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Getting upset

I thought full sun would be best for the VFTs and i heard that they are very hardy and hard to kill... Theyve been in the front of my house for 2 weeks now (which is south facing) temperatures reaching up to high 90s to 100. Im getting upset because they arent adapting very well.. I even think my new fused tooth and Red dragon are dead now.. completely burnt to nothing and their is no green at all. For awhile I wanted to put them in the north facing part of my house (the backyard) but there been construction going on in the backyard.. I finally found a place to put them where they willl get morning sun all the way up to 5-6. Im just worried that I am going to lose all of them.. Even when they are completely crisp black is it likely that they will grow back? do I really need to get shade cloth for VTFs?
 
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Have you checked their rhizomes, if they're white and firm with pinkish tinge, they'll be fine.
 
Deep breaths, man. It's nothing to get worked up over - everybody has a few setbacks when they get started with a new plant. It sounds like you've got some fairly intense conditions - where did these plants come from? Plants from the hardware store can probably do OK outside in those temperatures, but you definitely run the risk of crisping some leaves if you put them straight into all-day full sun. Is it possible to get them a spot where they're lit in the morning and then have some shade or filtering from noon onwards? Plants from another grower or a CP nursery should already be more-or-less used to the sun; if that's the case, the tips of the foliage (the traps) may wilt as the plant adjusts, but it should bounce back in a week or two when the leaves it's working on right now are ready to unfurl.
Keep in mind that it takes lots of energy and water just to keep those traps in working order, let alone catch a bug with one; if your plant suddenly finds itself in uncertain conditions, it will hedge its bets and drop its traps as a kind of cost-cutting measure. Once it's confident in its surroundings again, it'll go right back to normal. Thankfully, VFTs are not as pouty as, say, Neps.
They may not be gone yet - especially if you were careful not to let the soil dry out. Are the petioles of the leaves still intact? You can lose the trap itself (to burning, or overfeeding, or lots of other reasons) and the petiole will often survive for a while afterwards. They'll still photosynthesize and 95% of the time, your plant won't miss a beat. Also, how close to the surface of the media are they? Plants that are a little buried can often appear totally dead on top, but underneath the corm and roots are still intact and start throwing up new leaves a few weeks to a few months later. A top dressing of live Sphagnum can be useful in this respect, as it buffers the moisture and temperature at the soil surface and prevents the corm from overheating or desiccating. Worst comes to worst, if you dig up your plant and find it badly damaged, you could pull all the leaves apart, trim the dead and dried parts, and then use them for cuttings. But in all likelihood, it's only the exposed parts of the plant that were fried. So, I'd suggest exhuming one to see how bad they are, and just try your best to be patient with the others.
Good luck,
~Joe
 
Agreed, I would try checking the rhizomes. If they aren't white with a pinkish tinge, I would think they're goners. If it is alive, however, I would trying taking a few leaf pullings.
 
You may not even need pullings if the roots and corm are still intact; if you dig one up and still find it alive-looking (like, not mushy or crispy) you should leave the rest alone and just give them a chance to regain their strength. The roots will be the only parts still close to full health - they don't need to deal with being dug up right now. I'm not certain about VFTs in particular, but most plants don't strike well from cuttings that were taken at times of stress or illness.
On the other hand, I've gotten plantlets from little half-inch bits of petiole left at the bottom of the corm after the rest of the leaf has rotted away, so what experience I do have seems to indicate that VFTs are fairly easy from cuttings.
~Joe
 
I gently checked all of them. And to my surprise. Out of my 19 VFT assortment only 2 are lost causes. 1 = One of my very small fused tooths which rhizome is completely black and cant even tell it from the moss. Another was just a typical that was black as well.. Ill leave them there and hope for the best.. the others all look healthy underneath the medium.. happily.. I hope they do better on the north side of the house where i just put them.. where they will get morning sun and wont get any light past 5
 
the typicals were from a hardware.. the others were half from california nurseries.. and half from the east coast in a greenhouse
 
i think the main reason they are still alive despite the 8+ hours of 95-100 degree weather lately is that i water them constantly.. the soil is Always wet or soaked. sometimes i ever submerge them at night
 
So in this new spot, they'll get direct sunlight from sunrise to five PM? That should be plenty. You might even give them a little less - I was thinking sunrise to noon until they start recovering. But from the sound of it, they're still in pretty good condition, and once they recover, all that light should have them looking spectacular.
One trick that I've heard from a grower I really respect is to give VFTs dappled light. Get a pine tree branch or something similar and stand it in the ground in front of your VFTs, so that it shades them a little as the sun passes behind it. VFTs naturally grow among grasses and other taller plants, and the idea is that even though they're greedy for light, a little bit of passing shade helps simulate their natural habitat and makes them extra happy. I'm told that this produces enhanced coloration, and after trying it I'm beginning to believe. I should do some scientific tests though.
~Joe

PS - Re: heavy watering; Yes, that's exactly what you want to do for them in the heat. My VFTs seem to dislike high water levels during the Winter, though - I'm pretty sure that oxygen availability or soil aeration is an important factor with them.
 
  • #10
hmm well they were in the south part of the house.. getting light from 11 to sunset.. i think that was a big mistake..
 
  • #11
Ah, I understand perfectly now. You'll be fine - that's a mistake anybody could make. You did a good job keeping them nice and wet. If you're patient with them I think you'll be very happy with the results. I hope you have access to a camera for once they start coming back; that's almost twice the light I can get for my own plants so I'm curious/envious. :D
~Joe
 
  • #12
ok : ) where i put them now they are also under a huge tree, even though u think it would shade it, it really doesn't its as if the sun passes at an angle where the tree can give the VFTs barely any shade.. but im hopeing for the best.. i live on a mountain with a huge view in our backyard, the VFTs will get sun the minute it rises at 6
 
  • #13
Nice digs! You could put together an outrageous greenhouse in those conditions. If you could afford to keep it cooled.
~Joe
 
  • #14
well the construction going on in my backyard is my parents getting a "garden room" built that connects to our house and iss mainly being made for our four dogs. Supposedly its going to have all glass windows and air conditioning.. wondering if I could use it for Neps..
 
  • #15
supposedly the rest of the week is low to mid 90s. So i have a choice of keeping them in a spot where they will get morning sun up until 5pm. or put them where the sundews are, only getting light between 11 to 3..
 
  • #16
hmm well they were in the south part of the house.. getting light from 11 to sunset.. i think that was a big mistake..

no..its not a mistake..
if I were you, I would leave them on the south-side..although the other side sounds ok too..even though its less light..

its probably not the sun that is weakening the plants..its something else..
you mentioned your watering technique:

think the main reason they are still alive despite the 8+ hours of 95-100 degree weather lately is that i water them constantly.. the soil is Always wet or soaked. sometimes i ever submerge them at night

that could be causing some stress..
you shouldnt have to "water them constantly"..because they should always already be wet! ;)
are you using trays? if not, you should get DEEP trays..like this:

CP2008-119.jpg


Fill up the tray once a day, just keep the trays always filled, half-way to full..that will be a stable water level which the plants will appreciate, especially with your heat..

moving the plants is probably fine..but personally I wouldnt..the amount of sun isnt your problem..for VFT's the more sun the better..

it sounds to me your plants might have had some water stress..too dry, then too wet, then too dry again..you need trays! :)

also..2 weeks is WAY too short of a time to make any judgements on plant health..
they need to stay in one spot for a few months at least until you can tell how they are doing..

moving them around a lot, based only on a few weeks (or days) observation isnt good for the plants..
IMO you should pick the spot that gets the most possible sun, and just leave them there all the time..
more sun is good..I highly doubt sun is your problem..

it sounds like these are new plants (new to you)
they were probably growing in bad conditions before you bought them..
and only 2 weeks later you cant expect them to look great yet..they dont react that fast..
just give them the best possible conditions and they will be fine..

IMO you are WAY over-reacting! ;)
and making lots of totally unnecessary changes..
the best thing to do is put them in full sun, give them deep water trays with good water..and then leave them alone! ;)
(except for maintaining the water level of course..)

(where do you live? your local climate is very important when it comes time for dormancy..)

Scot
 
  • #17
(where do you live? your local climate is very important when it comes time for dormancy..)
Anytime you want advice, you should note your location (or just put it in your profile so it shows up at the left). Advice for Phoenix, AZ may be very different from England ... There are folks from all over the world here on Terra.

In general, when receiving new plants - they should be treated gently as you are unlikely to know the conditions in which they were raised. Placing terrarium-raised plants in direct July sun is a death sentence for almost anything - even plants that normally live in those conditions. Give the plants some time to acclimate to your climate, new pots, new water, etc. - then gradually move them into full sun ...
 
  • #18
Placing terrarium-raised plants in direct July sun is a death sentence for almost anything - even plants that normally live in those conditions.

I doubt that is true..

Give the plants some time to acclimate to your climate, new pots, new water, etc. - then gradually move them into full sun ...


but still..its not a bad thing to slowly acclimate them..I just dont think its an absolute requirement..
and in some cases, you can definately take the "coddling" too far and hurt the plants by trying to be over-protective..

IMO, new plants should be immediately placed in their "ideal" climate..full sun and all..
because that is what is best for them in the long run..

yes, old leaves will fry..but thats ok..
because the new leaves that come up from the rhizome will be instantly acclimated to full sun..
IMO its far better to get the plant where it needs to be..immediately..rather than futz around trying to "protect" it from things that are good for it! ;)

either method is probably fine..
im just not a believer in the "acclimate slowly" theory..in my experience, there is no reason for it..and IMO its far better for the plant in the long run to simply give it the best possible home immediately, and let it get used to that..rather than give it 50 different homes in the miisguided belief of being "kind" to it..then the plant cant get used to anything, because its climate is constantly changing..

and if a plant is weak to begin with (which many new plants are) then constantly moving it around isnt a good thing..
the sun is fine..sun is nothing to be afraid of..
if the plant still dies, I give it 95% odds its NOT from "too much sun"!
it probably died because it was simply too weak to begin with..before you even bought it..
not your fault..and not the sun's fault..
it died from weeks and months of bad conditions before you bought it..it happens..
(especially with "death cube" type plants)
the best way to ensure its survival after you get it is to give it the best possible conditions..which means SUN! ;)

sun is good..do not fear the sun..
many more VFT's have died from too little sun, than from too much..

Scot
 
  • #19
Move the plants!
The problem here Scotty is that you are underestimating the Ca sun ...especialy the high desert one wich is very very strong. I'm shading my vft now but lost a few due to extrem heat. Having them in bigger pots might help...the small pots just heat up in a second. Vft can take lot of heat but when you're talking temps over 100-110F every day it's just not going to work.
Try it for yourself!
 
  • #20
I think often we, as humans, extend a bit of our frail nature onto our plants..
as a form of plant anthropomorphism..

full sun is NOT good for humans! ;)
if we laid out out in the full direct sun for 12 hours a day..yes, the sun would probably literally kill us in a few days..so we naturally have a fear of extended direct sun..as we should.

but VFTs NEED the full sun! they thrive in it!
its GOOD for them!

im just trying to understand why so many people seem to fear the sun when it comes to plants that need it..could be a form of anthropomorphism??
I think it could..

Scot
 
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