roots coming out of the pot

[cahalacm]

hi. i've never posted here before with the exception of a question in the chat box on traveling with a carnivorous plant. i've been meaning to, but i didn't have any pictures of my plant until recently.

i got this plant in april or may, and it's grown tremendously. however, his roots are increasingly reaching out of the plastic pot and down into the water cup beneath the pot. it's probably time for a bigger pot, but i was thinking of waiting to move the plant until after it came out of dormancy. the plant lives inside (although i do give it some time outside when i'm home), if that makes any difference. what do you guys think?

(for what it's worth, i trimmed off the black leaves after taking the picture, and the plant doesn't look quite so yellow in person)

 

[Kayota]

1. When it's not cold (below freezing) out keep it outside
2. i think you have several plants in there. You can keep them together and put them in a bigger pot or maybe they'd be fine if you let them be... can't say for sure.

 

[mcantrell]

I'd do a bigger pot, but I'd wait until spring. By now VFTs are just about ready to go to sleep for the winter.

The splashes of Red inside the mouths make me think that it's getting almost, but not quite, enough light... Leaving it out a bit more often may be something to look at. Where are you located? VFTs can survive non-winter months most anywhere.

 

[cahalacm]

thanks, guys!

i can't really keep it outside where i live without someone bothering it, so it has to stay inside for now, unfortunately.

i'm really more worried about the roots of the plant, since they're partially underwater, as they've come out of the bottom of the pot. is this something to be worried about, especially as it gets colder and the plant heads toward dormancy?

 

[Kayota]

I'd do a bigger pot, but I'd wait until spring. By now VFTs are just about ready to go to sleep for the winter.

The splashes of Red inside the mouths make me think that it's getting almost, but not quite, enough light... Leaving it out a bit more often may be something to look at. Where are you located? VFTs can survive non-winter months most anywhere.

Well my VFT is EXTREMELY healthy with very little red on it... so it varies genetically from plant to plant... my plant gets tons of light.

 

[cahalacm]

i'm in cincinnati, but i just moved back from california. the weather has been very grey here (more so than it usually is) since i got back, so even when i've had it outside, it hasn't had much sun recently.

 

[petmantis]

Wow! If your plant has grown that much in a single year since you've had it, I'd say you're doing pretty well!! It may *want* some more root room (there's like 10 plants in that tiny pot) but I think it could stay there until next spring. Great job!

 

[Colieo]

I wouldn't worry about the roots specifically, just make sure the whole pot isn't waterlogged all the time. The plant looks happy, just transplant it when the right time comes around if it seems too crowded. A few wet roots shouldn't cause any problems.

Cole

 

[mcantrell]

Yeah. In spring, I'd let it dry out just a touch, and uproot the entire pot's contents into a new pot, putting a bunch of pure peat moss under/around it. Avoid Miracle Grow Peat Moss, and remember that peat tends to compress a LOT as it gets wet (I'd pre-soak it in pure water before starting the repot).