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Dormancy when a Sarra is still throwing out new leaves?


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I have a sarra (specific type unknown, but not a purp judging by the tall straight pitchers) that I put on my windowsill some months ago. The ones in my greenhouse are all showing signs of entering dormancy, but this one is putting out quite a lot of new leaves.

Do I leave it indoors for a while longer, or put it in the greenhouse, even though this means stunting all these new leaves?

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No, as I said, it's definitely not a purp. Probably some mixed hybrid, but it happens to be a particularly nice one.

Anyway, I was expecting to be told it needs to go outside. Shame, but if that's best for the plant, then that's what I'll do. It can always come back inside in the spring.

Thanks to both of you.

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There are some sarracenia that peak early such as oreophila and flava. Pure oreophila are not really growing anymore during summer for example. And there are also some sarracenia that have their peak late summer/autumn such as leucophylla. This is the reason why carniflora produces hybrids that are the result of crossing late season growers with early season growers.

Edited by Killian
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My rule of thumb that I tell people is Halloween to Valentine's Day somewhere cold. As for chopping back, I start on the 1st November and take every upright Sarracenia down to about two inches.

Nigel 

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My plants are already been put to dormant by now. However for me February is still too early and actually thats the coldest winter month for us so I always prolong their dormancy untill late March or early April. Its better to give then somehow a bit too long dormancy than introduce them to too low light levels and suprising freezes...

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On 10/28/2016 at 8:23 AM, Nigel H-C said:

My rule of thumb that I tell people is Halloween to Valentine's Day somewhere cold. As for chopping back, I start on the 1st November and take every upright Sarracenia down to about two inches.

Nigel 

Well, for most of my plants that need dormancy it's not really a question for me, as they are in the greenhouse, so they get the cold weather when the cold weather comes. It was just the couple of sarras I have inside that were the question. I'd heard to keep them outside from the beginning of November to the beginning of March, which matches with your advice at the start, but is a month longer than yours at the end.

As for cutting them back, why do you do this? I can understand cutting back dying leaves, but why cut them all back? Don't they need leaves for photosynthesis?

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I cut them back for convenience sake as it takes around six weeks to do. It also removes any dead growth in the nursery and means I only need to do the job once. With around 8000 sarrys in the greenhouse i need to run a tight ship. It doesn't affect the plants negatively.

Nigel

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5 minutes ago, Nigel H-C said:

I cut them back for convenience sake as it takes around six weeks to do. It also removes any dead growth in the nursery and means I only need to do the job once. With around 8000 sarrys in the greenhouse i need to run a tight ship. It doesn't affect the plants negatively.

Ah, I guess that answers it! I have a rather more modest set up, with maybe 60 decent-sized sarras, so not quite such a big job!

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1 hour ago, Alexis said:

It needs to be 6C for photosynthesis to take place (and light), so with a dark December and cold January and February, I doubt they photosynthesise much at all over the winter in this country.

Well cut off both my legs and call me Shorty! I never knew that. Thanks for the info.

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On 28/10/2016 at 8:23 AM, Nigel H-C said:

My rule of thumb that I tell people is Halloween to Valentine's Day somewhere cold. As for chopping back, I start on the 1st November and take every upright Sarracenia down to about two inches.

Nigel 

Any reason for 2" could it be shorter ?

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2 hours ago, Deltatango301 said:

Any reason for 2" could it be shorter ?

I would imagine it's to prevent any unnecessary factors promoting rot. If the leaves are cut very low (at the soil level) and the pot experiences damp conditions, then the cut end will act as as a wick and absorb water from the damp soil. This could cause rot/mould in the old tissue, which could easily spread to the rhizome.

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42 minutes ago, Alexis said:

I still have one plant that is about 2 days away from opening its autumn pitchers - a 'Diane Whitaker' x leucophylla. So even in the greenhouse they can still grow into November!

Yes, I still have fresh growth on some of mine in the greenhouse too. I think being in the relatively mild-wintered south helps!

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