bogman Posted July 28, 2011 Report Share Posted July 28, 2011 Hi! me again with a few simple questions! As some of you know, I have a pot of dionaeas that multiplied and are growing well now... I had an accident in my bog garden, so I have removed them in pot again... They all looked sad for a first week or two, but they have recovered, and now I have at least 25 young plants out of 5 adults! The thing is I never really understood their needs... I was researching and found out that in nature, they grow almost in pure white sand that is acidic, and that they don't like really high water table, and that their roots must be well aerated, much better then, lets say sarracenias... Correct me if I am wrong, but that was the only way I managed to keep them alive and looking good... So,the real question is, can I put them back in a bog garden, which is now secured, so no more problems will occur, but to put them on a higher position, with lots of sun? And the main question is; can I grow them outside all year? I have heard that they are not very hardy... That they prefer temperatures to be abound 0-5c... is that correct? Our winters here in Croatia are much harsher, so any insight would be appreciated... Does anyone of you successfully grow them out all year, maybe with winter mulch or something? Our winters can get low to -15 or maybe less for a couple of days, but average temp is around -5 to -10... What do you think? Maybe a thick mulch of pine needles would work? I had a thought of leaving maybe a plant or two outside just to see how will they perform? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenofeden Posted July 28, 2011 Report Share Posted July 28, 2011 it is worth trying a few, but I suspect they will not do well... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexis Posted July 28, 2011 Report Share Posted July 28, 2011 Try mulching with pine needles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billynomates666 Posted July 28, 2011 Report Share Posted July 28, 2011 Hi Bogman I grow a number of VFTs outdoors in my bog in the midlands of the UK, as you sugget planted on higher mounds of substarate so they do not 'sit' in water. Last year we had temperatures down to minus 18C and temperatures consistantly lower than minus 5C during the nights. I mulch the plants to a shallow depth 25-50mm with fern fronds (underneath to allow air movement to stop mould) and leaves because thats all I have to hand. A deeper mulch would be better but I dont have enough material for that. All the plants made it through as they have done for the five years that they have been outside, are growing and catching flies. However as Stephen suggests they survive rather than thrive and take till end may early June to show sometimes. if you dont mind smaller less robust plants give it a go, but if you want show type stuff, or early plants keep them inside. Cheers Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mantrid Posted July 28, 2011 Report Share Posted July 28, 2011 Try mulching with pine needles. Its my theory that its not low temps as such that kill the VFT, its prolonged freezing. Its well known that VFTs can be frozen in their pots and are ok when they thaw out again. So why do they die for some people during winter. My reasoning is that if they remain frozen for too long they start to desiccate ie lose water from their tissue which cannot be replaced as the ground and plant is frozen. So when they eventually do thaw there is not enough water in their tissue for them to survive. My VFTs are kept in cold frames and often freeze, but I use a paraffin heater if we are forecast prolonged subzero temps. This strategy has served me well as I have never lost a VFT during the winter. Lack of water in the winter due to frozen soil etc is a known problem. It is one reason scientists think pine trees have evolved needle shaped leaves with reduced surface area and thick cuticles, to conserve water. Why do they need to do this, their habitat is not a desert. But in the winter their habitat is frozen for long periods of time so effectively becoming like a desert, as water is not available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bogman Posted July 28, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2011 I agree that dionaeas look somewhat shriveled after hard winter, and that they are not the best representatives as the plants that were overwintered inside the house... I will divide 2-3 young plants, plant them outside and leave them there... I will apply thick mulch, and we will see what will happen. I thought maybe to take some branches of spruce or something and to put that directly on bog, then a lot of pine needles on top and around... And what about this; What if I plant all of them outside every spring, and then dig them out and put them in pots to bring them inside? would that be to much disturbance for them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bogman Posted July 28, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2011 @ billynomates666; do you have any pics how your dionaeas look like? I would like to see them! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billynomates666 Posted July 29, 2011 Report Share Posted July 29, 2011 @ billynomates666; do you have any pics how your dionaeas look like? I would like to see them! :) I will get some pictures over the weekend and post up on Monday, if I work out how to do it! Cheers Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manders Posted July 29, 2011 Report Share Posted July 29, 2011 Hi bogman, I was in croatia yesterday you have much nicer/warmer summers than we do! My only surviving vft's from last year were outside unprotected and survived -10C for a week, everything i had in the greehouse died. So i would say give it a go, they should get going quite nicely in your nice summer weather! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bogman Posted July 29, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2011 well, summers are great if you have enough water to avoid drought of bog garden! :) Temperatures can get to 40c! I will definitely try a few plants outside... Is it to late to transplant a few tomorrow? Will that be enough time for young plants to take foothold? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob-Rah Posted July 30, 2011 Report Share Posted July 30, 2011 Can you tell us what sort of bog garden you have there? Is it properly sealed from the "outside world" at all? I ask this as the soils in Croatia are generally alkaline, and contact with these will probably lead to unwanted minerals in the bog garden. Just wondering.... Which bit of the country are you in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bogman Posted July 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2011 Yes... I dug a hole, put nylon liner, 500l of peat and a lot of water... :) It has no contact with the surrounding soil... I am watering it only with rainwater and distilled water... I live in Slavonija... :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billynomates666 Posted August 1, 2011 Report Share Posted August 1, 2011 Hi Bogman Pasted below (hopefully) are pictures of soem of the the VFTs that went over winter in the bogs last year. They were all 'bog standard' VFTs, if you will pardon the pun, nothing fancy, but as you can see that the effects are variable, with some being a lot more robust and vigorous than others. All are in the same type of media, all have the same sun aspects etc the only slight variable being the height above water level, the worse looking one being closest to the water. I dont feed the plants so you can see they are all catching enough food on thier own and all react to stimuli well. Hope this helps Steve 2165997509113_4a118d6a9d_.jpg 01/08/2011 09:27:27 PM 54 0 0 Public 1925998067708_83cf207b7d_.jpg 01/08/2011 09:27:26 PM 45 0 0 Public 2945997511599_e85ddb21a2_.jpg 01/08/2011 09:16:14 PM 26 0 0 Public 9785998065942_90ddba7eb3_.jpg 01/08/2011 09:16:13 PM 42 0 0 Public 6825998059532_1b76dab73b_.jpg 01/08/2011 09:16:12 PM 43 0 0 Public 3555998058264_ab5218f247_.jpg 01/08/2011 09:16:11 PM 46 0 0 Public 3025997504075_6472a9a521_.jpg 01/08/2011 09:16:10 PM 46 0 0 Public 9805908452560_a1001e890e_.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bouncingwatermellon Posted August 1, 2011 Report Share Posted August 1, 2011 I've read about frost lifting the plants out of the soil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bogman Posted August 2, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2011 I cant see the pictures! :S Don't know why... any ideas? I see only letters... I have also heard that... It is because humidity in the soil, I guess... When water changes into ice, it expands and pushes other particles/things with it, so that is the probable reason... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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