Transplanting Darlingtonia

[seedjar]

What does everyone think - is it still too early to be repotting Cobra Lilies? I have a big plant in a small pot that hasn't been repotted in a while, and I'm eager to move it and divide the runners it put out this year. Up here it's already starting to get pretty close to fall-type weather.
~Joe

 

[SirKristoff]

Well Joe, i repotted my darlingtonia last year around this time and even did a few divisions, and its still alive and kicking.
i say if its healthy, its fine.
if its struggling its best to wait till next season in early spring when your doing sarra divisions.
You could also just take the entire pot of media it is in now and transplant it into new media without disturbing the roots at all, i grow mine in live lfs/perlite and it does great. its sending out a few stolons right now actually and has a few growth points on the main rhizome, surprised its doing this since i divided the hell out of it for the NASC auction this year.
Yay mountain variety.

 

[Not a Number]

Jacob Farin of one of the major online nurseries recommends:

Also be careful about repotting your Darlingtonia during the growing season.
In the past, we often lost Darlingtonia because of this. Their roots are
most similar to Nepenthes, so they can easily be damaged. Wait until late
winter or early spring.

Other sources have stated they are sensitive to root disturbance also.

 

[seedjar]

Hehe - Jacob spends lots of time selling to kids and curious homebodies at farmers' markets too, though.
I transplanted a pot of two smaller seed-grown plants last month after almost losing it to dehydration. It got left in the sun out of water on a really hot day, and I was sure the whole thing was toast. All of the leaves were papery and shades of white, gray and brown. I submerged it up to the crown and a day later the larger one came back. I thought the smaller one was done for, but a week or so after repotting a little spindly leaf emerged and apparently it's doing well now. I think the cool nights and consistent humidity around here really help.
I may hold off until later in Fall. Growing space is becoming limited in my yard. I was pondering over my collection earlier and I realized that I would have to remove three or four large pots from one of my trays to fit this new monster Darlingtonia pot in. I think I might need to wait until I've built my new benches.
~Joe

 

[jimscott]

This planter is now getting congested. As much as I'd like to remove plants. I am going to wait until the plants are asleep. In my case, I am going to remove the Sarracenias and divide where they clumped. I'm leaving the Darlingtonia for another year. They seem to like the dynamics, so "if it aint broke.."