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Venus fly trap dormancy problem


GreenCurry

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I started watering my VFT less over the last few months because of the temps getting lower and lower. The problem it looked like the soil was damp in my VFT pot but in fact it was bone dry and proably has been for some weeks. I noticed the flower stalk has was growing abit very slowly, I plucked the flower off when it began to grow to preserve energy because it was the beginning of winter. The VFT is still green with the normal 5-6 black leaf with traps that I just removed but the green traps are unresponsive, they will not close even if I prod them with my finger.

Is my VFT dead or is it dorment ? I think the soil has been bone dry for at least a couple of weeks as I said but the plant still looks healthy (if unresponsive) and only a little wilted.

I also have a Cepholotus that I read did not need dormency so I am just filling up its tray when empty but have read just now people putting them into dormency :sun_bespectacled:

Please help :D

P.S The plants are in my kitchin windowsill where it gets very cold, especially at night but no where near 0 oC

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Outside or in a greenhouse it's usually cold enough to stop the peat drying out. Your windowsill could be about 8 - 15C and so the peat can get a bit dry. Stick it in a saucer of rainwater until the peat becomes damp.

The plant sounds dormant so keep on going!

Cephalotus doesn't need a dormancy but it will go into hibernation if it's given cold and low light. Mine's frozen solid at the moment.

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I've never found the need for dormancy in Cephalotus. One of mine grows on my kitchen windowsill, which gets quite cold during winter night times. The colder weather, coupled with shorter daylengths causes the growth to slow right down but not to the extent of dormancy. Plants that are kept wet in colder, duller days become more prone to fungal attack, so ensure that they get good air circulation.

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I have added some water to the VFT because the soil was so dry, is that bad if I added some water if it is dorment ?

Its fine to add water during dormancy if the plants get too dry, I aim to keep the soil just a little bit damp.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest MiniMacro

My VFTs are dormant outside on a balcony getting soaked in the freezing rain, so don't worry about a small amount of watering. I think the biggest danger is mould when you keep a plant inside over winter - so too much water will cause fungi to grow.

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I add just a little water every few weeks, just to "wet their whistle". Theyr'e all exposed to the air and by a window, so mold hasn't been an issue.

Can someone explain the difference between dormancy and hibernation?

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I add just a little water every few weeks, just to "wet their whistle". Theyr'e all exposed to the air and by a window, so mold hasn't been an issue.

Can someone explain the difference between dormancy and hibernation?

animals hibernate. plants, fungi, bacteria and other primitive life forms go dormant. I think

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