FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Here's a bunch of new flytraps I got from the FTS. Do they seem to be planted well? I had some trouble, particularly with the maroon monsters, getting the rhizome in deep because the leaves are so curly and stiff. There's some Red Piranhas in with the Czech G if you look closely.

From the above view, they all look well planted. It's a bit easier to tell for sure if the photo is taken at soil level so I can see where the soil is relative to the rhizome. But from what I can see in those photos, they plants look well planted and ready to grow when spring arrives

xr280xr wrote:I had some trouble, particularly with the maroon monsters, getting the rhizome in deep because the leaves are so curly and stiff.

One way to make it easier to plant Venus Flytraps in dormancy when the leaves have a lot of downward curving, ground hugging pressure, is to let them dry out a little before potting, in shade, not direct sunlight. This will make the leaves more flexible and less brittle, less likely to break.

Another way is to pot the plant so that at first the curled leaves are buried somewhat, and then slowly pry and tease each leaf up with a toothpick or something, pushing soil underneath the area that is pried up, and firming the soil and compacting it only after all the leaves have been pried to the surface. It's also easier to do if the growing crown is placed a little higher than it normally would be, and if protected from frost, that should be fine. The plant will bury itself to a comfortable level with each successive leaf as it grows in the Spring.

Nice plants!

Here's another picture, but couldn't really get a great angle. Thanks for the tips Steve. I'll have to try that next time. They are very nice plants. Thanks guys!

Thanks for the additional pic. Yep, they look very well potted

Just thought I'd give an update. All but the seed grown have really started waking up. The seed grown plants are also growing but slowly.

I was sort of hoping someone would say so in my initial post, but just to make sure I have my bases covered: Do you think having the Red Piranha in the same pot as the others will pose a problem due to their difference in size? The Red Piranha so much bigger bigger before I potted them... should they be able to handle full sun as well as the larger ones and could the length of the roots pose a watering schedule problem?

P.S. I love the maroon monsters already. Thanks! Pretty crazy, I still haven't had to water them since I planted them. The soil was pretty wet from rinsing at the time.

xr280xr wrote:Do you think having the Red Piranha in the same pot as the others will pose a problem due to their difference in size?

Not unless they're planted very close together (and the larger plant blocks out light) and judging from the photo, they don't appear to be.

xr280xr wrote:The Red Piranha so much bigger bigger before I potted them... should they be able to handle full sun as well as the larger ones and could the length of the roots pose a watering schedule problem?

Oh I see...you're more worried about water and heat than the plant getting adequate light. You do need to be sure not to let the surface get too hot and too dry for smaller plants. They can definitely suffer if they can't get all the water they need and smaller plants with less well developed root systems have a tougher time sucking water from deep in the soil than larger plants do. Just watch the plants for any negative signs and you should be able to keep both of them happy and not over water the larger plant.

Matt wrote: Not unless they're planted very close together (and the larger plant blocks out light) and judging from the photo, they don't appear to be.

Ya my hope and choice of placement originally was that the Czech giant might provide some dappled shade for them on hot days if they start to grow more upright.

I forgot to point out the flower stalk coming up on the CG above.

xr280xr wrote:Ya my hope and choice of placement originally was that the Czech giant might provide some dappled shade for them on hot days if they start to grow more upright.

Czech Giant will definitely have upright growth for much of the season, so that may work out for you.

xr280xr wrote:I forgot to point out the flower stalk coming up on the CG above.

Yeah, yeah...all you lucky southerners get to experience spring much sooner than us up here in the Pacific Northwest

We'll see if it sticks around this time. My others (not new plants) actually haven't all quite woken up yet. I think this one was especially glad to get out of Ashland.