I broke down...

[jhaluska]

I broke down and ordered some more venus flytraps to create my 'breeding' stock. I just couldn't resist any more.

I ordered:

- Blood Red Trap
- Fine Tooth x Red
- Low Giant
- Vigorous

I decided I wanted to get them before they started flowering in the spring as I hope to grow some interesting new hybrids. I'm not sure if this is the best time to order them, but the way I see it, they aren't losing out on the growing season. And I didn't think I could spend the next 4 months thinking about getting some.

 

[Vertigo]

Hehehe, I know exactly what you mean. I'm going through the same thing right now in fact, over some of the same ones.

I don't see why not though.

See what you're doing?

I was all set not to too.

 

[jhaluska]

We'll, I have an 'ideal' VFT in my head. A fast growing VFT, with big wide green leaves that aren't prostrate but aren't completely vertical. Deep red on the inside of the traps and long red spikes, with green on the outside of the traps. Oh yeah and huge traps.

So I'm buying plants that exhibit as many of those traits as possible. I'm going to try to carefully crossover them and try to figure out which traits are recessive and which are dominant.

This is going to take a while, so I thought I might as well start early. If I am growing them...why not try to grow towards my ideal? Oh well, it is cheaper than therapy.

 

[Vertigo]

Hehehe, I definately hear you.

I'm still trying to figure out how to grow a blue one.

Btw, have you checked out "Fang"? It seems to have some of those qualities you've listed.

 

[Alvin Meister]

The Fine Tooth x Red is a nice plant - fast growing, red traps and teeth that are more like extended triangles instead of the usual spines.

 

[jhaluska]

Yeah, most of these plants have all except one or two of the traits I'm looking for in my ideal VFT.  So I'm hoping to get my ideal plant in one generation.  Or at least a plant closer to my ideal.  After that I'll probably clone it instead of trying to breed a true line of them.

Oh well, I spend more than that on a single computer component, but for some reason I just have a hard time spending money on plants.

I know, I'll just consider it a birthday present for myself. Or better than that an investment!

 

[jhaluska]

Yes, I'd like to get a Fang.  The place I'm getting these from didn't have any listed.

I need to plan how to plant these.  Either I'm going with one long tray or a bunch of small pots.  They'll be on a windowsill, and I'm trying to minimize my water usage.

 

[jhaluska]

Plants arrived about 10 minutes ago!

Ok, everything except the blood red trap came unpotted. I have four 6" pots waiting for them. They are smaller than I expected, but I guess I just underestimated the 2-3 year size. I'm trying to decide whether to pot them individually or group two or three of them together in a pot.

Also, should I wait to repot the blood red till deeper dormancy comes along or leave it in its smaller pot?

I'll try to have photos up afterwards.

 

[jhaluska]

Ok, I put the 3 bare ones in one pot. It was a lot harder than it looks to pot the little guys.

I the fine tooth x red is SO tiny, I think it is only barely over 1 year. I hope they live.

 

[mat_man444]

Tell me if you get it, and please post some picks. Please.

 

[uglypho]

Dingley's has that description. I think the more humid it is the longer the teeth. This tip might come handy with your breeding jhaluska.

 

[jhaluska]

I have a Dingley's Giant. I'd like it to be more vertical, and wider leaves. I'm going to see if more light will help it out.

 

[jhaluska]

Well, they haven't died yet so I decided to take some pictures.

The vigorous is at the top, low giant is bottom right and the tiny red x fine tooth is bottom left.

Here is the blood red vft as it came in a pot.  I'm not happy with the soil medium.  I'm going to repot it when I get a chance.

And here is my old dingley from Tony.  The other plants weren't from Tony.

Please don't say they look like they need more light, I JUST bought a lighting system so they will be getting a couple more hours of light a day.

 

[Cerius]

You should clip the dingley...that trap is black..and fungus might appear...I clip the traps when they are all black and then clip off whatever the stem/leaf part has turned black...this way it has no chance of fungus..it is bad when you get fungus.
Do you have those inside under flourecent lights or by a window?

 

[jhaluska]

I clip the leaves when they are all black.  I'm not too concerned with fungus.

I just got a 48" flourescent light setup with two bulbs meant for plant growth.  I thought my bulbs popped the first time the timer went off! hehe

I hate potting plants, it sounds so easy but I keep thinking I've done it wrong.  I think the Dingley I potted a couple weeks ago made it, but I'm watching the other ones right now.  I bought the lights to give the plants the best possible chance.  I just hope they all make it.

 

[BigCarnivourKid]

So far the best way I have found to pot up VFT (or any plant) is to cover the roots with dirt (potting soil or whatever) water thoroughly to get the soil washed into any large air pockets around the roots, set in a spot with bright indirect light, and then forget about it for the most part except to water and check its condition every few days.