Is it ok to grow a VFT with other plants?

[abcat1993]

I don't understand why everybody hates the idea of growing a VFT in a terrarium. I grow mine with a sarr, 2 sundews, 3 nepenthes, and one potato. And yes, the potato is thriving in a roughly 50:50 perlite/peat mix and is growing practically half an inch a day.

 

[Clint]

Because they tend to do better outside. The sun is better than any light you can put over a terrarium and Dionaea are sun worshipers. And terraria tend to have less than ideal air movement. Unless you have a pink fan blowing across the water like me

 

[vft guy in SJ]

Its not that anyone necessarily "hates" the idea. There are quite a few people who grow exquisite plants indoors. Its just far easier to grow them outside.

Often, as the case here, the person wishing to start a VFT in a terrarium is a relative newcommer to the hobby who does not have the right equipment and/or experience to grow indoors with a reasonable ammount of success. In cases like this it is usually best that we advise learning how to grow a VFT outdoors first. After you learn what to expect from your plants you can begin to experiment with other growing environments.

Abcat: Do you have pictures of your setup that you can share? It is always nice to see well grown VFTs, indoors or out.

Steve

 

[ziggy]

I don't understand why everybody hates the idea of growing a VFT in a terrarium. I grow mine with a sarr, 2 sundews, 3 nepenthes, and one potato. And yes, the potato is thriving in a roughly 50:50 perlite/peat mix and is growing practically half an inch a day.

How much light do you have?

• What kind of light?
• How long do you keep it on for?
• etc.

 

[abcat1993]

Actually, my VFT isn't doing amazing or anything because I foolishly bought the one that was flowering. But I'll take some pics soon. And I grow mine indoors because I like looking at them better in terrariums for some reason.

 

[Bugweed]

Seeds are NOT foolish. All you have to know is how to fertilize the flower with its own pollen.

 

[abcat1993]

They are if you just started. But I get the feeling my plant isn't dead... Doing pretty good actually.

 

[abcat1993]

My one and only VFT: (I think I have two plants)

And it's biggest leaf that just grew: (PS: I've had this for just over a month now I think)

Sarr on March 2nd:

Sarr today:

 

[abcat1993]

By the way I grow these all together in the same terrarium with near 100% humidity
My N. Ventricosa "Red":

My Potatoe that is doing better than I wanted (Taking over the terrarium, so I cut parts of it off after the photo):

And I forgot the flower that kind of died on the VFT:

EDIT: I guess you can't see the brown tips of some of them, but it's been like that for about as long as I've had it

 

[Clint]

You need more light to do what you are trying to do. Dionaea and Sarracenia aren't good terrarium plants unless you're hell bent on growing them inside and have cash to burn. It wouldn't hurt to put that Drosera outside, too by the looks of it. No offense or anything intended. If you don't want to put the Dionaea outside (which I HIGHLY recommend), move it as close to the lights as you can. Only decumbent Sarracenia can be raised close to fluorescents which is why erect species (and EVEN decumbent) are REALLY suited for outside culture unless you want to go HID .

Oh and having such high humidity in those conditions can help fungi get a foothold.

 

[Not a Number]

That Sarracenia looks like the unknown Gubler special I bought at Lowe's back on New Year's eve. See this thread. I kept them on a window sill a little over a month where the two big leaves you see in post #12 of the thread developed. The first photo in #12 was taken maybe 1.5-2 weeks after I moved it outdoors, the second photo 1 week later. Don't discount windowsill growing either.

 

[abcat1993]

Yeah, I think I have two plants too. And I bought them at Lowes also.
And JLAP, I don't have much of a choice right now but I think the terrarium is working for my Nepenthes (the one I ordered anyway). And those drosera are doing TERRIBLE. There are maybe one or two "dew ball thingys" on them and none of them are red at all, but then again it is putting out a good amount of new leaves.

 

[Clint]

Yes, the nepenthes looks like it's healthy. And that's a very nice potato

 

[abcat1993]

Thanks, I don't really want the potato though. Want it?