in the p.m.
Low: 25 °F
High: 41 °F
Friday, Apr 3
More Details
Snow
Morning snow; cloudy, cold
Low: 28 °

If I brought my plants home from my co-worker's garage, next Tuesday, while it's still warm, would the overnight lows at the end of the month / beginning of April kill developing flower scapes?
 
I would probably wait until the predicted cold phase (<=32F) passed. Or bring the plants indoors at night that week.
 
I can wait another couple weeks...
 
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