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So, my VFT doesn't seem to be starting dormancy on my sill...

  • #21
When should I fridge it? I'm going to have to fridge it overwinter as no part of my apartment gets cold enough, and being in Michigan, the porch gets too cold. I thought I had to wait for it to go all brown and die back before I fridged it, but that hasn't happened yet, and it seems like it should have started at least.
If you bought your VFT this year it's possible it may be resisting dormancy because it is a young plant not too long out of TC that has never gone dormant before and doesn't really need to go dormant this Winter. if this is the case it may still very well slump into a light dormancy anyways if it is grown in a windowsill without any artificial lighting supplementing it.

To make a VFT go dormant in places in the US where it gets too cold to leave them outside all year all you should need to do is place it about 2 inches from the glass of the window. The night chill on your window should make a nice little microclimate that gets cold enough to make it go into at least a light dormancy every Winter and that is all a VFT really needs. VFTs don't really need temperatures much below 50 F to go dormant, especially red forms. Refrigerator dormancies or garage dormancies are overkill. The VFTs can still photosynthesize all Winterlong in a windowsill but not in a refrigerator or garage.

There are VFT growers in CA who grow VFTs in greenhouses and their night time temperatures sometimes don't even drop below 50 F during the Winter. They often have daytime temperatures that soar into the 80s F in their greenhouses and yet their VFTs still go dormant every Winter just like they are supposed to.
 
  • #22
It's sending out new shoots now--I think I'll just try outdoor growing next spring. :)
 
  • #23
Get a larger bucket, put the plant in the pot in the bucket it and leave the plant overnight in the refrigerator. Take it out in the morning and place back on the sill until evening. Repeat until it goes ZZZzzzZZZZ. Once it is dormant keep it refrigerated in the bucket, but spray with Trichoderma to keep off bad fungus.
 
  • #24
Update, the VFT is still with us, although a little more black. It has been sending out new shoots still, just a little less often. I had it on the porch during the heatwave we had here, but then I found out we have to have our deck/porch re-done, so I brought all my plants in.

I plan on putting it, and all my other plants out again as soon as that's over with however!
 
  • #25
Hi,
This is what works for me indoors and outdoors. get a cheep Styrofoam camping/picnic cooler, around $5.00 put your plants in it potted etc. get a digital thermometer one that has a long wire on it for monitoring outdoor temps, put glass, clear plastic, bubble wrap works best for me over the top for light and watch it. if it gets to cold i put one cooler on the inside of another then you have 2 inches of insulation. Put the lid on as necessary.

Regards
 
  • #26
welp, turns out we aren't having our porch re-done. :(
It keeps dipping into the 30's and 40's overnight, and I've been debating putting it out again...
 
  • #27
Porch was re-done, and I've got all my cp's out on the porch now! The VFT is nice, green, and expanding.
I will absolutely put it through dormancy next year though.
 
  • #28
welp, turns out we aren't having our porch re-done. :(
It keeps dipping into the 30's and 40's overnight, and I've been debating putting it out again...

just for future reference, 30's and 40's overnight is WARM! ;)
the plant should be outside if its above 32 degrees F.
33 is fine, 35 is fine, 40 is super-fine, and 45 is downright warm.

Scot
 
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