Dormancy vs New Growth

[volkris]

I'm sorry for posting this if it's been asked before, but...

As I begin to consider putting my flytraps in the fridge for their dormancy period I look at them and see that they have new leaves just beginning to poke out of the soil. Should I delay dormancy because of this new growth? As I understand it the plants are supposed to begin to deteriorate when they're looking to the onset of dormancy...

 

[greenhouse1]

Welcome volkris! If you'll go to the Carnivorous Plant General Discussion forum you will see a topic on Dormancy that says something like read this first or your questions answered here. It's in caps and addresses most of the questions on dormancy. Hope that will help you. You might want to also find out when your plant came out of tissue culture. If it just recently came out of culture you may not need to make it go dormant this year. There are a number of differing opinions on that. I have a sarracenia that is putting out new growth like crazy too and am still trying to decide whether to force it into dormancy.

 

[greenhouse1]

(Edited by greenhouse1 at 10:49 am on Nov. 26, 2001)

 

[MixDJ]

Even though i'm not the most advanced member of this elite group, i've read my share and since i have some free time ill throw in my couple cents. When a plant goes into dormancy it does not stop all processes and sit there. It is still able to grow and photosynthesis (unless fridged). Young plants also don't need the required dormancy period as greenhouse said. Thats about all im good for on this subject since i havn't been through one yet, soz.

Mix

 

[RamPuppy]

that's right Mix,

Elite... you make me laugh! I think more often than not we stumble over our own feet! Hehh! Thanks for the compliment!

deterioration is a function of fungus, bacteria, and other little nasties... fungicides will help prevent this in dormancy.

Don't worry that your plant has new growth still coming out of it.

I am starting to believe as a general rule of thumb, that you --Might-- just plain skip the first dormancy on any plant you buy from a Lowes, Home Depot, or a nursery like Petflytrap, or the other on line ones that MUST rely on tissue culture, missing one dormancy may make them grow slowly the first year, or it may not, but if it's still going strong, then you can really put it down to bed at any point in the year that IT decides is right, just by using the fridge.

Don't get me wrong, I am not advocating the skipping of dormancy or anything, But if your plant is a brand new baby, find out where it came from, if it was recently brought out of tissue culture, then enjoy it, put it to bed next year... In this instance, babies get to stay up longer than the adults!