What's new
TerraForums Venus Flytrap, Nepenthes, Drosera and more talk

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Flytrap and sundew condition?

i have had my flytraps and sundew for over a year and in the past couple of weeks they are not looking so good? the flytraps just had a bunch of flowers which i cut off the stalks- acouple of traps look burnt? most of the leaves and traps look yellow? my sundew looks the same way and has alot of die off? they never did die off in the winter,they grew very well. but lately both plants look bad- i have done nothing different. only thing i changed like a month ago was i used some snow i let melt into a bucket and have been using that to water them. need help thanks
 
I can't help but question that snow. Are you sure it was clean? Did your VFT have a dormancy this winter? Which species of Drosera are you growing, and what are the general conditions they are in (light, water method, humidity, temperature). I would like to help, but we need to get more specific, there are many things that could cause the symptoms you describe.

I am suspicious because this is affecting the health of both genera, and seems to indicate some cultural problem apart from dormancy considerations (or else you are just really unlucky&#33
wink.gif
 
Also, what was in the bucket that you used to gather the snow in? Some times we forget that the soap and other chemicals we had in the bucket the last time we used it could have an effect. Trust me on this, I made this mistake with a fish tank ONCE!! (Poor Fish)
 
hey guys- ok- well i got the frsh snow out of my yard of the top layers and it was clean- yes i made sure the bucket was clean i put the snow in. neither plant went dormant for the winter,i just keep watering them and put them on the window seal. my room stays warm with all my saltwater fish tanks/there lights. like a said the flytrap had a bunch of flower stalks i let them bloom then thought they are draining the plant so i cut all off them off. should i get rid of the water and boil some water and try using that? i was using distilled water before.
 
If the flowers bloomed then the plant has already been drained. With the vft, it sounds like the stress that the flowers caused and the lack of dormancy is taking it's toll.
What kind of sundew is it. Can't really help until we know. Listen to Tamlin he's a genius when it comes to sundews.
One thing I would try is to go back to the distilled water and see what happens.
 
yes i put distilled into there dish- yeah i thought the flowers might have drained it to. yes during the past couple months of winter both plants grew like mad-which suprised me? i bought the sundew from this board so i have no clue what type it is? its a small plant...
 
my guess is also that are dying from lack of dormancy this winter..
why didnt you let them go dormant?

scot
 
i didn't let them go dormant last year and they were fine.
 
  • #10
two things.
1) When light and temps increase, you need to up the amount of water the plants get. I will bet that is the issue seeing as two plants are having it.
2) VFTs must go to sleep or they will bomb out in the summer. Sometimes (like once every few years skipped) they do okay with it, but even one of the plants I got this fall (and so skiped dormancey) just bombed out on me, so it's getting a mini nap. If it where just flytraps I'd say it's the dormancey thing, but the sundew makes it sound a lot like spring die off (happens when you and your plant adjust to new growing conditions).

If this is the case, what you should find is that in a few weeks you get lots and lots of new growth. Your plant may be burnt or if it is true spring die off, it's taking energy out of old leaves so it can make some nice new ones. The last of my 4 flytraps fineshed its "spring shed" about a week ago.
 
  • #11
</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (jeffsz28 @ Mar. 20 2003,4:40)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">i didn't let them go dormant last year and they were fine.[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
so they went through *two* winters without dormancy?
yep..thats your problem..the plant is dying from lack of dormancy..
 
  • #12
well water isn't the problem cause i always make sure they have water- yeah i think you are right that it is just die off for the spring and they will look better soon. i have been using distilled water again and got rid of the rain water.

thanks- will let you know in a few more weeks
 
  • #13
Also watch out for too much water, they need to have periods of less saturation now and then to avoid root rot
 
  • #14
If the Vft survives until next winter, make sure it goes dormant. I dunno if it will even survive now.
 
  • #15
jeffsz28,

I do not think you are seeing "spring die off". I think what you are seeing is the result of a plant that has as scottychaos says, gone "through *two* winters without dormancy" then been allowed to flower.

Unless your plant is a seedling or has just been purchased from a green house it needs a dormancy. New plants are usually tissue culture plants which recieve a short dormancy treatment before they are sold. If the plant is healthy it will do fine, but I would not let it bloom any more until it has had a dormancy in order to conserve its strength. You may also notice a decline in its vigor this year.
 
  • #16
I think everyone has given you all the information you need. Keep us updated about your fly trap.
 
  • #17
ok i will let you guys know inacouple weeks/month- they are still drinking alot of water. so they must not be that unhealthy or unhappy.
 
  • #18
ok well the sundew still gives off new growth but it is on the way out- now the flytrap is still growing but still puts out some shots that turn black when they are still very small. should i just give up on these plants and get new ones???
 
  • #19
You say the plants seem to be putting out new growth that later turns black. This makes me suspicious that your growing conditions are what is causing it. Since the plants seem to be on the way out anyway, I suggest you try repotting them in new mix. Just to be extra safe, I would plant them in only milled sphagnum peat. When you take them out of the current soil, carefully wash the roots in clean water and look for signs of insects or disease at the base. Also, I would make sure that the plants are not getting cooked by direct sun. Sometimes as the position of the sun changes, locations that were safe last month become deadly.
 
Back
Top