FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Matt wrote: Yes, they look dormant to me. I don't think that there's anywhere in the continental US where flytraps won't go dormant during the winter months. In the lower latitudes, like Florida and Texas, they just don't go as dormant. But they still get plenty of rest to grow normally.

Ah that's such a relief! I was expecting them to look as if they were dying but was surprised when they stayed looking really beautiful and healthy, so I was worried they might have skipped dormancy. But as long as they got some rest, I can't WAIT to see how they grow in spring and summer!

I might repot them in the next couple weeks instead! I'm a bit nervous about it since I've grown really fond of these guys and don't want to mess anything up and potentially kill them;; But I think they will really benefit from a bigger pot now that it's been a year.

Thanks again for your help!

Hi, I'm a complete newbie. I have read the main care pages and searched through the forum but I can't find what I'm looking for exactly.

I just got my very first vft. I just wanted one as a pet but I still want to give it the best care I can. I received it through the mail and I think its in the end of dormancy but of course I'm not sure. It's green with no pink in its mouths and its not responsive. I found plenty about putting vft's into dormancy but not about getting them out of it. I don't know what to do for it. Do just need to wait or can I encourage it somehow. That is if it's even in dormancy. I put it on the window seal where it gets plenty of light, I open the window to let in the warm air, and I keep it's soil moist but not soggy.

Sit the pot in a shallow water tray and use only distilled water or rain water. About an inch deep. It'll wake up slowly on it's own. When the weather warms up and it gets past the last frost where you are SLOWLY acclimate the plant to full Sun outdoors.

so im new to vft and i was wondering how and when should i put my vft in to dormancy and how to wake it up from dormancy

P.S i feed my vft tap water is that bad or does it not matter

PP.S ive had it about 3 4 weeks and its fine


PPP.S its doesn't get a ton of sun and its fine it gets about 7 hours o indirect sunlight a day is that fine

sam728 wrote:so im new to vft and i was wondering how and when should i put my vft in to dormancy and how to wake it up from dormancy

P.S i feed my vft tap water is that bad or does it not matter

PP.S ive had it about 3 4 weeks and its fine


PPP.S its doesn't get a ton of sun and its fine it gets about 7 hours o indirect sunlight a day is that fine

Tap water is a NO NO unless it's TDS is below 50 ppm. Use distilled water or rainwater. Sit the plant in a shallow container with an inch of the right kind of water in it. Flytraps need at least 8 hours or more of Sun daily. Don't worry about dormancy this year, in the fall it will need to go dormant.

Hi,... I am from Indonesia which have tropical climate. There is no winter. So, what should i do to make my Venus Fly Trap dorman? Thanks b4.

nugraha wrote:Hi,... I am from Indonesia which have tropical climate. There is no winter. So, what should i do to make my Venus Fly Trap dorman? Thanks b4.

You can use the refrigerator method. Here's what I do:

For VFTs, I drain off excess water from the pots, hit them with a sulphur based fungicide and place in zip lock bags and pop them in the fridge for 3-4 months. Late winter around March I take them out and place in a south and west window until night time temps. Regularly stay above freezing then slowly acclimate them to full outdoor Sun.

Hi, I tried to look for an answer before posting, but there are too many posts, lol. So, this is my VFT, got it a couple months ago and it was looking healthy. I kept it inside, next to the window, so it got all the morning sun. I use distilled water every 3-4 days.
Since two weeks ago it stopped growing and as the weather got better I decided to put them outside and stopped watering. I was afraid to over water and now I'm waiting to dry completely before water it again.
Wasn't it supposed to be waking from dormancy? And, I got it during dormancy period but it didn't seem to be dormant, maybe it got dormant after that? Is that possible that the dormancy period started later? Does it look like it's dying?

Sarytta wrote:Hi, I tried to look for an answer before posting, but there are too many posts, lol. So, this is my VFT, got it a couple months ago and it was looking healthy. I kept it inside, next to the window, so it got all the morning sun. I use distilled water every 3-4 days.
Since two weeks ago it stopped growing and as the weather got better I decided to put them outside and stopped watering. I was afraid to over water and now I'm waiting to dry completely before water it again.
Wasn't it supposed to be waking from dormancy? And, I got it during dormancy period but it didn't seem to be dormant, maybe it got dormant after that? Is that possible that the dormancy period started later? Does it look like it's dying?

uh, you should NEVER let your flytrap dry completely! the rule of thumb is "moist not wet all the time". basically you let it dry to just moist, then thoroughly water. I let mine dry and use my finger to check the moisture level right below the surface; if it's still moist I don't water. if it's dry a 1/2" to an inch down I water. but they should never dry out completely. that will kill your flytrap.

Sarytta wrote:Hi, I tried to look for an answer before posting, but there are too many posts, lol. So, this is my VFT, got it a couple months ago and it was looking healthy. I kept it inside, next to the window, so it got all the morning sun. I use distilled water every 3-4 days.
Since two weeks ago it stopped growing and as the weather got better I decided to put them outside and stopped watering. I was afraid to over water and now I'm waiting to dry completely before water it again.
Wasn't it supposed to be waking from dormancy? And, I got it during dormancy period but it didn't seem to be dormant, maybe it got dormant after that? Is that possible that the dormancy period started later? Does it look like it's dying?

You are killing it. It needs to be sitting in a shallow tray of water at all times during the growing season. It needs to be acclimated slowly to FULL all day Sun.

tommyr wrote:

Sarytta wrote:Hi, I tried to look for an answer before posting, but there are too many posts, lol. So, this is my VFT, got it a couple months ago and it was looking healthy. I kept it inside, next to the window, so it got all the morning sun. I use distilled water every 3-4 days.
Since two weeks ago it stopped growing and as the weather got better I decided to put them outside and stopped watering. I was afraid to over water and now I'm waiting to dry completely before water it again.
Wasn't it supposed to be waking from dormancy? And, I got it during dormancy period but it didn't seem to be dormant, maybe it got dormant after that? Is that possible that the dormancy period started later? Does it look like it's dying?

You are killing it. It needs to be sitting in a shallow tray of water at all times during the growing season. It needs to be acclimated slowly to FULL all day Sun.

it was recommended to me to start the tray method. but instead of sitting in it 24/7, I was instructed to fill my trays with about 1/4" of water (I have mine in regular cups), then once it's sucked up let it be for a couple of days, then refill. that way the roots get some oxygen exchange, and the plant won't be soggy all the time

You probably know that my plants need to hibernate in their fridge because it's my only place where they can do that. Each October 31, I tuck each potted one into a separate Ziplock bag, spray Safer brand 3-in-1 Fungicide into the bag, zip it, and put it into the 45-degree fridge with a thermometer in it.

Matt suggested a document that told me to bare-root each plant, rinse it, put the plants into an NZLFSM-lined Tupperware container, spray the fungicide on them, cover the container, and refrigerate it.

I leave the plants in their pots because in the wild, they would stay in the ground. Should I do that or use Matt's method instead? To save room in the fridge, I could put each plant into its own NZLFSM-lined bag.

BillMcEnaneyJr wrote:You probably know that my plants need to hibernate in their fridge because it's my only place where they can do that. Each October 31, I tuck each potted one into a separate Ziplock bag, spray Safer brand 3-in-1 Fungicide into the bag, zip it, and put it into the 45-degree fridge with a thermometer in it.

Matt suggested a document that told me to bare-root each plant, rinse it, put the plants into an NZLFSM-lined Tupperware container, spray the fungicide on them, cover the container, and refrigerate it.

I leave the plants in their pots because in the wild, they would stay in the ground. Should I do that or use Matt's method instead? To save room in the fridge, I could put each plant into its own NZLFSM-lined bag.

Either way works just fine. If any of them need to be re-potted next spring you could bare root those to save a bit of time later on.

I live in Indiana, should l bring it in? And if so can I put it in a east facing window until the temperature outside reaches around 40 degrees?

I live in Indiana, should l bring it in? And if so can I put it in a east facing window until the temperature outside reaches around 40 degrees?