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!

Heelp with my baby red dragon

oh nooooooooo!!!!! my other flytraps are doing well outside, shaded in the hottest part of the day here in north texas.

anyway.... i have a red dragon that was mutilated a couple months ago by my friend's baby. well, it seemed to recover somewhat. i've been leaving this plant outside with all the others and now it looks dead... i think i should bring it inside but not sure how to care for em inside, especially since i've had it outside for a few months already. *sigh*, think there's any hope of recovery? this is a young plant sent to me by a wonderful cp-growing gentleman in california.

*sniffle*... i think my baby is dead... the only red dragon i've got... help?
 
Well, sorry to hear that. To make sure your plant is really dead, check its rhizome. If it has signs of life, give it some time. Give it water and lots of filtered light. Good luck. I had a VFT that seemed dead, I gave it water and lots of flourescent light, and its growing now, and its growing strong! It was "dead"/seemed dead in May, now it has 8 new traps and counting!
smile.gif
 
T. - remember my VFT that was mutilated by critters? I saw no new growth or any change in its appearance for like 3-4 weeks. I just moved it to a safer place, still outside and - waited. I say wait it out, right where it is.
 
that's what mine did, jim until i left it outside for a month.... it showed no change after it was mutilated by evil baby, but now it looks worse... definitely a change- for the worst...
 
My tendency is to say - give it still more time, but that is as far as my experience has gotten me.
smile_h_32.gif
 
personally, i think i would give it lots of indirect light, and keep the humidity kinda high. do you have a flouresent light for it if you brought it inside? even if it's just a cool white screw in bulb (one of those spiral looking ones), i would probably move it inside, raise the humidity, and light it artifically. doing this will require you to harden it off when you want to put it back outside.
i would also skip dormancy this winter, so you can have lots of time to let it recover, and to pump up it's energy reserves for when you do give it a dormant period.

good luck!
tech...
 
I really don't know why your worried about the Texas heat. I live just north of Galveston Island and most my plants are in direct sun from about 10:30 to about 8:00 in the evening. Their doing great, in fact one of my flytraps has some of the largest traps I've EVER SEEN. About 2 1/2"! I'll try to get some pictures when things dry up. I even have a Nep. x Miranda hanging from the lowest branch of my pecan tree and it's pitchering like mad. Maybe since it was damaged you may want to put it inside for awhile. I'd say for just one plant get a desklamp and fit it with a compact florescent, and maybe cover it with a ziplock baggie at night. I'd give it 16 hr. light minimum (Timers are great for this) It will probably come back.
 
ive heard that skipping dormacy is fatel and your vft will most cernatly die it recovers more when its asleep like humans recover when they sleep so dont miss dormacy i personaly would give it lots of water lots of sun and hope for the best
smile.gif
hope it pulls through
 
I just saw that comment about dormancy. Personally I agree with TREE T. It's only June, more than enough time for it to recover if it's going to. I'd let it go dormant when fall get here. I'm pretty sure you'll have more success if you do.
 
  • #10
Well if it`s a sick\cutting\seedling plant then you can skip dormancy.
 
  • #11
thx for all your insight, guys. i really appreciate all the feedback. well, i think the heat got to this plant cause is looked a little...um.... crispy? it's a tiny plant; not even 1/4 the size of my others, plus it has been traumatized several times. The worst occasion was being mutilated by a baby, and i've also moved twice already this year plus when BobZ mailed it to me... *sob*...

how long should i keep it under my cruddy bulb for inside? it doesn't get all that bright, but it's all i've got.
 
Back
Top