VFTs

[Vermontscott]

I’m getting the itch to get some VFTs going but I’m in Vermont where it’s -10 Fahrenheit this morning. All of my CPs are in dormancy. A local greenhouse has some pretty decent looking VFTs now. Would it be ok to get a couple and put them in a west facing window or would it be better to wait till the end of March or the beginning of April?

 

[adnedarn]

A west window is probably not ideal, and I would assume your window is still fairly cool. Without additional lighting to extend the "daytime" I'd guess the plant would attempt to slip into dormancy.

 

[bluemax]

You would be better off setting up an area more to a warmer area of the room with sufficient artificial lighting, unless you have triple-paned glass in your window. At 10 below it's gotta be cold on that window sill, as Andrew has suggested. Flytraps do grow well indoors under grow lights and they have been successfully grown without dormancy.

 

[Vermontscott]

I was going to grow the vft in a window at work. I have a couple of Drosera alicia and Drosera binata that are doing quite well in the window. The way I have them set up they are cool but not too cold. The binata has never gone dormant on me and I’ve had it for at least six years.

The vft is in long fiber sphagnum moss and definitely needs a lager pot. Should I keep growing it in LFS or switch it to a peat:sand mix? I’ve had the best luck with peat:sand when compared to peaterlite, this last year was my first try with LFS and it didn’t impress me much. I’ll definitely get a light set up for it regardless of growing at home or at work. Since I just have the one I’ll probably get a cfl (Hydrofarm agrobrite FLC32D) and reflector/housing or an adjustable desk lamp so I can adjust the distance between the plant and the bulb.

 

[adnedarn]

I have grown VFTs just fine in LFS short term. I've never tried it long term, >3yrs though. Of the 3 media you mention it seems to be "what works for you" kind of situation, but there is no reason LFS won't work in my experience.

 

[Vermontscott]

My original plan was to get two VFTs and try the peat:sand mix vs LFS. Maybe I’ll still do that but it’s difficult to get two similar plants and spring for two identical lighting setups. I suppose I could go with a two foot T5 light but I’m trying to keep cost under control.

 

[Vermontscott]

Ok, I put the VFT in fresh New Zealand Long fiber sphagnum moss wetted with RO water. I got the cfl and a reflector today. I don’t want to overdo the light with the plant. I figure that when I’m done four inches from the bulb to the plant should be good, maybe even closer. The questions are, how far away should I start and for how many hours? It’s that 32 watt Agrobrite FLC32D. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[bluemax]

4 inches sounds good to me and maybe 12 hours should be o.k. You don't want to get too close as cfl 'bulbs' put out quite a bit of heat and you could burn the plant. Good luck!

 

[nepenthesl0ve]

You would be better off setting up an area more to a warmer area of the room with sufficient artificial lighting, unless you have triple-paned glass in your window. At 10 below it's gotta be cold on that window sill, as Andrew has suggested. Flytraps do grow well indoors under grow lights and they have been successfully grown without dormancy.

so you are saying i can bring my VFTs inside and keep them under strong lights and warm conditions rather than induce dormancy? Not trying to highjack the thread but every year at least 3-4 of my VFTs die in dormancy and it is incredibly frustrating. they always seem to be too wet or too dry. have had 3 rot this winter

 

[bluemax]

so you are saying i can bring my VFTs inside and keep them under strong lights and warm conditions rather than induce dormancy? Not trying to highjack the thread but every year at least 3-4 of my VFTs die in dormancy and it is incredibly frustrating. they always seem to be too wet or too dry. have had 3 rot this winter

Yes, they can be grown indefinitely in warm, bright conditions without a dormancy. I believe that John Brittnacher was the first to point this out. Here you can read his write-up along with other tips and info about growing Dionaea: https://www.carnivorousplants.org/grow/guides/Dionaea My problem is I don't have a lot of room indoors for growing flytraps. But I always keep a few to brighten up the winter scene.

 

[Vermontscott]

Set up

Here is my set up for now. The plant is in New Zealand long fiber sphagnum moss that I cut up a bit with scissors. I use RO water from the lab I work in. I know I don’t need the aquarium but it’s holding the light where I want it for now. I’ll see how the plant is doing after a week or two and move it closer if necessary. The whole thing is just begging for another plant and light setup! When I ordered the bulb, 26 watt, I didn’t realize they also came in a 32 watt version. Would that have been a better choice?

 

[tommyr]

My original plan was to get two VFTs and try the peat:sand mix vs LFS. Maybe I’ll still do that but it’s difficult to get two similar plants and spring for two identical lighting setups. I suppose I could go with a two foot T5 light but I’m trying to keep cost under control.

I tried growing some of mine in LFSM last year and didn't really see any difference in growth. Some say the roots and plants grow bigger but I didn't see that at all. I switched them back to peat/perlite this year. I prefer peat/perlite mix. It's much easier to clean off the roots too, LFSM is a PITA to remove from VFT roots. More chance of damaging them.

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so you are saying i can bring my VFTs inside and keep them under strong lights and warm conditions rather than induce dormancy? Not trying to highjack the thread but every year at least 3-4 of my VFTs die in dormancy and it is incredibly frustrating. they always seem to be too wet or too dry. have had 3 rot this winter

Without dormancy THEY WILL grow weak. They DO need dormancy. There is no doubt about it. Growing them indoors is a bad idea IMHO.

 

[Vermontscott]

I tried growing some of mine in LFSM last year and didn't really see any difference in growth. Some say the roots and plants grow bigger but I didn't see that at all. I switched them back to peat/perlite this year. I prefer peat/perlite mix. It's much easier to clean off the roots too, LFSM is a PITA to remove from VFT roots. More chance of damaging them.

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Without dormancy THEY WILL grow weak. They DO need dormancy. There is no doubt about it. Growing them indoors is a bad idea IMHO.

The information I found said that the LFS allowed young VFTs to mature much faster but there wasn’t much difference with adult plants. There is a guy named Joel who sell B52s and swears by LFS. I got some plants from him last year and the one I kept in LFS did great and the ones I transplanted to a peat perlite mix died. I think I lost those plants during dormancy in my garage this winter ��

I’m replacing the CFL with a SANSI 15 watt grow light bulb because it should be brighter, use less electricity and allow me to get more than one plant under it. So I will pot up a VFT in a peat silicon dioxide mix so I can compare the two.

Regarding dormancy John B knows his stuff so I wouldn’t be surprised if he can get them to grow without dormancy. I’m a scientist and experiments need to be done properly and his set up sounds good. A lot of people regurgitate what they read or use what they think is common sense and really don’t have any experience. If he can get them to grow for years with a constant photoperiod and no exposure to natural light I believe him. If they got some natural light that could potentially mess them up as far as dormancy goes.

 

[tommyr]

The information I found said that the LFS allowed young VFTs to mature much faster but there wasn’t much difference with adult plants. There is a guy named Joel who sell B52s and swears by LFS. I got some plants from him last year and the one I kept in LFS did great and the ones I transplanted to a peat perlite mix died. I think I lost those plants during dormancy in my garage this winter ��

I’m replacing the CFL with a SANSI 15 watt grow light bulb because it should be brighter, use less electricity and allow me to get more than one plant under it. So I will pot up a VFT in a peat silicon dioxide mix so I can compare the two.

Regarding dormancy John B knows his stuff so I wouldn’t be surprised if he can get them to grow without dormancy. I’m a scientist and experiments need to be done properly and his set up sounds good. A lot of people regurgitate what they read or use what they think is common sense and really don’t have any experience. If he can get them to grow for years with a constant photoperiod and no exposure to natural light I believe him. If they got some natural light that could potentially mess them up as far as dormancy goes.

Well I don't regurgitate and I've been growing them for over 12 years now and doing the fridge dormancy method with no losses. To each his own I guess. Good luck!

 

[Vermontscott]

Well I don't regurgitate and I've been growing them for over 12 years now and doing the fridge dormancy method with no losses. To each his own I guess. Good luck!

I didn’t mean for that to sound harsh, I’m very happy you have found a method that works for you. Like a previous poster I lose quite a few plants in my Vermont garage every winter. I was planning on doing a refrigerator dormancy but just didn’t get around to it last season. Do you pull them and put them in LFS just for the dormancy? I have a pretty cold window at work that I’m thinking about trying as well.

I have a Sarracenia purpurea purpurea that was in LFS and it was a nightmare to repot. It’s in a peat perlite mix now but I think I used too much perlite last season, nearly all my Sarracenias seemed stunted. I don’t think it was the peat because I have a bowl with three Sarracenias, some VFTs and Drosera rotundifolia in the same peat mixed with sand that did phenomenally well.

 

[tommyr]

I didn’t mean for that to sound harsh, I’m very happy you have found a method that works for you. Like a previous poster I lose quite a few plants in my Vermont garage every winter. I was planning on doing a refrigerator dormancy but just didn’t get around to it last season. Do you pull them and put them in LFS just for the dormancy? I have a pretty cold window at work that I’m thinking about trying as well.

I have a Sarracenia purpurea purpurea that was in LFS and it was a nightmare to repot. It’s in a peat perlite mix now but I think I used too much perlite last season, nearly all my Sarracenias seemed stunted. I don’t think it was the peat because I have a bowl with three Sarracenias, some VFTs and Drosera rotundifolia in the same peat mixed with sand that did phenomenally well.

No problem. For VFTs, I drain off excess water from the pots, hit them with a sulphur based fungicide and place in zip lock bags and pop them in the fridge for 3 to 3 1/2 months. I occasionally check them (once a month) for fungus and hit with the fungicide if needed. Late winter around February/March I take them out, clean them up and hit them with SULFUR based fungicide again and place in a south and west window and some under florescent and white 'daylight' LED lights until night time temps. regularly stay above freezing then slowly acclimate them to full outdoor Sun. I've been using this method for 12 years with no losses.

I grow my sarrs in peat/perlite 50/50. I lost a lot of them last year (kept them outside in an unheated storage room) and only the Flavas survived.

Tom

 

[bluemax]

No problem. For VFTs, I drain off excess water from the pots, hit them with a sulphur based fungicide and place in zip lock bags and pop them in the fridge for 3 to 3 1/2 months. I occasionally check them (once a month) for fungus and hit with the fungicide if needed. Late winter around February/March I take them out, clean them up and hit them with SULFUR based fungicide again and place in a south and west window and some under florescent and white 'daylight' LED lights until night time temps. regularly stay above freezing then slowly acclimate them to full outdoor Sun. I've been using this method for 12 years with no losses.

I grow my sarrs in peat/perlite 50/50. I lost a lot of them last year (kept them outside in an unheated storage room) and only the Flavas survived.

Tom

I, too, place most of my vfts in dormancy in winter, in my case because I can't begin to have enough room to grow all of those plants indoors. I have heard that sulfur-based fungicides don't work well with Drosera so I had never tried them with Dionaea. 'Good to hear that this is an option because I like the fact that they are low-toxicity to humans and pets and they tend to persist well. Fungus is a very real concern with dormant plants.

I am a big advocate of growing your plants in a way that brings you the best results. This is going to vary between different growers - sometimes by a lot. It is good to hear discussions about successful methods, even if they seem very far apart. There is always more to learn.

 

[tommyr]

I am a big advocate of growing your plants in a way that brings you the best results. This is going to vary between different growers - sometimes by a lot. It is good to hear discussions about successful methods, even if they seem very far apart. There is always more to learn.

Well I believe in growing them as close to their natural way as possible and to me that means they get dormancy every year. It's unnatural for them NOT to get dormancy. It makes zero sense to me to not give them dormancy. But whatever floats people's boats I guess.

 

[nepenthesl0ve]

would you mind telling me which sulfer based fungicide you use? and do you mix it to the strength on label or something weaker? just trying to cut my losses and putting them in a 45 degree basement moist but not wet has resulted in almost 30% losses each year... i live in boston area so winters are just too harsh to keep outside.

 

[tommyr]

would you mind telling me which sulfer based fungicide you use? and do you mix it to the strength on label or something weaker? just trying to cut my losses and putting them in a 45 degree basement moist but not wet has resulted in almost 30% losses each year... i live in boston area so winters are just too harsh to keep outside.

Bonide and I mix it at around 1/4 to 1/2 strength. Wow, 45 degrees should be just fine, fridges are typically 38-40 F.