37 replies to this topic

[Marcia]

I'm starting to think about winter dormancy because it's only around the corner, not long left to go. I haven't done this before and i've been reading several posts on this forum which have helped me out :)

I'm just trying to work out where is best to put my Dionaea.
I have 2 places in my mind at the moment, one is my shed and one is outside but with a cold frame. Putting them outside is probably better but i'm worried i'll mess up somehow.

Winters here are unpredictable, some are mild and some are really cold and snowy. Last year was fairly mild but we did get a lot of frost and some snow.

[mantrid]

outside in a cold frame will be perfect. In my experience the only thing to be careful of is prolonged subzero temps where the plant can dry out. However, others have had theirs frozen for months and have been fine. Swansea in the west and on the coast should present no problems for them. Im in swansea too and my vfts were all ok last winter

[Marcia]

I'm slightly further north than Swansea, nearer the Brecon Beacons.

I've looked at cold frames online and there are so many, any recommendations?

[mantrid]

Marcia, on 16 July 2012 - 17:02 PM, said:

I'm slightly further north than Swansea, nearer the Brecon Beacons.

I've looked at cold frames online and there are so many, any recommendations?

Sorry I build my own. But you get what you pay for so I would go for the most expensive you can afford.
But for one or a few plants I would just put it in a plastic bucket or other container with a bit of glass on top. Put a few holes in the container for ventilation or leave the glass slightly open

Edited by mantrid, 16 July 2012 - 17:21 PM.

[Marcia]

mantrid, on 16 July 2012 - 17:17 PM, said:

Sorry I build my own. But you get what you pay for so I would go for the most expensive you can afford.
But for one or a few plants I would just put it in a plastic bucket or other container with a bit of glass on top. Put a few holes on the container for ventilation or leave the glass slightly open

That's a good idea :)

[mantrid]

I assumed you had the coldframe in my original answer. But if you dont, and have a shed with a window (pref south facing) I would also consider using that and save spending money unnecessarily. But then I am a bit tight

[Marcia]

My shed window is east faceing so not an awful lot of light gets in

[Marcia]

My shed window is east faceing (i think) so not an awful lot of light gets in

(sorry i double posted)

Edited by Marcia, 16 July 2012 - 17:36 PM.

[alexa]

Yeah, leave the shed. If you're going to be buying other plants, then to be honest you might as well buy a cold frame, nything sturdy will do. VFT's are able to withstand alomost anything that the British weather can throw at it as long as they are out of the worst winds and rain. Most of the damage I have seen is caused by water getting into the crown, then freezing. Keep this in mind and you'll be fine.

Cheers
Alex.

[mantrid]

Marcia, on 16 July 2012 - 17:34 PM, said:

My shed window is east faceing (i think) so not an awful lot of light gets in

(sorry i double posted)

I think that will be fine as the plant wont be growing and its metabolic activity slowed or stopped (when frozen) so lots of light isnt important. Some people in tropical regions keep them in the fridge and so will get no light.
Some light will help when the plant will have some activity on the warmer winter days. Also light will probably help keep fungi etc at bay.

Edited by mantrid, 16 July 2012 - 17:51 PM.

[Richard Bunn]

I've used my shed many times and considering there are people in the hotter parts of America where they can't put the plant through a natural dormancy they overwinter the plants in moss in plastic bags in the fridge. There's whole tutorials how to do it so I don't think the light is much of a factor.

[Marcia]

Perhaps i'll stick to the shed then

[billynomates666]

Hi Marcia

Yep, the shed sounds like a good idea, it shouldnt come to any harm there. I leave mine outside all winter with a covering of fern fronds over to stop teh wind drying them out and they have always come through OK ....... so far!

Cheers
Steve

[billynomates666]

Hi Marcia

Yep, the shed sounds like a good idea, it shouldnt come to any harm there. I leave mine outside all winter with a covering of fern fronds over to stop teh wind drying them out and they have always come through OK ....... so far!

Cheers
Steve

[Marcia]

Thanks Steve. The shed it is  

[jimscott]

Looks like you've pretty much decided how you want to handle dormancy... as I am a bit late in seeing this. What we are trying to achieve is a set of conditions that will provide a lower photoperiod, but also have some lighting, with very much reduced water / moisture, and temps that are ~4 C. Some people use their refrigerator. I've used the 'butter keeper' before, successfully. Another time I we lived in an apartment that had an attic. The attic was cold enough to provide Southeastern US temps. It also had windows, so that when March came, it began to wake up, naturally. For a couple years I conned a co-worker to take my temperate plants and he had them in is attached garage. That worked well. When he couldn't do it any longer another co-worker volunteered to put them in a vacat 2nd floor apartment. He didn't water them enough and I lost ~half of the collection. 2 years ago I conned a local nursery wholesler into taking them. She had them in with a bunch of other plants, in a temperature controlled greenhouse. They did well, there. Last year a hobbyist from our local CP group took them in. The did very well, there. A fellow from Connecticut keeps his temperate plants outside, all year long, with the aid of a lot of mulching - leaves, pine needles,... So, depending upon what you have available to you (and budget), you do what you can do.

[David Ahrens]

I'm always interested in discussions of this type about VFT dormancy. I live in a flat and I just can't grow VFT's.  I suspect that it is just too warm during Summer nights. I have tried putting them in the fridge over winter but still no success.  This is all despite having a cherished number plate on my car of M1 VFT. I will have to get rid of the plate at this rate.

[Richard Bunn]

On one of the sites out there there are incredibly in depth instructions on refrigerated dormancy. Have you read them and followed them to be letter? Just winging it could be causing problems such as not using fungicide. I warm summer evenings aren't the problem.

I'll find the info when I get home. It could very well be on Barry Rice's site sarracenia.com

Edited by Richard Bunn, 28 July 2012 - 13:49 PM.

[Richard Bunn]

Here's what Barry Rice says about refrigeration:

Refrigerator: Put the plant in a sealed bag, and stick it in your refrigerator (not the freezer!). The plant will enter a deep dormancy in this very cold storage. Since it is in such a deep dormancy, it will not need sunlight---but the soil should be kept moist.

In the spring, take the plant out of the refrigerator. I do not think this method works as well for Venus flytraps as it works for some other carnivorous plants, but I get pretty good results doing it. Avoid repotting the plant to fit it into your refrigerator (fall repottings are bad for the quasi-dormant plant), but if you must do this for some reason, be very careful not to damage the plant or its roots.

This is probably the best method for people in the tropics to use.

[Richard Bunn]

Bloody good dormancy info from flytrapcare

Fridge tutorial from flytrapcare