Growing in cold office...

[kuno]

Hi everyone, I've been viewing this board for about two weeks and just got my Green Dragon from this site.

Now I face another problem-its in my office. I live in Wichita Kansas and it gets cold here around this time. It sites on a glass table about five feet away from the window, this is because it gets really cold near the window. And my office feels like its 40 degrees the next morning so I suspect its around that temperature during the night also. It gets mostly office light during the day and none at night.

What do I do to help it survive? (the boss says Im prolonging its suffering, which I guess is true in a way but its not my intention!) Do I put a clear cup around it to keep moisture in during nights?

Any help is appriciated!

Kuno

 

[unknownclown]

I think your main problem may end up being lighting they need quite a bit. I am not sure on the exact requirements but you'll find them posted all over this forum.
If its realy cold and you can't turn up the heat I guess you can just pretend its in dormacy. In those conditions it wont grow well so letting it sit in a tray of water may not be all that great for it also I wouldn't put a cup on it either because your plant could end up gettin fungus.
Since it is in an office is there anyway you could buy your little guy an office lamp and put a grow light in it?

 

[Guest]

Hey Kuno

You have a couple of options:

If you have a desk lamp or some small light fixture... you can put it over your plant. Make sure that you put a COOL WHITE lightbulb in. Other lighting produces heat that can damage your plant.
Keep the light 6-8 inches above the plant. Then you need to leave it on for 12-14 hours a day. Since it isn't natural lighting, the light has to stay on longer so the plant can still get its Photo period in. ( Plus the intensity isn't as great as the sun...we are trying to mimic it

)


Since your lighting isn't great and it is cold by the windows, The plant would be better off around more light and less cold. If it doens't get that it will go dormant. Not die, just sleep for the winter ( or what's left of it ). This wouldn't be a bad option if you cannot provide the light/temps the plant needs.

If you want to keep the plant around ( and not dormant - who wouldn't right? ) I would get it some more light. When you have a lamp on it...it will increase the temp around the plant as well.

OR

You can always take the plant home at night to let it be with you so it stays warm.

Humidity isn't a big factor with the VFT ( this though is up to debate and some will disagree ).

Putting a cup or something over it won't help that much. The two big issues that you have right now is Light and Temperature.

keep up informed about your plant!

 

[kuno]

Thanks for replying guys your suggestions are helpful.

After posting this thread I actually did bring my VFT home and finally gave it a bug for dinner =) My mom had never seen a venus flytrap before and she was just wowed by it!

I guess the only options I can choose now is to let it sit dormant or bring it home until summer because the cleaning crew comes in and turns off all lights.

 

[unknownclown]

Well if you want to work around the cleaning crew you could put the lights on a timer so it wont be on while they are there to turn it off....

 

[Guest]

That is a really great idea!!
UC

 

[unknownclown]

Thanks Jaie

I thought it up all by my self too.
Oh ond Kuno if you decide to use a timer you can usually pick one up anywhere that sells lighting for about &#365.

 

[Alvin Meister]

Well it doesn't matter about the lack of light at night - it'll need some hours of darkness. If you buy a light you can leave it on 9-5. I'm using a daylight blue bulb at the moment and everything seems ok.

 

[kuno]

Thanks for the advice guys. I think I'm going to go with the timer deal.

I have another question, how long does it usually take for it to fully digest an insect that is about as long as its trap? Because it looks like its got a death grip on the roach I gave it and wont let go! Also I figure just about any insect will do, are roaches ok? Or should I just stick to regular flies?

Theres also a small spot where some green stuff is growing, is that fungus ?

 

[Alvin Meister]

It can take 1 to 3 weeks for an insect as large as a trap to digest, slower in spring and quicker in summer I find.
I don't know if cockroaches (yuck - I have a thing about roaches) are that good a food because of the hard shell. If the trap turns black you'll know not to try it again. Soft insects are usually best.

I don't know about the fungus - what kind of green stuff is it and where is it?

 

[Guest]

The 'green stuff' should be moss.  Nothing to worry about.  Is it kind of bright green?  Most plants will develop some live moss around the plant.  

If you feel uncomfortable with it...you can gently pull it out.  It should come right out.  

 

[kuno]

Yup, its bright green. I kind of like how it looks and contrasts the red flytrap. If it does not harm the plant then its fine.

 

[Wado]

I tried having on of my traps in my office at work, but it went down hill quickly. I guess the traps like a more natural enviroment. It lost all it's traps and started just sprouting leaves with out traps. Growth rate also slowed. Brought it back home and it's on it way to a full recovery and it's first trap since loosing them all has only just opened.

 

[kuno]

Wado, the same thing seems to be happening to me as well.  There was only one damaged trap when I got it, but since its had about four more traps then went dead...

Forgot to mention that four new traps are starting to grow in different places =)

(Edited by kuno at 2:36 pm on Feb. 10, 2002)

 

[unknownclown]

OK somebody correct me if i am wrong, but when they don't produce traps its a lighting problem. I have the same thing going on with one of my large vfts it's got a new little baby plant growing from its side and the large leaves from the momma plant were covering it up so it wasn't getting any light and the baby plant doesnt have traps.

 

[Alvin Meister]

VFTs divide periodically and produce new little traps and yes the lack of traps could be because of lack of light. It could be just because it is early spring though, where new wide leaves and tiny traps are required.