Good tip [prying open my traps[b said:Quote[/b] (dlybrand @ April 13 2005,1:46)]One thing you don't want to feed is lightning bugs! Mine (long since dead) caught one once and it was a nice parlor trick for the evening, the flashing trap caused by the insect in its death-throes, but the whole plant soon died. I think this was caused by the huge amounts of phosphorous it gave my plant.
-D. Lybrand
As soon as you can get your scissors in there to make the cut, go for it. It may try to send up a second stalk.. cut that one too. If you have a small pair of scissors you can get right into the middle of the rosette. Be careful not to accidently clip a new trap which may be forming near the flower stalk.[b said:Quote[/b] (RandallFlagg @ April 12 2005,7:45)]So, when is it best to chop off the flower stalk, and where do I make the cut?
I tried that last summer and initiated a topic about it. To my knowledge, no harm was done to the VFT's. Perhaps I was just fortunate?[b said:Quote[/b] (dlybrand @ April 12 2005,7:46)]One thing you don't want to feed is lightning bugs! Mine (long since dead) caught one once and it was a nice parlor trick for the evening, the flashing trap caused by the insect in its death-throes, but the whole plant soon died. I think this was caused by the huge amounts of phosphorous it gave my plant.
-D. Lybrand
Cool. Thanks.[b said:Quote[/b] (vft guy in SJ @ April 13 2005,5:18)]As soon as you can get your scissors in there to make the cut, go for it. It may try to send up a second stalk.. cut that one too. If you have a small pair of scissors you can get right into the middle of the rosette. Be careful not to accidently clip a new trap which may be forming near the flower stalk.[b said:Quote[/b] (RandallFlagg @ April 12 2005,7:45)]So, when is it best to chop off the flower stalk, and where do I make the cut?
[b said:Quote[/b] ]Tamlin, what the heck did that mean?
oh thats cruel!!![b said:Quote[/b] (FlytrapGurl @ April 29 2005,4:55)]Also be sure to slightly crush the moutparts with tweezers.