This doesn't look good

[fnglazz]

Any idea what is happening here? I've sprayed it with Provado bug killer, not sure if that will help.

 

 

[FredG]

You're right, the plants are in an awful state. By the looks of them they;re neglected under a bench with little or no airflow and reduced light. You appear to have old aphid / scale damage and what looks like mildew / botrytis.

The Provado  should have taken care of any remaining parasites so now you need to clean up the plants by removing all that old dead and dying growth and improve their growing conditions. With luck you may save a proportion of what you had.

[fnglazz]

You're right, the plants are in an awful state. By the looks of them they;re neglected under a bench with little or no airflow and reduced light. You appear to have old aphid / scale damage and what looks like mildew / botrytis.

The Provado  should have taken care of any remaining parasites so now you need to clean up the plants by removing all that old dead and dying growth and improve their growing conditions. With luck you may save a proportion of what you had.

 

Hmm. Little or no airflow, sure, because I've closed the doors and vents to the greenhouse in case of unexpected frost appearing. However a shortage of light shouldn't be an issue as they are not under a bench, but on the top shelf of my greenhouse. 

[FredG]

You must have ventilation. What do you have that needs frost protection?

[Carnivine]

I leave my greenhouse doors open all year round. I have sarracenia vft and darlingtonia in there. Plants that need more warmth are moved to another greenhouse which is heated during the colder months.

Edited November 29, 2014 by Carnivine

[fnglazz]

You must have ventilation. What do you have that needs frost protection?

 

I was under the impression that Cobra Lily's, Sarracenia's, VFT's and Sundews all required some sort of frost protection. My understanding was that they could tolerate *some* frost, but prolonged amounts could be harmful to the plants. What is your take on it?

[FredG]

I have my vft, Darlingtonia, Sarracenia, in unheated greenhouses with the vents open all winter. The greenhouses went to -18C (0F) in the bad prolonged winter of 2010/11. Although I wouldn't advise so low a temperature, the plants are capable of surviving this provided the pots are big enough. My Cephalotus were also subject to this temperature.  I believe the killer is constant freeze / thaw cycle. Once frozen it's best to leave them frozen. 

[cookie0117]

I was under the impression that Cobra Lily's, Sarracenia's, VFT's and Sundews all required some sort of frost protection. My understanding was that they could tolerate *some* frost, but prolonged amounts could be harmful to the plants. What is your take on it?

 

As Fred said Cobras, Sarracenia and VFT will take pretty much anything the UK can throw at them, especially down south.  A green house will protect you from the wind and rain and give them a good start in the spring.  Sundews are a different story, it all depends on what sundew, some are tropical and others native to the UK so really depends on which ones you have.

[billynomates666]

Hi Fnglazz

 

My VFTs and sundews sit out all year round in outside bogs, including the recent bad winter that Fred referred to, and came through OK. The dews I have are native types, capansis and binata and although the latter two die back to below soil level they grow back, eventually. Darlingtonia don't need frost protection unless it us unusually severe.

Survival with plants in winter has a lot has to do with the size of pot they are in and the effect of desiccating winds that I find are more damaging.

Cheers

Steve