FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Would it be safe for me to grow my plants outside once temperatures start climbing? I only have a few windows in my home that get significant sunlight, but my plants leaves eventually become stringy unless I move their pots outside. If you don't live in Texas, temperatures go up to 90 in the spring and well over 100 in the summer (in F) So 32 C in spring and 37C in summer. How should I look out for them while they're in conditions like that? How can I prevent them from going stringy inside if I have to move them in?

Unless you experience a lot of sub freezing temps( colder than 32°F), you should have no problems growing your plants outside year round. I just coached a guy in Arizona through a growing outdoors all winter with his VFT's, and well they are doing great.

Come full scorching summer sun I would advise you to find a way to shade the plants for a couple hours in the afternoon.

http://www.flytrapcare.com/phpBB3/board ... 30434.html
http://www.flytrapcare.com/phpBB3/board ... 31990.html

I'm in southeast Texas and my VFTs stay outside all year and with full sun. As long as I keep water in their trays in the summer they do just fine for me in 100+ degrees weather.

Central and southern texas climate are hospitable to flytraps. A bigger container will help them do well both in summer and winter. In summer it will allow the media to retain more moisture for hot days and in the winter it will provide more insulation from the cold. I've had a real problem with mites. Birds also seem to be curious, not recognizing what VFTs are, and will peck at them and sometimes uproot them. I've found keeping them away from spots where birds can perch helps avoid that.

In the summer you might need to leave the pot(s) in a bowl or tray of water if the media is dehydrating too fast. But like I said, a larger container can also help with that. Some mid day dappled shade will also give them some relief from the intense rays.

Don't fear heat nor freezing. My VFTs experience a maxima of 100 during the summer and a minimal of 20 F during the winter.

xr280xr wrote: Birds also seem to be curious, not recognizing what VFTs are, and will peck at them and sometimes uproot them. I've found keeping them away from spots where birds can perch helps avoid that...

Chicken wire may help with that[SMILING FACE WITH OPEN MOUTH]

Sent from my Z970 using Tapatalk

uusa2000 wrote:

xr280xr wrote:Chicken wire may help with that[SMILING FACE WITH OPEN MOUTH]

It would keep the birds out, but it would also keep me out. Moving them away from the fence and a tree worked for me. I think it was probably the mockingbirds.

I'm in North Texas, and I leave my VFTs out all year long. We may experience up to a week of ice/snow at times, and the VFTs handle that with no problems even being buried under ice/snow for those few days. Also, in the recent years, we have been getting to low 20s or even teens temperatures in the winter, and the VFTs are fine.

As a side note, the same goes for some Saracennia varieties that I'm growing, too. Both the VFTs and Saracennias stay out year-round.

I don't live in Texas but I am in Southern California and we frequently hit over 100 up to 110 in the summer with extremely low humidity and I have never had any problems outdoors. When its gonna be over 100 I usually put up some 30% shade cloth that protects it during the peak of the day, but it is open on the east end so it gets full morning sun before its too warm. I also water daily or leave them in trays when its going to be that hot.