PANICK ATTACK! PANNICK ATTACK!!!

[FlytrapGurl]

My first VFT's leaves, stems, traps, everything, have turned black ang soggy all at the same time and fell off except two. The two that are left have traps that were only just forming, and they suddenly just stopped growing and forming and are now in suspended animation. One of the stems is deformed, crooked sideways. There are no new stems or traps growing at all. The whole plant is in suspended animation for the time being(not to mention it is tiny).

WHAT'S WRONG?!! PLEASE HELP!!!

 

[Mike King]

Hi Flytrapgurl,
It sounds to me that it could be a number of reasons, how are you keeping it (what conditions?)

 

[FlytrapGurl]

I keep it in my sunroom. The room is gently air conditioned. On sunny days,(like today)I put it, along with my secong VFT, out in the sun for a couple hours. The temp in the sunroom is usually around 74*F.

 

[Mike King]

Hi FlytrapGurl,
I noticed from your profile that you live in Florida, if so, growing the plants indoors will be unsuitable in an airconditioned room.

If I were you, I would grow them outside especially if you live in Northern Florida where VFT has been successfully naturalised.

 

[FlytrapGurl]

The only reason I don't do that is because there is a rageous population of carpenter ants in this area. They've already started on my gardenias. The strange thing is, the VFT has done just fine living in the sunroom [until now]. I thought that it would do fine in the sunroom because the other VFT, which is right next to it, is as healthy as a horse.

 

[Parasuco]

you can put the plant on fitted pedestal, with grease on the base, so ants get get up. hehehe

 

[steveo]

Too much water, perhaps?

Or maybe nothing is wrong at all.

If the new leaves don't rot, I'd be patient. I thought mine had gone into stasis. I went away for six days and when I got back, plants that had seemed to have no growth (or dying-off) at all had changed completely. New, bigger leaves, small leaves that hadn't grown much, old leaves that had gone completely black. It was the constant watching that caused the "problem"--the plants were tough and didn't need the fussing.

A whole 8 weeks experience and I'm doling it out like a pro! Still, I could be right and it won't hurt to do nothing.

--
Steve

 

[Mike King]

Hi Flytrapgurl,
Parasuco has got a point, but you could modify the idea;stand your plants, (maybe it is time to replace the one thats dying with a new one) in a tray of water to act like a 'moat, and I am sure the plants will be OK. I have nexer heard of CP getting ill treatment from ants, but as I don't live in your country, I may be wrong!

 

[nepenthes gracilis]

FTG I was just in FL a while ago and bought a VFT down there. I had TONS of carpenter ants at my hotel and the VFT simply caught them all. I think you shouldn't be afriad at all of them hurting your VFT. i have them up here too and they do nothing except get caught. They don't hurt when they bite also IMO.

 

[FlytrapGurl]

Okay, okay. You guys have finally convinced me. I just went out and put both of the VFTs outside in front of the sunroom next to my noncarnivourus potted plants on top of a three foot tall brick edged planter. The great thing is, They are at the same level as the sunroom windows, so I can easily enjoy them from inside the sunroom!

 

[Pyro]

FlytrapGurl,

I think outside Titusville should be just fine for them during the growing season, not too sure about your winters though.

 

[FlytrapGurl]

Oh I'll definetly bring them in during winter. It never snows here but we often get pretty severe frosts, and the normal winter temp is usually 25*F at the lowest and 45*F at the highest.

 

[Travis]

Not to damper anything..but that is what happen to all my flytraps. Then they slowly died off. Now I will be ordering more.

 

[Mike King]

Hi Flytrapgurl & Pyro,
What do you mean by 'bringing the flytraps in for winter'! Venus Flytraps live in North and South Carolina and I am sure the best thing for your plants are to keep them outside all year round. They need a cold winter and they are hardier than you think!
In England, temperatures get down to around 12 degrees F withiout heating in the greenhouse, the pots all frozen solid and not one loss (400 plants here). VFT need a winter dormancy and near Tallahasee, you can find VFT which has been naturalised there for years so the best would be... Keep them outside all year if you live in Florida! I would...!!

 

[FlytrapGurl]

At 25*F? Ok, if you say so.

 

[Stefano1]

i keep mine outisde in south florida, but during the winter its still like 70 degrees here

hehe

 

[Dyflam]

I keep my VFT on my screened porch. It gets about 6 hours of morning sun and I don't have to tell you... it' really hot here (Melbourne, FL).

He hasn't been through a winter yet but is certainly happy now.

 

[magore]

I live outside Atlanta and the only winter care my VFT's get is after a hard freeze and thaw I replant the ones that were pushed out of the peat and the only mulch they get is from the tree leaves. Mine are growing great.

Marjorie

 

[Stefano1]

hey dyflam, i have mine in my screen porch too, they get about 8 hrs a day too

it faces the east and thats the way sun rises

its kewl

i am thinking of trying to grow a bical outside on the ficus tree branch, but today when my dad was trimmign them i hit the big tree with the rake and a lot of wasps came out, baby ones, and i really hate them thank god i havnt been stung yet for the 7 years weve been here

i am worried about the wasps makin a home somewhere on the bical, and i will of course take it in when it gets really rainy during hurricance season

 

[Pyro]

Mike, FlyGurl,

I was thinking more the need to bring it in to get the plant cool enough for the winter. I don't have a lot of experience with Titusville winters haveing ony been there a few weekends in Feb, March and May but the lowest temp I saw was 70 in Feb and that seemed a bit too warm for VFTs. If it really does get down to 25 there than I'd say leave 'em out year round.