Trev Posted May 30, 2010 Report Share Posted May 30, 2010 (edited) Largest Dionaea Trap Competition 2010 It's time again for the Biggest Trap Competition Prize for the winner this year is a Dionaea "Giant Form X Piranha" The competition is open to anyone worldwide but the prize can only be sent within Europe. The rules are: The trap must be closed and photographed parallel to the camera, with a clear plastic ruler (in millimetres) in front of the trap, the trap is to be measured across the side just below the teeth, the teeth are NOT included in the measurement. Like this: Post your pictures here. You can enter as many times as you like. Pictures must be taken this year. Competition ends September 31st. Please keep discussion to a minimum, so the thread does not get flooded. May the biggest trap win! Trev :) Edited May 30, 2010 by Trev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tha_Reaper Posted June 1, 2010 Report Share Posted June 1, 2010 allow me to kick off: 3.1 cm certainly not a winner (1st trap of the season), but at least it is a start of the competition. Its a bigmouth, grown under LED light. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurent Posted June 2, 2010 Report Share Posted June 2, 2010 Hello! This will be beaten: But this? Regards, Laurent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Posted June 13, 2010 Report Share Posted June 13, 2010 (edited) Here is my 4.4cm South West Giant. Carl Edited June 13, 2010 by MLVC2002 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carnivore_queen Posted June 15, 2010 Report Share Posted June 15, 2010 Laurent, what VFT is that?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aflubenov Posted June 15, 2010 Report Share Posted June 15, 2010 (edited) Holly Sh.......!!! Laurent and MLVC2002.... How old are those plants??? those traps are huge!!! congratulations! (I only have 2 cm traps :-( ) Edited June 15, 2010 by aflubenov Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dino Belvedere Posted June 15, 2010 Report Share Posted June 15, 2010 It's taken nine months to get over losing last year's competition at the last minute, but I'm ok now. Mine are small at the moment, but I will win this year...oh yes, I will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurent Posted June 15, 2010 Report Share Posted June 15, 2010 (edited) Laurent, what VFT is that?? It is a VFT filiformis, maybe 5-10 years. Edited June 15, 2010 by Laurent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest msjboy Posted June 22, 2010 Report Share Posted June 22, 2010 Hello, I am new to the this great site! I was wondering if anyone can add to this related contest subject "How to grow huge traps of 5 cm sizes". Here is what I have gathered so far so please do add your knowledge basis to this : For a plant, it should be at least 3 - 5 years old to begin with. Use at least a one gallon plastic pot, the lighter in colour the better as dark pots will make the roots too hot. Use a 50/50 mixture of sphagnum peat moss and perlite to fill the pot and plant your flytrap(s). If you can get hold of some live sphagnum which would simulate its natural growing environment, you can use a thin cover of it over the dirt and around the flytrap and that will help keep the humidity around the plant higher. Water the plants in well with mineral free water ( eg RO, or distilled water ). Put your pot in a bucket or bowl and let it sit in water that is 1/8 - 1/4 as deep as the pot is tall (eg. 8 inch pot in one to two inches of water). Put it outside in the sun, 6 hours a day of direct sun is usually good enough. They attract their own food so all you have to do is make sure the water level in the bucket stays the same. If the moss or planting mix looks like it's drying on top you may have to top water for a couple of weeks until the flytrap puts out new roots. It is also said, do not try to leave the plants in that is greater than 35 C as the plant will stop growing. In the natural environment, it may get to 40C, the constant flow of the bogs keeps it cool and will continue growth. The natural humdity may even reach near 100% but 60% or so should be adequate. Do fee the plant bi-weekly. No artificial lighting for the plant is needed. If growing in a hothouse, one might grown the plant under 50% shade to help keep the greenhouse cool so you might want to break in the plants to direct sun slowly although all that will happen if they go straight out under the sun is that the leaves/traps it comes with may sunburn and possibly shrivel a bit. Any new trap that grows for you out under the sun will show a noticeable positive difference in size, colour and robustness. The largest traps should appear by mid-late August.  Hope all you folks trying to grow these large sized traps can help out with this knowledge set. Best regs msjboy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loligo1964 Posted June 22, 2010 Report Share Posted June 22, 2010 Hello,I am new to the this great site! I was wondering if anyone can add to this related contest subject "How to grow huge traps of 5 cm sizes". Here is what I have gathered so far so please do add your knowledge basis to this . . . Hope all you folks trying to grow these large sized traps can help out with this knowledge set. Best regs msjboy Some of that is a bit of a myth. I have had several Dionaea cultivars -- B52, Southwest Giant, Dingley Giant, Low Giant, and Big Mouth -- traps exceed 5.6 cm in length, generally by August or September in North America; and the size of the containers seemed to have played little role. Some were indeed in gallon pots while others were in relatively tiny containers and largely root-bound; both issued very large, similar-sized plants. One thing that I would suggest is growing them on the slightly drier side -- allowing the trays to dry before adding water; that seems to play a bit of a role in producing larger, more vigorous plants. My preferred compost has always been either straight peat or a 2:1 or 1:1 mix of peat to horticultural -- quartz -- sand; and while some growers have live sphagnum top-dressings, the amount of sun my plants receive would likely kill most species of sphagnum . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trev Posted June 28, 2010 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2010 This is a bit unorthodox as most growers argue never let the tray goes completely dry etc but I can see it could work if the 'dry period' is minimised to a couple of hours (not during the middle of the day when the heat is on). Wild plants will need to put up with the fluctuations in humidity/water level and that's probably why they are far more robust than cultivated plants.I'm going to give it a go with a mature SWG in a good sized pot (half liter) and report back in a couple of months' time. I dont keep my VFT's standing in water, the trays have capillary matting in the bottom, and I water them when it starts to dry up but only enough that the plants will soak up in 24 hours. Most people who have seen Dionaea growing in the wild are surprised how dry it is. Trev. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mags Posted August 25, 2010 Report Share Posted August 25, 2010 (edited) It's the same size as Carl's but I thought i'd post it anyway... It is from a B52 that I bought in February, awesome plant! EDIT: That'll be 44mm, nearly forgot to mention that Doh ! Edited August 25, 2010 by Mags Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James O'Neill Posted August 25, 2010 Report Share Posted August 25, 2010 Nice ruler Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vic2 Posted September 2, 2010 Report Share Posted September 2, 2010 (edited) Nice ruler Mark Yeah - I want one too!! I'm guessing it's Dumbo, or My Little Pony? Cool... Sadly, my biggest trap - other than my mouth, o'course - is 3.9cm. I'll give the plant some more flies, and hope... Edited September 2, 2010 by Vic2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amar Posted September 2, 2010 Report Share Posted September 2, 2010 mhhh,...the ruler.... I'm guessing it's diddl mouse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James O'Neill Posted September 2, 2010 Report Share Posted September 2, 2010 How do you know that Amar? you have them yerself? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amar Posted September 2, 2010 Report Share Posted September 2, 2010 aha. bitching about me, eh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James O'Neill Posted September 2, 2010 Report Share Posted September 2, 2010 (edited) I prefer to use another term. That word is not encouraged in our house unless it is strictly veterinary (and we have 3 vets in the family) EDIT Sorry, off topic, I know. But when one is getting on in his years he is allowed to. Edited September 2, 2010 by James O'Neill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guillaume Posted September 7, 2010 Report Share Posted September 7, 2010 Here is a 5,2 cm trap. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Posted September 7, 2010 Report Share Posted September 7, 2010 I was so looking forward to winning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guillaume Posted September 7, 2010 Report Share Posted September 7, 2010 I wil send you the plant, if I win... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fabrice Reolon Posted September 7, 2010 Report Share Posted September 7, 2010 it's not flies to feed her, only hummingbird ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trev Posted September 9, 2010 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2010 Wow! That's a whopper What clone is it Guillaume? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guillaume Posted September 9, 2010 Report Share Posted September 9, 2010 It's your 2 years old giant peach Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trev Posted September 10, 2010 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2010 It's your 2 years old giant peach but Giant Peach doesn't have dentate teeth... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts