so what would you suggest i do? are you trying to say that it would be best that the vft`s and sarracenia
not be in the terrarium and have them maybe on my balcony? (the problem this summer was that we had no sun, it was raining 80% of the time in july) is temperature really that significant? is it not just based on the rising and setting of the sun? i`m just worried that these plants are still too young to go through a dormancy. i don`t know their age, therefore, if they are 1st years, it has been said that skipping the first dormancy is a possiblity. 2nd years are due for a dormancy... what are your opinions? while we are on the same topic, so you think i can leave the darlingtonia, pings, nepenthese heliamphora and drosera all in the same terrarium and they would do fine? i have yet to find out what plant are tropical, sub tropical and temperate. i am adding 2 fans, 1 to draw air in and the other to draw air out. mold and fungus problem solved. (24 volt ``nintendo type`` transformer with two 12 volt computer fans in series)
I hope i didn`t offend you earlier Scot, it might have read different than what i had thought.
Thanks all,
Steven
Hey Steven,
its cool! I wasnt offended..
o what would you suggest i do? are you trying to say that it would be best that the vft`s and sarracenia not be in the terrarium and have them maybe on my balcony?
yes, personally I would suggest that.
the balcony will be a billion times better than the terrarium.
(the problem this summer was that we had no sun, it was raining 80% of the time in july) is temperature really that significant? is it not just based on the rising and setting of the sun?
raining 80% of the time isnt an issue..
its still better for them to be outside, even in the rain..and the 20% of sun is still better than 100% in the terrarium.
Temperature is significant..you need both reduced photoperiod and reduced temperature for a proper dormancy..if you have reduced photoperiod, but its still 70 degrees all winter (like in a terrarium) the plants wont go properly dormant.
I have an analogy about an indoor maple tree bonsai..if you want to hear it..
I have said it so many times I wont repeat it again!
yes, some people in warm climates have had success with dormancy, like in southern california and florida..but the key even in those climates is the plants are STILL outdoors..they still get a reduced photoperiod, and they still get a winter that is cooler than summer..even if its a warm winter climate, there is still a change of the seasons, even if its a mild change..still better than indoors in a terrarium.
i`m just worried that these plants are still too young to go through a dormancy. i don`t know their age, therefore, if they are 1st years, it has been said that skipping the first dormancy is a possiblity. 2nd years are due for a dormancy... what are your opinions?
it has been noted that 1st year seedlings CAN skip a dormancy..that doesnt mean they
should or thats its a
good idea to skip it!
there is no such thing as "too young for dormancy".. ideally
all VFTs and Sarrs should get a winter dormancy every year..even their first winter..because thats what they get in the wild..thats what they are adapted to.
while we are on the same topic, so you think i can leave the darlingtonia, pings, nepenthese heliamphora and drosera all in the same terrarium and they would do fine?
No, they should not all be in the terrarium, and they will not all do fine there.
Darlingtonia = needs a winter dormancy, same as VFT and Sarracenia.
no good in the terrarium.
Pings = might need a dormancy, might not, depends on the specific species.
Nepenthes= do NOT need a winter dormancy..Neps are true "tropicals"..
Heliamphora = iffy..most people say they *dont* need a dormancy..perhaps they dont need a winter dormancy quite as pronounced as VFTs and Sarracenia, they do "slow down" however and would probably appreciate a mild winter season. IMO they should be allowed a cooler and drier winter, so a constant warm/humid/bright environment inside a terrarium isnt ideal. (many consider heliamphora the most difficult CP to grow..)
Drosera = might need a dormancy, might not, depends on the specific species.
the only plants that can do OK in the terrarium is the nepenthes and maybe heliamphora,
and the pings and drosera depending on the species..
pings and drosera have such a huge global range, that some are temperate and some are tropical, and have very different dormancy requirements...you need to know the species for proper care.
Darlingtonia, Dionea, Sarracenia =
definately better off not in the terrarium.
all are temperate plants, and need a winter dormancy.
I think people get the idea that because CPs are all "carnivorous", and carnivory is such a rare trait in plants, that all CPs must also be similar in all other ways, and all will do fine together in the same climate..
its not even remotely true.
CPs, as a group, have requirements as different as cactus and palm trees.
there is a HUGE range of different cultivation requirements..most of which are vital for survival.
dormancy (or lack of dormancy) is one of those requirements..just like different water, light, soil, etc requirements.
Scot