Jonathan F. Posted July 6, 2017 Report Share Posted July 6, 2017 (edited) This is another problem I only have in summer with my venus fly traps they get smaller and smaller and less leaves till the growth comes to a stop.In Autumn and Winter they are beautiful red traps and lots of growth if someone could help me with a problem that would be great. Edited July 6, 2017 by Jonathan F. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexis Posted July 8, 2017 Report Share Posted July 8, 2017 What are they potted up in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan F. Posted July 8, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 8, 2017 5 hours ago, Alexis said: What are they potted up in? They are in shamrock peat moss and perlite at 50/50 mix.I only have this problem in mid summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunc Posted July 9, 2017 Report Share Posted July 9, 2017 Are they in a g/h or outside? Some of mine go into 'rest mode' when the temperature gets high (30+) in the g/h, some don't, never worked out why. The spring flush of traps seems to be on die back and the next ones are slower to appear. Some don't seem to do this but as long as I can see new traps coming I don't worry too much. Mine are all in the peat/sand mix so no variation there - they can be in the same trays too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan F. Posted July 9, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2017 1 hour ago, Dunc said: Are they in a g/h or outside? Some of mine go into 'rest mode' when the temperature gets high (30+) in the g/h, some don't, never worked out why. The spring flush of traps seems to be on die back and the next ones are slower to appear. Some don't seem to do this but as long as I can see new traps coming I don't worry too much. Mine are all in the peat/sand mix so no variation there - they can be in the same trays too. Mine looks like the photo above all summer until the spring when they burst back into life. So next year I might shade the greenhouse a little over the summer months and see what happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexis Posted July 9, 2017 Report Share Posted July 9, 2017 Very strange. I assume you're using rainwater. Have they always been in the same part of the greenhouse? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trev Posted July 9, 2017 Report Share Posted July 9, 2017 Things I would check that could cause it: Plants kept too wet - try them drier. Too Hot - keep below 30*C Peat with nutrients (Shamrock is usually OK, but I have had bad batches from them in the past) Water contains dissolved salts - test it. Combination of any above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan F. Posted July 9, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2017 2 hours ago, Alexis said: Very strange. I assume you're using rainwater. Have they always been in the same part of the greenhouse? Yes using rain water at 6ppm for all my other cp as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan F. Posted July 9, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2017 1 hour ago, Trev said: Things I would check that could cause it: Plants kept too wet - try them drier. Too Hot - keep below 30*C Peat with nutrients (Shamrock is usually OK, but I have had bad batches from them in the past) Water contains dissolved salts - test it. Combination of any above. Been checking all you said and the only thing I can see is the temperature in the greenhouse as been at 42c over the last few weeks, so with them being in black pots as well it looks like heat stress? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommyr Posted July 10, 2017 Report Share Posted July 10, 2017 Maybe shade them during the hottest part of the day? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexis Posted July 11, 2017 Report Share Posted July 11, 2017 Mine get through scorching temperatures with no issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan F. Posted July 12, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 12, 2017 So if it's not the temperature at this time of the year,what could it be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexis Posted July 12, 2017 Report Share Posted July 12, 2017 Maybe try buying a ready potted VFT (Hampshire Carnivorous Plants sell them in pots) and just keep it with the rest. If it declines you've got environmental or water issues. If it thrives you have problems with your media. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trev Posted July 13, 2017 Report Share Posted July 13, 2017 Hi Jonathan, What percentage of your VFT's do this? Also have you noticed if it happens more to the ones at the edges of the trays like the plant in your picture above? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan F. Posted July 14, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 14, 2017 On 13/07/2017 at 11:15 AM, Trev said: Hi Jonathan, What percentage of your VFT's do this? Also have you noticed if it happens more to the ones at the edges of the trays like the plant in your picture above? I would say about 80% of my Venus flytraps do this each summer. Plus it's more the outer Edge venus fly traps what is more affected in Mid summer. I use rain water only, plus shamrock peat moss and horticultural perlite only at 50/50 mix, I have noticed the thermometer in the greenhouse has hit 47 degrees over the last few weeks, as the greenhouse is in full sun from morning till sunset. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz Posted July 14, 2017 Report Share Posted July 14, 2017 Hi Jonathan do you have any fans set up to help with air circulation? I have some small ones running 24/7 with bigger ones kicking in when the temp goes above 20C. If you don't have room or a power supply (or fans) you could try temporarily removing a couple of panes of glass during the summer. I've had to do that in my cactus house, removed the glass, covered with netting to keep birds out, bought slightly oversize 2mm Perspex to cover temporarily on cool days and 5mm Perspex to replace the glass in winter (as it's easier to handle than glass). All worth a try if the budget will extend that far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trev Posted July 14, 2017 Report Share Posted July 14, 2017 5 hours ago, Jonathan F. said: I would say about 80% of my Venus flytraps do this each summer. Plus it's more the outer Edge venus fly traps what is more affected in Mid summer. I use rain water only, plus shamrock peat moss and horticultural perlite only at 50/50 mix, I have noticed the thermometer in the greenhouse has hit 47 degrees over the last few weeks, as the greenhouse is in full sun from morning till sunset. I used to get it happening to the pots at the edges of my trays, so I put some pieces of white plastic over the sides and it stopped happening. I believe it's caused by the black plastic pots making the media heat up, Dionaea seem to like cool roots. It also seems to cause more evaporation from the pots leaving behind any dissolved salts which gradually concentrate in the surface, how often do you replace the peat/perlite? I have to change mine every year because I live next to the Atlantic ocean so even the rain is salty. As Gaz says, I would try more ventilation. Aim to keep the temp under 35*C, and put something white around the edge of the outer pots. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexis Posted July 14, 2017 Report Share Posted July 14, 2017 I grow mine in tall pots so the media stays cooler, and the roots can grow longer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucien01700 Posted July 31, 2017 Report Share Posted July 31, 2017 Hello I use less perlite and more fine sand for water retention.Sometimes of pure peat. Heat and lack of moisture and aeration cause this kind of damage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan F. Posted January 11, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2018 Just a update on my VFT before I repot them for the summer.I use rain water for them at 10 ppm or lower and peat/ perlite mix,but I have just tested my peat with rain water and the ppm gos up to 105ppm.Could peat be my problem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ham Posted January 12, 2018 Report Share Posted January 12, 2018 My area temperatures also soars about 30 degree celcius, i grow them in dried sphagnum moss with great success, perhaps if u have dried sphagnum try potting them up in it and see if theres any help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan F. Posted January 13, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2018 I was thinking of potting them in sphagnum moss, but it would cost me £££ as I have a lot of plants... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ham Posted April 5, 2018 Report Share Posted April 5, 2018 Hello, some of my plants have such infections too, they seems to come when the plants are kept too wet, i guess it happens in the summer because it is humid and it encourages the growth of such fungus. I sprayed some fungicide on my plants and it seemed to have killed the infection Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blocky71 Posted April 23, 2018 Report Share Posted April 23, 2018 On 11/01/2018 at 9:05 PM, Jonathan F. said: Just a update on my VFT before I repot them for the summer.I use rain water for them at 10 ppm or lower and peat/ perlite mix,but I have just tested my peat with rain water and the ppm gos up to 105ppm.Could peat be my problem? I have had exactly the same issues Jonathan , I was led towards it being the media I was using. I have recently potted everything up in Shamrock peat too, I haven't tested my peat and water but will do tomorrow. Your reading of 105ppm would concern me , I'm surprised no one has commented . I'll test mine tomorrow and report back. As for my plants, it's very disheartening to watch them shrink away when your giving them the best conditions you can !. I found on repotting that plants that were originally one nice big bulb had divided into loads of much smaller plants and bulbs, I was told that this can be a ' self preservation ' thing which would coincide with poor media or conditions. I have used taller pots and keeping my fingers crossed ! cheers chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Salter Posted April 24, 2018 Report Share Posted April 24, 2018 Too much saturation and lack of air flow combined with heat will stew and rot plants quicker than they can grow. Too much perlite means less water retention so the watering is more frequent. Taller pots work well as there is a ready supply of water at the roots but the crown is higher up and drier so less chance of stagnation and rotting. If you chose to stop using sand or perlite completely then you will find that when the tray dries up the pots will retain just enough moisture without suddenly going dry. Pot your plants quite loose, compaction means saturation. And finally, if the roots rot the plant will turn into one big cutting budding everywhere. Ian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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