VFT's flooded!

[jht-union]

TF,

I just wanted to share a pic of my VFT's covered completely with water. This happens out in nature so I figure I should do the same taking into account they are growing in a big container having closet 2ft of soil below. The chances of my plants rotting are very unlikely.

I also met with Wahter(another member), and he gave me Sarracenia wrigleyana in exchange for other plants I had.

I also flooded the darlingtonias (they grow pretty slow) but are growing well, and I am giving them occasional floodings and flushing the water instantly ( just like in their ecosystem).

The pic of the ceph, I used my index finger for comparison of how big the pitcher is. This plant is growing really well and I am not even watering, the way I water this plant is very uniquely. I use a droplet and 1 time per week I am simply dropping 8 to 10 drops of water in the crown ( that's it! ) I am also using a fertilizer(from lowe's) and I am filling the pitchers up every two weeks. I am using 5ml of fertilizer per half a gallon (it is a very weak fertilizer solution but it works great for cephs, neps, heli, sarras. They are for sure growing bigger with the fertilizer on the pitchers.

The last pic is of an ant that obviously got trapped!


I received the VFT's from Matt about a year ago (Thanks Matt!) and they are growing fantastic in my conditions, I can't wait for summer when all the traps will be covering the entire container, then it will be a death zone for insects!

For comparison unflooded:

flooded:

Large VFT's:

Ceph:

Sarra from Wahter:

Pollinating S. wrigleyana X S.x catesbaei

Ant in dutch delight:

Same ant in VFT Scarlet Maroon Iris:

 

[Crofthulhu]

I do the same thing every once in a while! I didn't know this actually happened in the wild, just noticed that my vft benefitted GREATLY after doing it, so I continued to flood 'em.

 

[jht-union]

I do the same thing every once in a while! I didn't know this actually happened in the wild, just noticed that my vft benefitted GREATLY after doing it, so I continued to flood 'em.

My plants seem to like it a lot, I do the same with the sarracenias and they enjoy it as well. Eventually the water evaporates in 2-3 days and I believe the same happens in their ecosystem.

If you saw my pics of croatan national forest I took of the Sarras and droseras in the wild, you will see that for the most part they live very close to the source of water. some were also growing in drier conditions but in overall it was really wet during that time( about a month ago).

 

[TheFury]

First of all....

Second of all... this is why I'm jealous of folks who have outdoor space to work with. Silly city apartment life.

Third of all... Joseph Clemens seems to make a habit of flooding his VFTs pretty regularly too, based on threads of his I've read... and the results speak for themselves!

Very cool pics. Thanks for sharing!

 

[mmlr38]

Very cool JHT! And very nice plants You're very welcome for them. I'm glad to see them so well taken care of!

 

[Millipede]

where'd you get that sand?

 

[mato]

Very cool, JHT!

 

[corky]

very interesting,as i run outside to flood my plants

 

[green1]

I wonder if they catch anything under water when flooded in the wild.
Great pics,I'm off to flood my Darlingtonia Californica seedlings

 

[jht-union]

Thanks for all the good feedback!

@TheFury, move to NC and you will enjoy the surroundings full of tall trees and plants! I am not a city person; I would rather live isolated from everyone but surrounded by nature instead of surrounded by people, cars, and tall buildings blocking the sun and pollution.

@ Matt, thanks!

@Millipede, I bought my silica sand from leslie's pool supplies: http://www.lesliespool.com/Home/Filters-and-Filter-Supplies/Filter-Supplies/14700.html (check in your area to see if they have it)

@mato77429 and corky, Thanks!

@ green1, That is a very interesting question, in my opinion yes, in the case of my plants, when the traps closed while flooding the container, the next day some of the traps were opened under the water, which makes it possible for any insect swimming around to be trapped. No wonder why aldrovanda has the same mechanism as the VFT. Make sure you flood the darlingtonias but eventually make sure you flush within days.

 

[jlechtm]

Re: sand sources, I get mine from a large building supply company (they also sell bricks, stone dust, concrete pavers, etc. etc.). The silica sand comes in three grades: fine, medium and coarse (I use coarse) and costs me about $9 per 100 lb bag. It's about 35 miles from me, but I only need to go a few times a year.

http://www.frederickbrickworks.com/index.html

 

[Millipede]

cool thanks for the info

 

[Kayota]

Wow very cool! I should try this with mine when I order a new one from flytrapshop.

 

[swamp thing]

C/P

Awesome great pictures and did not know they could grow in water like that? I am a newbie so just starting out and these pictures are so helpful too? Thanks and so glad I got to see them? Only got one venus fly trap and one pitcher plant and two sundews that a very nice member here send to me and they are doing so well and got the book from the library called The Salvage Garden good book to read..

 

[richjam1986]

Never heard of flooding VFT's. I can't really do that now with the ways my vft's are set up, but someday I'll give it a try