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Black leaves

Hi All,

I just noticed that my one and only vft, which seemed to be doing well, even putting out another leaf and forming a trap, is looking sickly. The leaves are sort of limp and I noticed they are blackening in the center. I've had it since April, have it in bright light but no direct sun, keep distilled water in the saucer, and have it in a mini-greenhouse (inside my home) to keep humidity up a bit. So what am I doing wrong?

Thanks in advance for your replies, and to Suzanne, who I messaged separately as she's become my cp guru.

cpwitch
 
O that sounds bad. Appears to have root/crown rot. Sometimes plants just come down with disease. However I would recommend some changes on culture which might lessen the chances of this happening in the future.

1. VFT should not need extra humidity unless your living in a desert or have airconditioning/dehumidifier sucking the moisture out of the air. Growing in a terrarium posses a higher potential for disease because of decreased air movement and higher moisture levels.

2. VFT need high light levels. You didn't indicate if the plant was receiving artificial lighting and if so how much. But you did say it was not receiving any direct sun. I suspect that it was underlighted.

If you have a nice sunny windowsill I would suggest growing one there uncovered.

As for your currently plant, you might be able to salvage something but will need to act fast and unpot it, clean up any brown mushy stuff and treat with fungicide. Perhaps there is still a portion that is healthy.

Tony
 
another possibility, is that little greenhouse got to hot. If I remember correctly, when the soil gets over 90 degrees the roots start to fail.

I also think taking it out and getting some air circulation would be a good idea, if you unpot it and find that it is root rot, get it cleaned up as tony said, I would reccomend a watering with superthrive to assist in root regeneration at that point.
 
Thank you Tony and RamPuppy for your replies. I'll do as you suggested. You're right in that the greenhouse does get a little stuffy -- I was just under the impression that these plants need HIGH humidity. I was also afraid that direct sunlight would be too strong, but I guess light needs do vary and right now it's just getting bright but indirect light. I'll see if I can save it as it really hurts to lose a plant.

cpwitch
 
Do be careful though not to put an enclosed terrarium in the sun! Hope your able to save the plant.

Tony
 
cpwitch,
Sorry to hear about you plant.  If you repot the plant and a leaf comes off while you are cleaning it, and it has some of the white rhizome still on it, you can lay it on the soil and just barely cover the white part with peat or sphagnum.  This method of propagation (leaf cutting) is often successful.  Do this with any peice that has rhizome on it.

On humidity, while the bogs and swamps that VFTs are native to can be quite humid, they can be grown successfully in low humidity (>20% and <35%) areas as long as there is a constant source of water such as a tray to keep them hydrated and the air around them humid.  They should be adjusted to these conditions gradually so the leaves have a chance to adapt to dryer air.
 
Thank you for the suggestions. If I keep the pot sitting in a tray of distilled water, should I let it go dry for a day or so, or keep it at a constant level? I think somewhere in here I read to let it go dry, but in the book I have it suggests to always keep a half inch in the saucer. And does that go for all of the cp's? My sense so far is that they all love to be in wet soil mix.

Did you read elsewhere that I picked up a couple of really healthy looking nepenthes as well a a large (3" tall) cobra and a drosera type I haven't identified yet -- broader leaves than the two I currently have. Plus my local Armstrong's is supposed to have a "special" next week on cp's, so will check them out. It's on my calender to remind me.

cpwitch
 
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