FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

OK, so I live in Florida, "the sunshine state", but my patio does not allow enough direct sun to keep my carnivorous plants looking all that healthy. I am constantly seeing posts in the forum about grow lights and or supplemental lighting from other people having the same trouble. I first thought about fluorescent lights but they are too big and have to pretty much sit on your plants to do any good and LEDs are expensive and not adequate (in my opinion) for VFTs. I live in a small apartment so I can't get to fancy or throw too much cash at the problem! HERE IS THE SOLUTION: (mod edit: link fixed: http://www.ebay.com/itm/150w-High-Press ... 1c1d0bf245) My buddy turned me on to these and they are perfect for growing carnivorous plants in small spaces especially fly traps! I have a green house that I put it in but it works great anywhere! I put my VFTs under it for a few hours a day (4-8 hours usually) after the morning sun they get on my patio. As soon as I introduced this to my plants they instantly responded! Within a few days the new traps on the red varieties started turning deep red and they all started growing vigorously. I set it above my plants around 6 to 8 inches so they don't burn. The light puts out some heat but not anything dangerous to most carnivorous plants unless it is confined in a small place, then I would suggest a fan. Here is the greenhouse I put it in with some fans, but without the cover on it no fans are really needed. (mod edit: link fixed: http://www.amazon.com/Gardman-R687-4-Ti ... rdman+R687) I just set the light on the top shelf and the plants below on the next shelf. It is working on my pineapples, strawberries, Sarracenias, and FVTs! The flytraps I will only use the light on during the growing season. In September or October I will just place the fly traps on the sunny side of my patio and let them go through a normal dormancy like they did the year before. I may give them a lil' supplemental light from time to time during the winter but very little and in small quantities. If you love your CPs like I do and want them to look optimal this light is worth every penny! Hope this helps. If your plants don't look all that great and they get proper water and medium then IT IS PROBABLY LACK OF DIRECT SUN LIGHT!

Veronis edit - 8/23/2012: Confirmed/repaired original links.

Cool I want one now but the item does not seem to be available. Do you know what it is called?

I believe the link he was trying to paste was this one:

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/200727225009

-Jamie M.

Lovely, I generally just order my lighting from HTGSupply.com. They are amazing and the lights are pretty good deal.

Ae9803 wrote:Lovely, I generally just order my lighting from HTGSupply.com. They are amazing and the lights are pretty good deal.

I'm probably going to order this one, seeing as they are in Canada. Just need to decide on the 2ft or the 4ft models:

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/300691921250

-Jamie M.

It would depend. How large or small is your setup?

Ae9803 wrote:It would depend. How large or small is your setup?

I have no setup yet

I'm getting shipped 6 sundews to start, and they should arrive soon:

Drosera oblanceolata
Drosera spatulata, Gold Coast, Queensland
Drosera natalensis
Drosera venusta
Drosera aliciae
and hopefully my favourite, Drosera sp. "Lantau Island"

I found a great deal on this metal wire rack system, it's stackable for extra height as well as the shelves are fully adjustable (and removable):


http://bit.ly/3TierWireShelf

So the dimensions of that shelf system is 23" wide x 13" deep x 30" high. I'll stack two of them for 60" total vertical height.

To go along with that rack unit I'm thinking these grow lights instead (great deal for $70 including bulbs!):


http://www.ebay.ca/itm/120954128295

I e-mailed the supplier and they said I could go with 4 x T5 24watt 6500k and because they are super close to me, I can go and pick it up and save $$ off the price!! yay

The lights are 23.5" wide x 7" deep x 2.5" high. It should fit easily in/on/hanging from that wire shelf system, as it can stick out the sides the .5" if need be

I'm hoping that single light will be enough for six sundew's in six 6" pots (technically it might be enough to run two rows of 4 pots so eight 6" pots in total).

I'm thinking these pots, they have holes in the bottom so the water trough they sit in will keep them moist from the bottom:


http://bit.ly/6inGreenPlanter

Let me know if you think that's enough light, or if you have any other suggestions

-Jamie M.

oh ok

I got my setup all set up

4 x 24 watt 6500k T5's


LICK FOR HIGH RES!

Feeding light to my six sundews (Drosera oblanceolata, Drosera spatulata Gold Coast Queensland, Drosera spatulata Spoon Leaf, my favourite Drosera natalensis, Drosera venusta, Drosera aliciae, and a random VFT that http://www.keehnscarnivores.ca threw in for free!)


LICK FOR HIGH RES!

Sitting in a nice deep water bath


LICK FOR HIGH RES!

With 4 x 7 watt blue LED's as night lights


LICK FOR HIGH RES!

And a close up of my favourite, Drosera natalensis


LICK FOR HIGH RES!

I can't believe how well they survived shipping! I'll give them another week or so to get over the shock, then I'll feed the few showing dew already

-Jamie M.

I'd have to agree with the first post. HPS is the way to go. If you know a lil about wiring you can buy security lights at Lowes for around $30. All they need is a plug added to them. The growth you get is amazing.

They are amazing and the lights are pretty good deal.