SoLongFairWell Posted July 29, 2012 Report Share Posted July 29, 2012 Just an idea Marcia. Seeing as you're in Swansea and I grew up in Cornwall and had easy access. Can you get hold of a fish box? Probably one of the lower green ones. Shouldn't be too hard. Stick a pane of glass on top and Bob's your uncle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcia Posted July 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2012 I actually had to google what a fish box was lol. I could try and get my hands one. I do have an old glass reptile tank, don't know if that would help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mantrid Posted July 29, 2012 Report Share Posted July 29, 2012 (edited) I actually had to google what a fish box was lol. I could try and get my hands one. I do have an old glass reptile tank, don't know if that would help Should do as its effectively a mini greenhouse. Just put some ventilation in it. Place it against the house wall for some residual warmth and preferably in a location that wont remain frosted over for weeks ie where it will receive some winter sun Edited July 29, 2012 by mantrid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimscott Posted July 30, 2012 Report Share Posted July 30, 2012 I'll have to research the use of peat but for now, here's a copy and paste of what WildBill did: A Method of Providing Dormancy (Connecticutt) by Wild Bill The following is the technique used by Wild Bill to protect his plants during the winters of Connecticutt. *Perhaps some of you can benefit from his tips: I'm in Connecticut where we get lots of snow and freezing temps in the winter. *Here's what I did last October and it worked very well; only lost 2 of 100 or so plants. 1. *I built an 8-foot by 4-foot raised garden bed. 2. *Started collecting lots of pine needles. A garbage bag or two full. 3. *Then I filled the raised bed with FREE compost from our local recycling center. 3. *A day or two before dormancy I sprayed down all the plants with a fungicide (powder you mix with water) using a 2 gallon pump-style garden sprayer. 4. *I scooped out little holes and placed all the plants (pots and all) in the raised bed, packing the soil around the pots. *I tried to put the tenderest plants in the center. 5. *Sprayed all plants with fungicide, again. 6. *Strew pine needles over all the plants, about an inch thick layer. 7. *Placed a large sheet of burlap (over the whole bed) on top of the pine needle layer. 8. *Shoveled on a 1 foot deep layer of wood chips on top of the burlap the first week (again = FREE from our recycling center ). 9. *The following week added another foot of wood chips. When spring rolled around, I would remove a few inches of the wood chips as the weather warmed up. *One suggestion John Phillip (NECPS Prez) suggested was to use pine boughs instead of wood chips because you just don't know what's in the stuff from your *recycling center - stuff that could cause disease or otherwise damage your plants. I hope this helps everone. WildBill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoLongFairWell Posted July 30, 2012 Report Share Posted July 30, 2012 Jim the words 'FREE compost from recycling centre' are instilling much fear in me. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimscott Posted July 31, 2012 Report Share Posted July 31, 2012 You get what you pay for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starchy Posted August 29, 2012 Report Share Posted August 29, 2012 The best location I have for my VFTs is in an enclosed addition to the house I live in. The room has heat, but is rarely turned on. The entire north side of the room is window to window with a small counter, which would be perfect to put my VFTs for dormancy except the fact that it is north-facing. All my south-facing windows are in heated locations of the house. In this addition, there is a small east-facing window, but I am unsure if my 2 VFTs will fit on the smaller windowsill. My question is: what is the minimum photoperiod for a VFT in dormancy? flytrapcare says 8-10 hours is ideal, which I do not think would be possible on my north-facing window counter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mantrid Posted August 29, 2012 Report Share Posted August 29, 2012 (edited) This should be fine for dormancy as they are mostly inactive. The light will just give some energy on the warmer days when their cells may be metabolising. If the temp is around 4c or lower then they probably dont require the light anyway. Some people in the tropics put their VFTs in the fridge over winter. This would be around 4c and no light and they survive fine. I think the most important thing in your case ie a cool lit sheltered location would be ensuring they are not too wet as they will develop rot. I would let them dry out until the soil is just damp. Edited August 29, 2012 by mantrid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johns Posted August 29, 2012 Report Share Posted August 29, 2012 My question is: what is the minimum photoperiod for a VFT in dormancy? flytrapcare says 8-10 hours is ideal, which I do not think would be possible on my north-facing window counter I've successfully overwintered venus flytraps and Sarracenias on a south-facing windowsill where the temperature is kept between 4 to 10 degrees celsius. The windowsill receives a little sunlight at the height of the day but is otherwise dim, and the day length here is just below six hours around winter solstice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz Posted September 5, 2012 Report Share Posted September 5, 2012 Hi Marcia and all, I hope it's OK to tag a related question on the end of this thread... Like many of you I've also been contemplating this issue. I'm lucky enough to have a mini-greenhouse where I'll move all my North American plants to as I'll be keeping my main greenhouse a bit warmer. But what I'm unsure about is exactly when should I start preparing for dormancy by reducing water etc. I'm in Derbyshire (UK - North Midlands) and it's already dropping below 10C at night in my main greenhouse, so is it time already? Photoperiod is down to about 12 hours-ish now. What do you guys think? Thanks in advance. Gaz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billynomates666 Posted September 5, 2012 Report Share Posted September 5, 2012 Hi Gaz I wouldnt worry about preparing for dormancy till frosts are forecast, especially as they are in a greenhouse already. The plants will start to go dormant themselves as the temperature and photoperiods drop, as for the watering just carry on your normal regime till you see growth has stopped. Then when that happens pop them into your mini greenhouse and keep just moist over winter. Cheers Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookie0117 Posted September 18, 2012 Report Share Posted September 18, 2012 I have a few old Velux windows that I use as a cold frame. I binned the glass from 1 and stack them up. I have never used them for my CPs but am going to this year. Should be nice for them double glazed an all!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treefella83 Posted September 18, 2012 Report Share Posted September 18, 2012 just finished building a cold frame for my sarras very tight on space so i built one to fit the available space . my small back yard is a nasty frost pocket so i used 10 mm twin wall polycarb instead of glass and im a bit worried about the low light level now . in summer its bleached by the sun but winter its dark cold and nasty thinking of adding artificial lighting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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