12 replies to this topic

[TommyTopTraps]

Hi all,

I am thinking of putting my VFT trough planter out in the back yard at a particular spot that gets full light almost all day. However I live in Cornwall and the aforementioned well lit spot is right next to the bids which are of particular interest to the local seagulls.

My question is are the seagulls or other local birds likely to take an interest in my colourful VFT collection? Obviously the VFTs are not part of a seagull's usual diet but I didn't think tissues were either.

I currently leave my plants on an east facing window (2nd floor) until just before 10 when I move them to a west facing window before heading to work. Is there much more of an advantage to be had by leaving them outside?

Thanks to any of you kind people who read and respond!

Tom

[Ian Salter]

Fresh air, unfiltered light, a cool sea breeze your plants will think they are on holiday.
You can't keep them cooped up on a nice day and I'm sure they will thank you for it.
You could get some cheap pond netting or the like to keep the birds off though as they may take them for nesting material.

[mantrid]

I also live on the coast and birds of any type seagulls included have never bothered my VFTs. I always shift mine outside in the early summer and keep them there until autumn.
Advantages;
Superior colouration
The plants become more hardy and and better at tolerating our winters
Only ever have to water them if we get more than a few days of hot weather (not often in UK) Infact alot of the time I have to empty water out of the trays.
The regular rain means the substrate they are growing in is frequently flushed through and any nutrients are removed out when you tip the water out of the trays.
Rain also means the traps are always kept clean of dead insects when the they reopen (how its supposed to happen)
Easy access for pollinating insects if you are producing seeds.
Plenty of prey
The extra space created in your greenhouse means you can then grow tomatos, chillis, cucumber peppers etc through the summer while the VFTs are on holiday outside.

Tips
Rain can splash bare peat over small plants and seedlings so top dress with some moss or pine needles. After a while moss growth on the surface does this for you anyway.
If you have VFT cudo this it quite delicate and although it survives outside I dont notice much growth, as the leaves die off as fast as they are produced, so I keep cudo in the more humid green house. and wacky traps too.

Edited by mantrid, 24 May 2012 - 09:13 AM.

[TommyTopTraps]

Awesome stuff, thanks a lot guys!

PS some of them are the plants from justvenusflytraps so cheers Mandrid!

Tom

[mantrid]

TommyTopTraps, on 25 May 2012 - 10:50 AM, said:

Awesome stuff, thanks a lot guys!

PS some of them are the plants from justvenusflytraps so cheers Mandrid!

Tom

In that case they are already aclimatised to outside and can go straight out without leaf burn.
Forgot to mention that. If you put your plants straight out from greenhouse to outside when its sunny and hot they are likely to get leaf burn. They will recover but it just sets them back a while.

[Richard Bunn]

I'm originally from St Ives in Cornwall.  It's Mecca for gulls in that town. And they're nasty buggers.  When I was younger I used to put my cacti out on the roof of the garage for the summer only to see the gulls literally stabbing them. Then the plants would die.  

I'd say yes do put your plants out in the sunniest spot for the summer, if it gets cooler again bring them in until the weather stabilises. Mine have been outside since last year and are very backwards due to lack of heat, so I brought them in to get all the heat they could and it's helping. Now some summer weather is here I put them back out again but I'm constantly on it.  

Do get some netting though, if you can get some of that rigid plastic netting that's sometimes used as fencing material then go for that as the gulls are relentless.  I caught blackbirds at my VFT's the other day.  

Richard

[mantrid]

Richard Bunn, on 25 May 2012 - 11:49 AM, said:

I'm originally from St Ives in Cornwall.  It's Mecca for gulls in that town. And they're nasty buggers.  When I was younger I used to put my cacti out on the roof of the garage for the summer only to see the gulls literally stabbing them. Then the plants would die.  

I'd say yes do put your plants out in the sunniest spot for the summer, if it gets cooler again bring them in until the weather stabilises. Mine have been outside since last year and are very backwards due to lack of heat, so I brought them in to get all the heat they could and it's helping. Now some summer weather is here I put them back out again but I'm constantly on it.  

Do get some netting though, if you can get some of that rigid plastic netting that's sometimes used as fencing material then go for that as the gulls are relentless.  I caught blackbirds at my VFT's the other day.  

Richard

We must have more civilized birds round here then :)

[mobile]

I live on the coast and have not had any issued with gulls pulling plants. However, I have had issues with blackbirds pulling Pinguicula out, aswell as some other plants. The seagulls in Cornwall are particularly vicious. I've holidayed in St. Ives, Cornwall a few times and have observed the seagulls waiting for people to come out of pasty or chip shops then swoop down on them to try to steal their food.

[Richard Bunn]

Indeed mobile that's why we call them fly-by shootings.

[TommyTopTraps]

Thanks again to everybody for the help, and to Mantrid for the sun burn warning,

The seagulls in Newquay are more poorly behaved then many of the stag parties that frequent the town in the Summer months but there are also a lot of other birds including black birds which are all really active at the moment I'd imagine feeding and catering for their young (devil spawn in the case of the gulls).

I am thinking of putting them out with a tough netting to stop the birds but large enough to allow daring insects in.

The wind today has lead to to another question, can plants like the spider VFT handle strong winds? I just brought it back in as it looked to be having an awful time out there.

[Richard Bunn]

I've never had a problem with strong winds effecting VFT's. And believe me it's a mother of a windy (yet hot and sunny) day here today.  My VFT's are out the front getting as much sun as possible but I've had to bring the taller Sarracenias that have gotten far enough out of dormancy (mainly flava's and Moorei's) into the house.  The wind usually totally destroys my Sarracenias every year.  On a good note, my next door neighbour is helping put my greenhouse up this week.  

[TommyTopTraps]

Richard Bunn, on 26 May 2012 - 15:11 PM, said:

I've never had a problem with strong winds effecting VFT's. And believe me it's a mother of a windy (yet hot and sunny) day here today.  My VFT's are out the front getting as much sun as possible but I've had to bring the taller Sarracenias that have gotten far enough out of dormancy (mainly flava's and Moorei's) into the house.  The wind usually totally destroys my Sarracenias every year.  On a good note, my next door neighbour is helping put my greenhouse up this week.  

How's that greenhouse working for you?

[Richard Bunn]

Two guys (neighbours) came to put it up last Monday. They arrived at 2.30 looked at the box, said we'll be back at three and I haven't seen them since. Meanwhile bad gales and many completely broke Sarracena = a few tears over a bottle of gin!