FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Hi!

Im new to this forum and to the whole venus fly trap care. I recently bought a VFT and apparently I didnt do my research well because I just read that I should have cut the flower stem instead of letting it grow. Unfortunately its to late for that. My VFT grew the stem flowered and the stem is in a state where it cant stand (leans sideways). I think Iv done enough harm already and before I do anything further I wanted to ask for some advice from you guys. What can I do now for my plant to live on healthily during dormancy and how and when should I cut the stem? thanks

I added Some photos of "Rudolph"

Hello.

You can cut the stem when it is 2-3" long and put it in sphagnum or peat moss. You will then get plantlets growing. (If it works).

Letting your plant flower is not necessarily a bad thing. You might have a smaller plant but flowering does not, under normal circumstances, put your plant in a life or death situation. Plus you get seeds out of it. It's a tradeoff.

Assuming that you live in the Northern Hemisphere and that it's currently summer for you, my advice for you is to keep taking care of your plant like you have been. Rudolph looks very healthy and happy. Good for you! You should cut the stem when it dies back completely. Just like how you should wait for a trap to die back completely before you trim it, you should wait for a flower stalk to die back completely before you prune it. The stalk can still photosynthesize for your plant and when it dies back, the rest of the plant will absorb the nutrients stored inside. The stalk should not get any larger so you do not have to worry about it taking any more energy from the rest of the plant.

Also Rudolph is a cute name. Happy growing!

I agree with Alan. Rudolph looks to be quite happy, so just keep caring for him as you have been and go ahead and snip off the stalk once it starts turning black and he has reclaimed much of the nutrition from the stalk.

Hi guys!

Thanks so much for the advice! I had a small panic moment there when I read that I shouldnt have let it grow. I will do as you guys say and wait until it goes all black. Lets see how it goes.

Hi Everyone!

Its me again and I have come for some advice on the new milestone I have reached:)

Rudolph seems to be doing ok after flowering this summer. The leaves have no traps but it seems like a small new side VFT is growing (you will understand what I mean from the photos). I thought he would go through the winter in this weaker state and once it starts getting warmer he will grow the traps and the stem again but it started growing the stem already. Quite fast too. I was thinking of cutting the stem since he's already weak but I thought Id ask you guys what you think before I do anything.

Also do you guys think I need to repot the plant anytime soon?

Thanks for all the help!!

I bought a light bulb and need help here's the link https://www.bltdirect.com/energy-saving ... lternative witch lamp do I buy?

Abdul wrote:I bought a light bulb and need help here's the link https://www.bltdirect.com/energy-saving ... lternative witch lamp do I buy?

Sorry have no idea about this. I am not using any lights for my plants. Only natural light.

That doesn't look like a flytrap, is this the same plant?

MichaelGuardian wrote:That doesn't look like a flytrap, is this the same plant?

Its the same one yes. It grew these long leaves with tiny traps at the tips and the middle tall one is the flower stem.

Thanks for clarifying, it looks light starved, give it more light and it should produce more traps

MichaelGuardian wrote:Thanks for clarifying, it looks light starved, give it more light and it should produce more traps

Thanks for the tip! I thought it was like this because i let the stem grow during the summer and this is the groggy state people talk about. Put it closer to light now.
I also read some other posts and decided to cut the growing stem before it took more of the plants energy. I cut it and put it in the soil next to the parent plant. Lets see if I get a new plant you think that was the right move?

Yeah, sounds good

"Groggy" (dormant) plants get short and fat, with leaves that hug the ground. Any plant that gets lanky and pale like that is desperate for more light.