It's dying guys, help!

[gecko3]

Guys, I had a flytrap for a little over a year in it's original pot and it was doing great. It's roots started to grow out of the bottom of the pot, so I transplanted it into a vase. It's a huge vase, so I filled it about half way up with the soil mixture. I have 8 inches of soil up the vase with 8 inches of air above the soil (from the soil to the opening on top, so the vase is 16 inches high). It's 9 inches across where the flytrap is potted and at the bottom it's 5 1/2 inches across. It has a 7 inch wide opening on top, and I have a plexiglass piece over some of it to keep the humidity in. I water it often, enough to keep the soil moist, but the leaves are starting to turn black. I haven't watered it in a few days, but I kept feeling the soil and it was moist, so I thought it would be fine. There are only a couple leaves left, I'm worried they'll go too.

What should I do guys?! Thank you
-Paul

 

[TrapsRus]

First, only use Canadian spaghum peat moss to reaplnt it in. Second, VFT's dont need to much humidity. Third it could be because of major shock which might cause shedding of leaves, because its so use to being in a tiny pot its whole life. Or.... well lets just say, you didnt clean the vase thorough before putting him in.

 

[gecko3]

hmmm, I used sphagnam moss from wisconsin, and I didn't clean it thoroughly before-hand. But I did use it as a cover for a while, I suppose that's not at all the same as planting it in there. Crap, does that mean I just killed my plant then?? I feel really bad, I took such good care of it. I'll try taking the plexiglass partially off. About the shock, it lost all of it's old traps after I repotted and grew a bunch of new ones, I figured that was shock. But then the new ones started to turn brown. What do you think I should do? I sure hope it'll be ok. Thanks alot for your help.
-gecko3

 

[TrapsRus]

Well, from what i know from the past (I use to love VFT's and pitchers and all this) you have praobly killed it.

 

[schloaty]

I was able to pull some plants (including my VFT) out of shock with some superthrive treatment....Maybe that will work if it's not too far gone....

 

[gecko3]

#### it, what did I do? the wisconsin peat moss? I mixed it with sand and pearlite. Or not cleaning the vase? How do you clean it? What is superthrive? Can I get it at any gardening store? It's too bad this happened. It seemed so hearty and now seems so fragile. jeez, I don't know what to do. Thanks for your help guys
-Paul

 

[WayCool]

Hi gecko3,

Welcome to the forum.

Does your VFT have any green leaves left? If yes...don't give up hope. VFT are very hardy and can come back from near death in most cases.

First, your vase has no drainage. With 8 inches of soil, it is hard to judge if your soil is waterlogged...not good for your VFT. Try repotting into a pot with a drain and place on tray with 1/2 inch water standing.

Second, there is 8 inches from the soil to the top of the vase...right? Is the VFT able to get any sun so deep in the vase? Again, as above...repot in to something not as big as the vase (w/ a drainage).

During this "shock" stage, it maybe a good idea to leave the cover on to prevent drying. I have found on many occasions, that sometime too much attention is not always good.

As above, if your VFT is growing indoors, repot and cover and place in area with good sunlight (but not HOT&#33

and forget about it for a week, only checking on the water level in the tray every 2-3 days.

Keep us updated on your patient

 

[gecko3]

Hey Waycool, thanks for the welcome.

Yes, it still has 4 green leaves, but the rest are turning brown.

The vase is a clear glass vase, so I can see the bottom, and there isn't any water built up down there. I stuck my finger down in the soil pretty far between the flytrap and the side of the vase and the soil wasn't really wet, but nice and moist, so I'm pretty sure it's not waterlogged. I'm hesitant to re-pot now because it's in shock, I would think that would be too much for it. Do you think I could just check the soil every few days with my finger?

It is 8 inches from the top, but it's the clear glass vase so it's getting a lot of sunlight through it. I hadn't mentioned it was a clear vase, I guess that's kind of a big thing, if it wasn't, I can see where that'd be real bad.

Ok, I'll leave the plexiglass on. You said not a hot place, that made me think it might be a little too hot in the mornings and afternoons. I have it sitting by a window on the counter and it gets lots of sunlight every morning and afternoon. It's on the south window of the house, and I live in North Dakota, so that gets a lot of sun. Maybe it's too hot for it? I could try moving it back from the window a little bit, or what would you suggest? Thanks a lot.
-Paul

 

[TrapsRus]

Do not report it back, worst thing you can do. Water it a few inches every 2 days. Keep it in the flow of sun, not outside. Oh and I suggest pulling up one of the VFT's and replant it in some more soil, to make a whole nother plant.

 

[TrapsRus]

dont worry!

 

[gecko3]

hehe, ok, Should I slide it away from the window a little so it's not as hot and humid in there? It gets pretty hot. It would still be in sunlight but not as much direct light. Thanks to all of you for your fast and great help!
-Paul

 

[BigCarnivourKid]

gecko3,
Heat might be the problem. The clear glass vase would act like a terrarium and the plexiglass cover would trap the heat in it. Combine that with transplanting shock and you have one stressed VFT. Pulling it back to where it only gets a little direct sunlight (morning sun is best IMO) and lots of indirect sunlight for a while untill it recovers will help. Also, VFTs don't need a lot of humidity. Anything above 50% humidity will keep them happy, so you may not need a cover over your vase at all.
Like waycool said they are pretty tough plants. As long as you have growth in the crown part, there's a good chance your plant will recover.

 

[TrapsRus]

I guess.

 

[RamPuppy]

gecko3,

you said your moss was used as a covering before you used it here, did you ever fertilize the pot that it was used on? of so, you DO need to re-plant it, bot only if the soil has been exposed to fertilizers.

unlike Westraps totaly uncalled for leap to the conclusion that you killed it (Spank spank) I think you have a chance to recover.

From what I have read, your flytrap was simply getting to hot, you see, you had the vase covered with plexi-glass, making it a closed system, sunlight goes in, converts to heat, and slowly dissipates through the glass, so slowly though, that there is a buildup inside the vase.

Flytraps don't like root temps over 90 degrees, and giving them lots of sun in a closed system is a surefire way to send them into shock.

if the flytrap was not under plexi-glass before, take it off, or at least crack it widely, if it was, then just crack it. you say it is what, 4 inches from the top of the vase? This should keep the local humidity high any how...

good luck...

 

[TrapsRus]

Wow, replanting it again id think would be worse for it, because of the horrible shock.
Also, Ive been testing (I know youll think im dum) but for the past 2 days ive been watering my dentae a half inch of tap water, and its making him look really green like a deep rich green, a healthy green! Weird?

 

[BigCarnivourKid]

It's the minerals in the tap water. Most tap water has a lot of minerals in it. More than what most CPs are used to. Eventually it will damage the roots and kill the VFT. It's like spilling fertilizer on the grass when you fill the spreader. It burns the grass killing it. Too much of a good thing.

 

[gecko3]

Ok, I'll move it a little ways from the window. The plexiglass does leave room on each side, so it's not sealed at all. Hopefully the heat was causing it.

I didn't mean that I used the soil before, I meant I used the vase to cover the flytrap, I would turn the vase upside down and set it over the flytrap. The soil is new, so it should be good. Thanks
-Paul