VFT in Kansas die

[kccpguy]

The rest of my plants (Tropical pitchers , butterworts , sundews in terrarium) and outside American sudews and non -tropical sundews ar edoing well here in Kansas.
However the VFT just go black after awhile whither and die.
Could these be the difficulties?
(1) I pretty much top down water all my plants but I don't think the VFT like it.
(2) Maybe its the rainwater I use which does not affect the other plants
(3) maybe roots are reached by the water in the bottom of the water holders
(4) I use spaghnam and perlite with some pebbles in the bottom. Do I need sand or something else?

Any help appreciated.

Dr.Eric Flescher
dreric1kansas@aol.com
Olathe, KS

 

[Clint]

Assuming your conditions are right, I'd say my first guess is that the pebbles on top are alkaline and are raising the PH of the soil, and thus killing the plant.

 

[nepenthes_ak]

JLAP is preaty much awnserd what the problem might have been.

 

[PlantAKiss]

Could you tell us more about the VFTs growing conditions? Light, water, temperature, soil, pot or terrarium, air circulation, etc?

I would assume you are using pure water, NO fertilizer and no potting soil.

Top watering is fine. They get rained on all the time in the wild.

 

[vraev]

yeah..

I am a new VFT grower as well.

The difference might also come in the brand of peat used. Initially I got schultz which had added fertilizer in their peat. I had the VFT's in there for around 6 - 10 hrs. However, next day I immediately bought a bale (the smallest bale possible) and used that one. Luckily the VFT's survived....maybe also becos ..in the initial potting..they were still wrapped in the sphagnum. However, later I removed the wrapping and potted them...now they are doing fine.

Make sure about the peat, the water, the light and you should be fine.

 

[kccpguy]

I had it outside in the bright sun with my pitchers and sundews which are doing fine. I use rainwater and have a little bowl on the bottom to keep some water in. The peat and perlite I got from lowe's and used the same stuff for the other plants which do fine. Possibly the VFT still need distilled water.The pebbles are in the bottom of the pot not top. Depending on the advice else that can be dug up, I will try next spring and get some new VFT. No use getting them for hibernation unless I find some cheap ones. Thanks for the info and your feedback so far.
Dr.Eric Flescher
Olathe, KS

 

[xvart]

If you plants did survive what were your plans for dormancy? I live in KC, MO and have often wondered what my plans would be if I could grow plants outdoors (which I can't at this time). It is supposed to get to the 30s tonight here and this time last week it was 90s! Kansas weather drives me nuts!

xvart.

 

[joossa]

You say the pebbles are on the bottom of the pot...

When you place the pot on a dish with water, the pebbles may release slats or even ionize (because the water from the dish come in cantact with the pebbles). The water (containing the bad "stuff") then can travel up the moss and reach the roots, which will then affect your VFT's. Or if the water level of the water dish is high, the water with the bad "stuff" may already be in cantact with the roots.

About your "pebbles"...
What kind of pebbles are these? Are they just some random ones you found in your yard? Or... are they perlite
I use perlite (which is safe to use with VFT's) to increase the drainage of my pots/terrariums. If your "pebbles" are perlite that you purchased from a store, then the problem is not the pebbles.

Also, post more details...
Are you using plastic pots, or ceramic pots?? Are they glazed?