How is everybody watering there VFT's? There seems to be contradicting info about using the tray method. What do you guys do?
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Watering methods?
- Thread starter jsgossamer
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During their growing season, I keep them in trays with 2" of water allowed to evaporate before rewatering. This works well for my growing conditions (plants individually potted and growing indoors under fluorescent lights).
jimscott
Tropical Fish Enthusiast
I keep mine in a bucket of minibog, outside, and bring it inside to the coldish attic for the winter. Buffalo, NY gets pretty cold to keep outside! VFT's thrive in swampy conditions, with lots of light. They do best when kept outside.
What / how would you like to grow them? Where are you living? Before I adopted my buckets of minibog, I used to have the pots sitting in plastice trays with water. I found that having a bucket filled with peat, sand, and LFS, retains the moisture more effectively, especially on hot summer days.
I also had the opportunity to bring home deionized water from the lab in which I worked, as well as a stream that ran behind our townhouse. Is provision of water an issue for you?
What / how would you like to grow them? Where are you living? Before I adopted my buckets of minibog, I used to have the pots sitting in plastice trays with water. I found that having a bucket filled with peat, sand, and LFS, retains the moisture more effectively, especially on hot summer days.
I also had the opportunity to bring home deionized water from the lab in which I worked, as well as a stream that ran behind our townhouse. Is provision of water an issue for you?
I have them on my windowsill in trays of distilled water. I live on Long Island. The window gets good sun. They are Home Depot VFT's so I'm a bit nervous that they are not very hardy.
Like Chloroplast, I stand my vfts in between 1 and 2 inches of water and allow the tray to dry up before refilling. If left constantly in water that is not allowed to dry up vfts don't seem to thrive.
BigCarnivourKid
It's been one of dem days
I put mine on the back porch rail in regular plant trays or saucers. I put about ½ to ¾ of water in the tray and occasionlly let it dry out before refilling it.
I think the important thing to know about watering VFTs is to keep the soil moist at all times. Their roots can tolerate a little dryness but not for long.
I think the important thing to know about watering VFTs is to keep the soil moist at all times. Their roots can tolerate a little dryness but not for long.
My VFT's are in a working bog. They are constantly watered by water flowing through the soil, very reminiscent of Green Swamp, North Carolina. The water in the holding tank is replenished every 3 days or so, and continuosly pumped through the bog 24/7/365.
Plants experience standard dormancies, and grow like weeds. BUGWEEDS!!!!!!!
Plants experience standard dormancies, and grow like weeds. BUGWEEDS!!!!!!!
jimscott
Tropical Fish Enthusiast
I would strongly suggest putting the VFT's outside by April. Um... Where on the Island.... if I may ask? I may be in the Buffalo area, but I grew up in Huntington. There are several members on TerraForums that reside on LI. One of them actually went to my high school! And apparently, I was in the same graduating class as his older brother. Why do I think of wings when I see your forum name?[b said:
I'm not too far from Huntington - I'm in Smithtown.
Isn't it still kind of cold in April to put them out?
Isn't it still kind of cold in April to put them out?
jimscott
Tropical Fish Enthusiast
Omisgosh, that is close! That's just a short drive on Jericho Turnpike or 25A! Ever hear of Harborfields H.S.? Is Modells still out there or the Smithhaven Mall? Lets Go Mets!
Shouldn't be too cold. The average daily high for April should be from the low 50's at the beginning of the month, to ~65 by the end. Subtract out the daily lows, which would be from the freezing mark to mid-40's, that would be safe. VFT's come from North Carolina and while being warmer than LI, they do experience winter and freezes. They can handle it.
Check out this topic for supplemental and related guidance:
VFT seedlings
Shouldn't be too cold. The average daily high for April should be from the low 50's at the beginning of the month, to ~65 by the end. Subtract out the daily lows, which would be from the freezing mark to mid-40's, that would be safe. VFT's come from North Carolina and while being warmer than LI, they do experience winter and freezes. They can handle it.
Check out this topic for supplemental and related guidance:
VFT seedlings
I placed them in a large, circular tray, and filled the tray with 3/4 of an inch of water, and every 2 or 3 days would add more water.
I used to mist them from overhead DAILY, multiple times. I stopped doing this for fear of overwatering, but they are growing at the same rate as ever- I do believe it is difficult to overwater VFTs.
Bugweed suggested I use a dose of Superthrive, so I did that as well.
I used to mist them from overhead DAILY, multiple times. I stopped doing this for fear of overwatering, but they are growing at the same rate as ever- I do believe it is difficult to overwater VFTs.
Bugweed suggested I use a dose of Superthrive, so I did that as well.
Yes, I've heard of harborfields. Modell's is still in the same shopping center (you know there is a tiny graveyard in there?) However it just sells sporting goods and is surronded by a home depot, barnes and noble, etc.
The smithhaven mall is still there - much improved then when you were there, most likely. Very "fancy" now, lol.
You wouldn't believe how crowded and clogged the Island has become. Very sad.
The smithhaven mall is still there - much improved then when you were there, most likely. Very "fancy" now, lol.
You wouldn't believe how crowded and clogged the Island has become. Very sad.
I keep each plant in it's own little 4" saucer, with about 1/2" of water in it. I let them soak up all the water, and leave it be for about half a day before I refill. I keep them in individual saucers so I can rotate them (they're currently in a window sil). Every other day or so I top-water as well.
I use RO water.
I use RO water.
jimscott
Tropical Fish Enthusiast
When I was growing up, we were in a brand new development, and there were still strawberry farms around. From what you say, it appears that Suffolk County is as developed as Nassau County was. I wonder if I'd have to go out to Riverhead or Montauk Pt. in order to have the same feel. Would you know if the Walt Whitman or TSS Malls are still there?[b said:
Walt Whitman is still there. Malls do well on Long Island these days. I'd say Suffolk is quite a bit like Nassau county was. You have to get past Selden before it starts to look more like the "country". Out east is still nice. Lots and lots of vineyards and still some farms left. Even that gets a bit crowded in summertime. It's the city's escape place. Driving is lots of fun too. Did you know that stop signs are "optional" on Long Island now?
jimscott
Tropical Fish Enthusiast
They're optional?!!!! But... but.... what about the children?! And accidents? Who came up with that one? I'd hate to ask what the L.I.E. is
It used to be referred to as a "parking lot". How's my favorite newspaper - Newsday? Do they still have the Suffolk Sun?
Um.... just to keep to the original topic a bit, have you come to any conclusions or plan of action for the VFT?
Um.... just to keep to the original topic a bit, have you come to any conclusions or plan of action for the VFT?
LIE? Oh, you mean the Long Island Distressway? Well the have a HOV (high occupancy vehicle) lane now - and it's just as crowded as ever.
You should hear me cussing when these dumbhead blow through stop signs. It's too crowded to drive like that.
I think I'm just going to keep them in trays full of water and let them dry out in between. I'm afraid if I put them outside, I'll forget about them - so I'll see how they do on the sill first. I don't have to water from the top if I do the tray thing?
You should hear me cussing when these dumbhead blow through stop signs. It's too crowded to drive like that.
I think I'm just going to keep them in trays full of water and let them dry out in between. I'm afraid if I put them outside, I'll forget about them - so I'll see how they do on the sill first. I don't have to water from the top if I do the tray thing?
My college roomate was from the Smithtown area! (Kings Park actually)
I used to go out to LawnGuyLind fairly often..
sorry..was never a fan of LI..never understood how anyone could willingly live there..
I will never forget a college friend of mine (from Babylon LI) complaining, in all seriousness, that growing up in Babylon sucked because the nearest mall was 10 minutes away...and she was dead SERIOUS!!
its a different world out there...
Scot
I used to go out to LawnGuyLind fairly often..
sorry..was never a fan of LI..never understood how anyone could willingly live there..
I will never forget a college friend of mine (from Babylon LI) complaining, in all seriousness, that growing up in Babylon sucked because the nearest mall was 10 minutes away...and she was dead SERIOUS!!
its a different world out there...
Scot
On the contrary it is very easy to overwater a vft Carito especially if the plant is growing in less than optimal conditions; they can rot very easily.[b said:
For the most part, vft grow naturally in very sandy soils that have slow moving water beneath the soil layer and are used to having some oxygen brought to the roots. Often times the largest specimens can be found growing in areas that have only a small surface layer of organic material covering a nearly pure sand growing base. The sand resembles fine sugar in these areas.
True they experience flooding naturally but not all the time. The conditions they grow best in are of the ebb and flow type where water slowly percolates through the roots. It's true that many growers keep their plants in water year round, but they usually monitor these water levels during peak dormancies. They are also more experienced growers so they know what to watch for.
It's also true that many vft can be found growing naturally in VERY wet conditions year round and are beautiful plants, some can even be found growing submerged, but plants growing wild in these conditions will not always respond to the same conditions in the home. In situ is a different beast altogether. I think beginners should err more toward the side of filling the tray with an inch or two of water, let it dry out, then refill again. This is a safe method
Bugweed, is the growing method you employ of the ebb and flow or drip irrigation type?