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Baby vft yellow & black leafs plz help!

T

TCC

Guest
Hi all, I know the yellow/black leaves topic comes back often here but in my case, I read the faq, did some search and I didn't find anything proper to this case:

I've bought this plant a week ago, they told me to put a lot of water in the plastic thing so that the plant is always humid, the plastic covering has humidity in it so in that respect everything is fine. Now what I am unsure of is that since 1/2 of the traps are either yellowish, yellow or dead black, could it be that the plastic thing keeps too much heat? the plant was in the sun for 3 days straight, for once we had nice weather... can the sun actually arm the plant? it wasn't outside, it was near the window with only 1 layer of glass and mosquito grill thing in the way, still I get plenty of light from that window and I am on a 4th floor... anything about this case? the plant is still growing new traps but it worries me...I'd like to see that thing becoming huge..
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thanks.
 
Welcome to the forums.

First thing I would do is take off the plastic top. Placing the plant in the sunlight with the top on simply cooks the plant. Place the plant in a shallow bowl or saucer with about 1/4 to 1/2 inch of pure water in it. Let the water level go down between waterings, but do not let the plant dry out as it will die.

From your post, it seems that the plant is getting cooked. However, it is not unusual for vfts to loose leaves when placed in a new environment. They will also have leaves that die off naturally after the leaves are several weeks old.

I hope this helps. Its late and I am not sure if that reads smooth.
 
Hi again,

Thanks for your quick reply... what I did yesterday was exactly that, I watered the plant a bit more and simply opened the plastic thing, and left it about 1m from the window.  Some sun got into it but not too much too long just to make sure it wouldn't get worse... problem is it still continued to degrade a bit further today (more yellow progressed where there was a bit yesterday, and some other started the "hardening before going yellow" cycle.....)  

I didn't remove it from the pot yet but I was wondering what are the effects of putting it in standard earth or peatmoss when it's small? it can't feed from fly so it must need some nutriments from the soil no?   Also I use filtered water (brita filters
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) so it's not water contamination that has to do anything in this case...  

My guess is that the thermal shock effects are still being felt and it should resorb, but I read so much about people having problems with that plant that I want to put every chances on my side.. if you have anything else to suggest or comment, feel free
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thanks again!
 
Hi TCC,
Welcome to the forums!
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"QUOTE">....the plastic covering has humidity in it....[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Sounds like it may have gotten too warm. *Coverings tend to trap heat in the container. *As Nick said, it was getting cooked. *As long as the growth in the center is still healthy the plant will recover in time. *Just water as Nick described. *As for humidity, *VFTs grow fine in low humidity. *Mine have done fine with humidity of about 35%. *They have to be adjusted to it slowly though.

"QUOTE">.... I didn't remove it from the pot yet but I was wondering what are the effects of putting it in standard earth or peatmoss when it's small? it can't feed from fly so it must need some nutriments from the soil no? * Also I use filtered water (brita filters *) so it's not water contamination that has to do anything in this case... * [/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
First, the quickest way to kill a CP is to plant it in 'standard soil'. *They just can't handle the concentration of nutrients and salts found in soil.

Second, CPs don't need to eat insects to live. *Bugs are like little fertilizer pills on legs for CPs. *They do fine without them, but the bug gives them the little dose of nutrients they need to grow a bit better. *Also, more bugs does not = bigger plant. *Just more dead traps on VFTs.

Third, Brita filters don't remove most of the minerals from tap water. *Chlorine and some of the heavier metals like lead are removed (or reduced to smaller amounts), but the other minerals pass on through. *You really should use rain, RO, or distilled water. There are people who are fortunate enough to have water that they can use right from the tap, but most of us can't.
 
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Hi, thanks for the reply
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I would like to add, I have access to an industrial distiller used in chemical labs for mixing and cleaning up of specialized equipment, so I will get a load of that water tomorrow and use only that.

Today, the plant degraded even more, I let the plastic thing opened, but now I got several black heads and the plant seems to have lost vitality (all the leaves looking less solid and general yellowness exept on the new growing parts (but they got softer as well so I am worried). there's no opened traps and my feeling is it's too yound to get any kind of bugs, (besides the plant has no reaction).

What I thought of doing (aside from buying another
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) was to take it out of the plastic thing, and put it (with the pot) in a bowl and flood it with distilled water.... I read that the plant can be submerged in water so maybe that could help? Any other suggestions?

Also, how do we remove the black leaves/traps? is there a way to cut it to ensure it doesn't get sick, and optimize the energy on what's left to be grown? at what height should I cut the branches? will it grow trap on a cutted branch?

thanks! I really like this forum and appreciate your help! I'm sure anyone reading this with the same problems will appreciate.
 
Ack! *cough hack* You reduced the light?!

tounge.gif
 Sigh, hopefully it will still make it, but it may be too late.  I feel bad for not getting here sooner.  The symptoms you descibe are not burn or cooking, but more along the lines of crown rot.  Crown rot is basically what happens when a plant is too wet for too long in not enough light.  

Imergency rot care:

#1:  Empty the tray of water you plant is in
#2: Place your plant in very good lighting, the sunniest windowcill. Or get a plant light and let that poor thing have as many hours of light as you can give it (not 24hours, just turn on first thing in the morning and off right befor bed).
#3:  Let the soil become less wet.  Hopefully you won't have to let it become bone dry, because that is very risky.  Start by sticking your finger in the soil twice a day and when you get a thin dry crust with a moist under area, add a little bit of water (not a lot) for a few days.  After this, let the pot sit in distilled water untill it wont take any more in and then remove it from the water filled tray, do this once every day or two untill the plant seems recoverd.  Then switch back to tray water as usual but without the lid on.

#4 If the plant does not show signs of recovery after a while of semi-dry conditions, you may have to risk letting the soil go bone dry.  I do not recomend that action unless it is last resort.  As soon as you see the soil is bone dry start watering again so that the pot holds all the moisture it can, but their is no standing water.  Once recoverd, you can go back to standard tray watering without the lid.

I've got my fingers crossed for you.

Edit: If you have been useing normal tap water, flush the pot out from the top with lots of distilled water. To removed the dead parts, just lightly pull on the blacked part, if it is ready to come off, it will. If it doesn't come off easy, leave it untill later. DO NOT remove it from it's pot, thats the last thing it needs right now. Also, your plant isn't a baby, they don't sell baby VFTs because they are extreamly small (like 1cm total plant). Your trap issue is probubly from 2 things, 1, the plant is dieing, 2 it may have been dorment when you got it.
-Darcie
 
I have to agree with darcie, this really sounds like crown rot to me, that's just my opinion. Another thing though, it isn't at all necessary to remove the dead leaves. So I wouldn't risk pulling off a piece of the plant. To answer your question TCC, new traps do not grow on old leaves. New growth only appears from the central growth point, from offsets (the little plants around the base of the main plant), and from the flower stalk (sometimes). Anyway, if worse comes to worse you can alway cut off all of the leaves, break whats left into peices, and plant the peices in pure peat. I hope everything goes well.


Mike
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Hi all, thanks for your reply once again. I really enjoy this forum and the support.

About reducing the light:  Only moved the plant a bit away from the window instead of having full blown sun to it.  Basically it was getting less hot, unfortunately today it didn't get much sun as the sky was covered
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I can put it under the plant neons if it can help for the next days... I'll do that.

Today I've rinced the plant with loads of distilled water (I didn't remove it from the pot)... but what I don't get is why in the FAQ they say the plant can be underwater for monts, and now I read I got rotting because of too much water?  I mean that's really confusing.  The person at the store where I bought it from told me to always leave water in the plastic thing to make sure that the plant was always wet (basically overfil it a bit to see water in the plastic holder).  I still have a question about that, in normal condition, does the plant needs to be in a bit of water, or do I only have ot make sure that the water level in the soil is saturated most of the time? (basically do I need to saturate it or oversaturate it in normal conditions?)

So what I did tonight after reading your message is taking the plant out from the plastic holder and put it in front of the window for tomorrow.    I thought the cooking theory was valid because I am on a 4th floor and it got *very* hot in the sun for a long period last weekend.  I don't think the plant will die in the sense that it's still growing some traps, today I cutted everything that was black/too yellow to give a chance to the rest of the plants (have nothing to lose at this point).  I hope I won't lose it, I'd be really happy if this helps , I'll keep you people informed.  If you have anything to add (aside from calling me a plant killer
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) or other suggestions, don't be shy
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Hi all, thanks for your reply once again. I really enjoy this forum and the support.

About reducing the light: *Only moved the plant a bit away from the window instead of having full blown sun to it. *Basically it was getting less hot, unfortunately today it didn't get much sun as the sky was covered
sad.gif


I can put it under the plant neons if it can help for the next days... I'll do that.

Today I've rinced the plant with loads of distilled water (I didn't remove it from the pot)... but what I don't get is why in the FAQ they say the plant can be underwater for monts, and now I read I got rotting because of too much water? *I mean that's really confusing. *The person at the store where I bought it from told me to always leave water in the plastic thing to make sure that the plant was always wet (basically overfil it a bit to see water in the plastic holder). *I still have a question about that, in normal condition, does the plant needs to be in a bit of water, or do I only have ot make sure that the water level in the soil is saturated most of the time? (basically do I need to saturate it or oversaturate it in normal conditions?)

So what I did tonight after reading your message is taking the plant out from the plastic holder and put it in front of the window for tomorrow. * *I thought the cooking theory was valid because I am on a 4th floor and it got *very* hot in the sun for a long period last weekend. *I don't think the plant will die in the sense that it's still growing some traps, today I cutted everything that was black/too yellow to give a chance to the rest of the plants (have nothing to lose at this point). *I hope I won't lose it, I'd be really happy if this helps , I'll keep you people informed. *If you have anything to add (aside from calling me a plant killer
smile.gif
) or other suggestions, don't be shy
smile.gif
[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Cooking and crown rot are really similar, except cooking usually kills the plant right away, or buns the leaves off, or in lite cases, helps incuredge crown rot to start up. So yah, it probubly was partially cooked, but not the burned type of cooked like what you were first treating it for.

If their is still green, their is still hope.

As to your soil satuation question, VFTs just need the soil staturated, not overly so, but in warm/sunny conditions, sometimes the soil dries so quickly you have to over saturate to prevent burn. In general, lots of water goes with lots of sun and no cover. Little water and not so much sun goes with a cover
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It's tricky, but eventually you'll get a feel for your proticular plants needs. I have one that actaully does best in the terrarium with direct sun (why it likes 100 degrease I know not, it just does, but it's a freak anyways, lol)
 
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  • #10
Darcie,

Once again I have to disagree with your assessments regarding water saturation which does NOT lead to crown rot in healthy plants. I think that what is likely here is the plant was compromised by sunburn. In this case the crown rot was probably encouraged by the wet conditions.

I also have to advise against allowing the medium to become dry. Dry is not good...just moist, perhaps, in some cases where the central growth is compromised by some other factor. Allowing the plants to become bone dry will certainly kill a healthy plant, and a sick plant even more so.
 
  • #11
Hello guys, I have the same proble. I would l;ike you to take a look of the picture and see if those suggestions could be good for my plant too. Thank you!!!
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---------- Post added at 09:47 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:41 PM ----------

Hello guys, I have the same proble. I would l;ike you to take a look of the picture and see if those suggestions could be good for my plant too. Thank you!!!
lightbox

<a href="http://www.ipernity.com/doc/89586/11150916"><img src="http://u1.ipernity.com/19/09/16/11150916.0187f121.1024.jpg" width="768" height="1024" alt="venus" border="0"/></a>
 
  • #12
As long as you are watering that plant with pure water (not tap water), giving it light, and keeping it moist...it should recover nicely.

If you are doing these things, the plant can die back in full sun but it will come back from the base. Just keep doing what you know is right and the plant will pull through. If it's not looking good don't worry. In several weeks it will start looking nice.

BTW: your plant doesn't look that bad. If you're doing everything right, don't worry about it!

---------- Post added at 11:53 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:52 AM ----------

And DON'T feed it! It will feed itself.
 
  • #13
Thank you very much SDCps! I will continue on that.
 
  • #14
it looks like its adjusting... just leave it out in full sun. :D
 
  • #15
This thread made me feel way better about my VFT! It's got some yellowing/black, but most of it is a nice healthy green, and I've even got some traps with nice red insides! :D
 
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