19 replies to this topic

[Mujician]

Hi guys,
          Last year I made my first foray into CPs. I bought a few from triffid nurseries and they were awesome to start with. Even the VFTs which I have never had any luck with thrived.

So winter arrived and the plants didn't die back. As this didn't happen I just kept watering them. I didn't realise I should have been reducing the water to help them into their dormant state. Now they seem to have died back but I'm not sure if its because they are dead, or if they have now gone into a dormant state. What should I do with them?

Also I bought a dwarf sundew. This absolutely exploded with new plants, but then the moss started to grow. Now all of the little plants went dormant - the moss took over and nothing has grown through the moss. How do I deal with this? As all the other normal sized plants can easily break through the moss with no problems!

Finally, can someone tell me if I can keep VFTs outside in the UK all year round?

Many thanks, sorry for all the questions!, Ben

[Alexis]

The plants do not necessarily completely die back in winter. Some may lose just a few leaves, some may go into suspended animation.

If they've died back to nothing, it's likely they're dead. Especially since they should be in full growth at this time of year!

Put it down to experience - most of us have had plants die on us. I'd just bite the bullet and buy some more.

Your sundew might need a repot, but can you not pluck out the excess moss by hand?

VFTs can survive all year round outside, but prefer a sheltered spot in full sun. The plants will not be as vigorous as under glass however.

[Mujician]

Yes I could pull out the moss, but this would also mean pulling out what little there is left of any plants - the roots seemed very shallow.

So the VFT that I have left has a few leaves on it, but looks very sorry for itself. Should I just keep watering this as normal or should I give it a drier couple of months to make up for being wet during the winter?

[Alexis]

Do you have any photos?

[Mujician]

Somehow there are two of the dwarf sundews I ordered in this pot! Not sure how they got there or how they survived the moss as the main lot of them didn't make it. I might try and transplant them and try my luck once more. Otherwise - no more dwarf sundews for me. Is there a good way of reducing the moss growth?



This is meant to be a giant red form VFT!!!

[mantrid]

If thats a red form and it is green then its not getting very much light. Looks like you got a nice sunny garden outside that window.
I would repot the VFT in new peat just incase there are any nasties in the stuff you have in that pot, it also it looks dry and overgrown with moss.
Then take the pot and put outside in a sunny sheltered position and wait. Keep the soil moist while the weather is cold and miserable, amd put a cm or two in the drip tray when its hot and sunny. It should pick up and start growing in a few weeks.

[Mujician]

Are you suggesting it lives outside all year round, or should I then bring it in at some point?

With bonsai trees, it's very unwise to repot or mess with the roots at this time of year and the trees are adversly affected. Will it not upset these plants if I repot them now? Can I do it with other species of CPs?

One last thing, I've completely forgotten the ratio of peat/sand/pearlite. Can someone remind me?!!

[Alexis]

It looks like you're growing a nice colony of some sort of brown moss!

I'd repot it in some fresh moss peat.

You can repot at any time of year - they don't particularly mind. A 50:50 mix of peat and perlite is recommended.

[Mujician]

The moss is brown because it dried out a little as I wasn't sure what I should be doing with the plant. If you have any good suggestions to keep moss down then that would be much more appreciated.
One last question, should I reduce watering generally when the weather is cold and damp or should I do it seasonally? Ie. if the weather is rubbish for a week in the summer should I not bother topping up the drip tray, or should I just let the drip tray remain empty through the winter?

[Richard Bunn]

Mujician, on 26 June 2012 - 15:33 PM, said:

The moss is brown because it dried out a little as I wasn't sure what I should be doing with the plant. If you have any good suggestions to keep moss down then that would be much more appreciated.
One last question, should I reduce watering generally when the weather is cold and damp or should I do it seasonally? Ie. if the weather is rubbish for a week in the summer should I not bother topping up the drip tray, or should I just let the drip tray remain empty through the winter?

Seasonally.

And don't worry about asking questions.  It's what this place is here for and doing just that has made some brilliant growers over the years.

[Mujician]

By seasonally, you just mean once don't you?! IE during the colder months?!!

Should I be leaving vfts outside all year round?  Also, how about sarracenias? I'd quite like to fet some of these, can they be left outside all year?

Edited by Mujician, 26 June 2012 - 16:41 PM.

[mantrid]

Mujician, on 26 June 2012 - 15:33 PM, said:

The moss is brown because it dried out a little as I wasn't sure what I should be doing with the plant. If you have any good suggestions to keep moss down then that would be much more appreciated.
One last question, should I reduce watering generally when the weather is cold and damp or should I do it seasonally? Ie. if the weather is rubbish for a week in the summer should I not bother topping up the drip tray, or should I just let the drip tray remain empty through the winter?

If its cold and damp there will be less evaporation from the soil. The plant will be transpiring less so loosing much less water from the leaves so in my opinion having water in the tray isnt necessary. Why give water that the soil doesnt need and the plant isnt loosing. Having water in the tray is much more important when its hot and sunny. Recognisable buy a general brightness and blueness to the sky accompanied by a large bright disc giving of light and heat.
Heres a picture to remind you what it looks like

Edited by mantrid, 26 June 2012 - 16:48 PM.

[alexa]

The only reason to reduce the watering in winter is to prevent mold from forming if the plant is in a moist enviroment, but if you keep your plant in your house all year, then it will need to remain in water. As Mantrid said, repot the plant, take it outside and let it have some sun (if, unlike me you have any!).

I keep my VFT's under glass and they are moist/damp all year and they're fine.

Regards
Alex.

[Mujician]

I know what the words 'under' and 'glass' mean, but what do you mean by under glass? Do you mean in a greenhouse? Or do you mean behind a sunny window? Should I be keeping them outside?

Okay, so as my vfts were inside, and we did keep them watered, what is the issue here? Did the plants die (my garden centre bought one and my spreading form both died.) because of the excessive moss growth? The plants have only been in this peat for a year. I've been recently informed that you only really need to repot things every three years or so.

I seem to be coming up with more and more questions all the time. Is there a book, or website that I can look at that is considered a definitive guide?

[alexa]

My use of the term 'under glass' means in a greenhouse, and I think this is how most growers would understand it. If you have a sheltered spot for the winter, or even better a greenhouse, then yes outside, I've never found that VFT's do that well in doors, but others might not agree.

Your plants didn't die because of excess moss growth, more likely lack of light. You do know to use rainwater?

The best book on the subject from a British growers point of view is Insect Eating Plants and How to Grow Them, by Adrian Slack, it has all the answers you're looking for and will get you hooked on other CP's too. Hope this helps.

Regards
Alex.

[Richard Bunn]

Take a look here at Mantrid's beginners growing guide for VFT's.

[Mujician]

I'm not sure I have anything useful to collect rainwater. Although I do plan on getting a waterbutt at some stage. I have been using boiled water and the plants thrived. This may be why they aren't great. However I did just repot the pictured vft and there are 3 small plants which will hopefully do well now. Also reported a d. binata which thrive in my house! Drosera don't seem to mind the boiled water at all.

[Richard Bunn]

Never used boiled water, it's worse than tap water as the little bit of evaporation actually concentrates the hardness.  At the moment I my rain water has collected itself in one of those garden trug things as we've had so much rain.  You can pick them up from most discount stores, even a couple of the larger plastic planters that haven't had the holes drilled yet will be fine for collecting as long as it doesn't start to smell off.

[ada]

I've just read this entire post and alexa has just hit the nail on the head so to speak.
No where was watering mentioned,then we find out tap water has been used..... i suspect this is your problem.

Not many people can use tap water entirely on their plants,after so long it will affect/kill them.
I'm lucky in sheffield i can get away with it and regularly use it on my indoor plants with no ill effects,this has included heli's to flowering,brochinia to flowering and pups,cephs and pings just to see how much some can take.

Don't do this to yours! use rain water as i do on my sarra's.Your water is probably hard and full of dissolved salts etc cp's don't like this.
ada

[mantrid]

Mujician, on 26 June 2012 - 17:27 PM, said:

I'm not sure I have anything useful to collect rainwater. Although I do plan on getting a waterbutt at some stage. I have been using boiled water and the plants thrived. This may be why they aren't great. However I did just repot the pictured vft and there are 3 small plants which will hopefully do well now. Also reported a d. binata which thrive in my house! Drosera don't seem to mind the boiled water at all.

Cheap way to collect rain water.
Get a plastic container, bigger the better
Cover the top with black plastic bag, hold in place with string or elastic around the circumfrence of the container
Poke a hole in the centre of the plastic bag
Put outside in the rainiest part of the garden, under a dripping roof or something even better.

The black bag will keep out light and dirt and leaves.

If you VFT is now outside watering rarely becomes a problem. Keep in a very deep tray and after rain tip out the water and keep it for a non-rainy day. You will probably end up with more water than you can use for yor few plants.