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ANY AND ALL ADVICE APRESHIATED! (this has been spell checked)

...I SUCK... All my plants look like they are on the brink of death and I don't know what to do. Please move to location of specialty for areas you may be able to help in. Thanks. (or just enjoy the general feeling of doom in the entire post)

Species (nick name)

Neps.:
Ventricosa (Little Gulp): Got light starved while I tried to save it from dehydration when I ran out of distilled water and my car was in the shop. Lost all but 1/2 a trap... the same 1/2 a trap that's been there FOREVER (I cut the brown part off a long time ago)
(GOOD NEWS: It's recovering, made a new shoot and has lot of swelling baby traps all over it and a juvenile trap on the new stem has just opened. It still looks abused for lack of traps, but it's actually growing better then ever... it also has a fungi in the soil which I am 98% positive is benificial and is why it is growing so well)

Sanguinea (No name): I forgot I had a little clear drainage dish on the bottom so I put it in another dish. I kept watering it and it kept getting more dehydrated, I couldn't figure out what was wrong for the longest time, but I did in time to save the plant. The only problem is, now that it is hydrated, it doesn't show much in the way of new growth... okay no new growth. My Ventricosa lives next to it and has grown 4 new leaves on the main stem and a full inch on the baby stem since then even while this plant has done nothing. Granted I don't see the fungi in its pot, but I'm worried about it. The tendrils haven't even extended on the existing leaves
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VFTS:
VFT(Green): Ahhhh, stupid plant! Why for thy swell up and pinch off thy own growth point wile shedding away thy roots? Basically it is “dead” or a little swollen ball about the size of a marble. That would be its rhizome and all that’s left of the plant. Anyone have ANY IDEA WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED OR HOW I CAN SAVE IT?! Sorry, I can’t stand the thought of loosing a flytrap. Let’s take a vote, to I leave it as a rhizome in my fridge and hope is doesn’t die. Wait till spring and replant it, or should I cut it up and replant it now and hope for clones or should I wait till spring and hope it doesn’t die while I wait and then cut it up and plant it?

VFT (Snapper): Okay, Snapper seems to be normal for it. So I guess there is no worry their. As most of you know, Snapper is my oldest VFT and the only one who has weathered many years with me. Everyone else I got last October and November.

VFT (Big Red): Ewwww. Twisted trapless leaves? I have no clue why, but it’s not going dormant nicely for me. Oh well, into the cellar it goes, cross your fingers.

VFT Aki Ryu (Little Red): 3 long light green spindly leaves… Not exactly what I would call a good sign. Anyone have a clue? It’s going into the cellar for harder dormancy Saturday, but I worry about it.

Pings:
Mexican Butterwort (Grim): I thought it was dormant for the last few months, but now I think I was wrong and I don’t know what to do!!! When I got it, it started aborting its flowers and then stopped making the nice thick big sticky leaves and started making tiny thin non-sticky leaves. Now I find out that the leaves are supposed too is thinker and smaller at dormancy and the whole thing look like an artichoke while it flowers… MINE NOT LIKE THAT AT ALL! Now I fear my plant is stressed and needs more time growing, but that would mean it would be late getting a dormancy and … and I have no clue what I’m doing! Help! Anyone!

Sundew:
All my sundew from last fall got sunburned and died, lesson learned… Good news is I have an unexpected birth of 4 rotundifolia from Whales in my Sphagnum/nursery chamber… They are out competing my sphagnum but that’s just fine with me
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Sarr:
Too many to keep track of: I have no idea what I’m doing, but they seem okay. All except one which I think my Dad killed by not watering, but aside from that. I am however going to put them into dormancy in the cellar on Saturday… Oh yah and my northern purp seedling is doing fine. A little brown around the edges but I think it is just going dormant (my nursery is gently temperate). One concern is the tiny base it sits on. I’m always afraid the whole top is going to snap/twist off. Is this normal/how long until it has a less vulnerable crown?

Okay, so maybe it’s not the end of the world, but I have a big pile of ugly sad looking plants and I’d rather not. Thanks for your help guys ;)
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] ]Sanguinea (No name):
Check the roots for rot. Since you had it too waterlogged for a while, it's very possible that the roots rotted away. Since it's still green, just not growing, it may just be focusing on regrowing lost roots. Also, such mistreatment (wagging finger at you) can easily result in a period of shock. Could just need some time.

Can't help you much with the ping, because I'm still trying to figure out how not to kill them, and I can't really offer you much on the VFT's. I had one do something like that, and I put it in dormancy. It didn't recover until around July of this year (just sat there ALL sping long).
Good luck!
 
Thanks, but the nep was dried out, not water logged. I guess your still correct in guessing about the root thing though, I had not thought of that. Which VFT thing are your refering to? The one that is now a pebble or the ones with mutant twisted leaves?
 
Oooops...Sorry, got a little turned around there, I guess.

I was referring to the VFT that was getting the spindly leaves. I don't know what to tell you on the other one....maybe it's just gone dormant on it's own??
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For neps, as long as you keep growing leaves your plant will be okay. I've had plants in little to no water for extended periods of time and the pitchers won't grow or are dried. The leaves were fine, and when I gave the plant ideal conditions again slowly regained its pitchers.
 
I feel like I should point something out, but I'll refrain
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Good growing means maximizing the plants internal homeostasis: it's like a bank account, and everything you do wrong draws on that account, and everything you do right adds to it. Sometimes this means taking it in the wallet though ;-)

Here are the major considerations:

1) First and foremost is light. These plants live not off of prey, but via photosynthesis, and they are most of them as light demanding as cacti. Sure, they will live and grow with less light, but they will not have much of a "bank account" to draw from if things get tough going for them. If you can't afford or are unwilling to invest in some reasonable lighting (2 twin tube 4 foot long shop lights with 1 cool white/1 balanced spectrum) you will be limited in both the number and type of CP you grow. Layers of glass and plastic cut the UV index considerably and should be avoided whenever possible (see humidity). You should not have the lights much above 5 inches from the plants in most cases. Raising the lights higher will allow more room for more pots, but they will also be weaker, and more prone to many ailments.

2) The second most important factor is a mineral free, clean medium and also the purity of water you give your plants. This includes a protocol that will reduce the presence of cyanobacteria, and reduce the instances of anaerobic processes. Keeping the mix "clean" may involve restricting additives like perlite and vermiculite as aeration agents in favor of LFS for some species. Also included here is changing the tray water if it becomes stagnant and algae involved: the algae is living off of nutrients in that water.

3) Aeration to the roots is desirable in many species. Oxyen discourages anaerobic processes that favor the proliferation of bacteria and mold. Also included in aeration is maintaining air circulation while at the same time adding humidity if this is needed. Allowing the plants to dry off a bit by letting the tray go dry for a day is good housekeeping and gets air to the inside of the pot.

4) Humidity. Since terraria interfere with good light and good air circulation, their use should be limited. The plants will do better if you provide a supplementary addition of humidity via a humidifier rather than enclosing the plants inside a terrarium.

5) Cures:

A)In light: move the plants outside after slow acclimation, or closer to the light source. Keep the plants as close to the light source as possible. Improve your spectrum by removing intervening layers of plastic and glass. Provide good balanced spectrum light and plenty of it.

B) In substrate purity: Rinse your peat, sand and perlite. Be sure pots are clean and non porous. Use only distilled, RO or rain water. Change the water in the trays if there is algae. Top water frequently to dissolve out accumulated salts from capillary action that accumulate at the surface. Repot immediately when problems arise as evidenced by the growth of algae, carpet moss or mold. Adding companion species to the pot can sometimes help in removing nutrients from the mix as well.

c) In Aeration: put the plants in good open conditions vs shut up in a tank. Consider the use of a fan. Allow the trays to dry for a day or so before refilling the tray. A good mix should always be freely draining and not compacted.

D) In Humidity: use a humdifier. If ultrasonic, be sure to use only pure water. If you must use a terrarium, keep it open a little.

The very best way to provide maximum growing conditions is to research the conditions in habitat of the plants you want to grow, and provide as many of these considerations as possible. Primary in this are details of substrate wetness/composition, seasonal requirements to growth and dormancy, and night time drops in temperature.

Pay attention to what your plants are telling you, but try not to disturb them overly much with unwanted attention. Don't move them around if they are growing well. Proceed in small stages of increments whenever you change a set of variables and stay alert to the consequences. Change only one variable at a time whenever possible to keep tabs on what is and is not working.

Do not overfeed plants cultivated indoors. In many cases, the advice would be not to feed them at all vs. feeding them too often. Never feed an ailing plant, or try to get it to regain health by overwatering. Too wet conditions when the plant is not in vigorous growth can do more harm than good. If the plant is growing the roots are likewise growing and vs. vs.

Whenever possible raise the plants from seeds, and grow them outdoors. This will go a long way into having them used to your particular conditions.

Hope this helps some.
 
WOW!!!!!! Even care sheets online wont cover these helpfull tips!!!!!!!! I'll definetly try your tips to see if my plants grow better too. Because some of my plants aren't in the best of shape right now...
 
Thanks for the info Tamlin, but I've already looked into those culprits. Oviously the two flytraps that are scraggly looking just didn't go dorment like they should have in the lower light/cooler temps I gave them so they are getting slung into a colder dormancey area tonight, I just don't know why they didn't go dorment properly when the third did. Oviously water was the issue with my neps, lol. They actually have taken leaps and bounds overnight o_O. The ones that are really getting me lost though are the VFT that refused to respond to anything and was all swollen and bizar and then also the Ping because I don't know how to tell normal from not normal and healthy from sick
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I am going with upping it's light levels for now and we will see how that goes. Thanks for your help though
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A good reminder of what I should watch for.
 
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