FlyTrapCare Forums

i guess an easy way to find out is buy a cheap garden thermometer and stick it in the soil, and make some notes about temp's so over time you can get a good idea if it fluctuates a lot or a little.

might have to throw a vft in sand myself, were still in winter so its probably not a bad time to do it coz' it'll be settled in by summer.

How many times have you fed your plant? It looks like at least a few times. I've been feeding my plants a lot. I've had them for only 4-5 weeks and fed them each about 5-8 times each and they already doubled in size. I think that its the feeding and not the soil. I'm growing in 100% peat. Someone posted in another thread how they fed 1/2 plants and 1/2 unfed and after a few months the unfed were just smaller.

jht-union wrote:

Oblivion wrote:ever walked on hot sand at the beach
i guess if you keep the water level real high it might be ok but then you risk root rot.

I can see why you're saying this.

Oblivion wrote:i guess it depends how hot your summers are too.

Summers here are weird like any other season in the east coast of USA(since 2008 it has been crazy), 2009 only went to about 100F, 2010 we had tons of heat waves so it went up to 115F. And well summer is just starting, so no idea how it will be, my guess is even hotter than last year, weeks ago was 103F outside, so i should expect temps to climb to at least 120F this summer, also one other thing to mention is that humidity is pretty much high always, except in heat waves when it deeps to the lower teens, but that's very rarely, even with heat waves humidity stays around 30%. But i will be paying attention if i see any change or something. for the most part is going really well, and i haven't had any issues with it!

Yikes! this sounds almost like Maryland weather!!
I have to cover my little greenhouse or I'll get cooked plants!! Even with east only sun!

victor wrote:Yeah i've seen those mites around some of my flowers and shrubs.
A few is okay but when there are lots of them they become desturctive pests
and a spary of insectisicide is needed

I've seen several little bugs around my house that look something like that.
I dont know what they are, but so far they havent harmed any plants

There are lots of benficial mites that live in the soil/compost.

jht-union wrote:

Steve_D wrote:Yes, that looks like a mite. But most mites around plants are soil mites (there are I think hundreds of species, including mites that eat other mites) and those are harmless to the plant. however, if it colonizes the leaves and begins to lay eggs on the leaves, then it is a destructive mite and you should kill it when you can.

i have seen quiet a few white smaller mites moving in the soil a lot, specially close to the center of the plant, i'm guessing they use it for refugee and they hide under the leaves for protection.

I think the ones i'm mentioning are the ones that are harmless to the plant, but just to be sure, i will be posting pictures of some flytraps tomorrow and i'll try to get the back part of the leaves as well, and some of the mites. Is the first time i see them and i hope is nothing bad.

I think i should be getting a weak pesticide or miticide of some sort, just to spray my plants one time, i will probably use a very weak solution mix with water. Does miticide have an effect on the growth of VFT's or any other plant?
The near-by lowes i have has miticides and pesticides, any brand reccomended, or anything it shouldn't have or that i should look for?
( i will be posting pictures first time in the morning, and i will be waiting for answers regarding pesticides and miticides, i'll go ASAP to lowes depending on what you guys(or Steve) reccomend.

Thank you!

I have used this http://www.bayergarden.co.uk/products/p ... egoryid=13 on VFTs and Sundews, doesnt seem to affect the dew either.

Littleshopofhorrors, commercial grower near me recommends it on their site too.

The aerosol is a fine mist so you dont get any chance of a "drenching" effect from a spray.

Oblivion wrote:i guess an easy way to find out is buy a cheap garden thermometer and stick it in the soil, and make some notes about temp's so over time you can get a good idea if it fluctuates a lot or a little.

might have to throw a vft in sand myself, were still in winter so its probably not a bad time to do it coz' it'll be settled in by summer.

I have a thermometer, and will do that for several days and then post back here, i'm guessing i have to dip a bit the thermometer right?

bigred wrote:How many times have you fed your plant? It looks like at least a few times. I've been feeding my plants a lot. I've had them for only 4-5 weeks and fed them each about 5-8 times each and they already doubled in size. I think that its the feeding and not the soil. I'm growing in 100% peat. Someone posted in another thread how they fed 1/2 plants and 1/2 unfed and after a few months the unfed were just smaller.

I don't feed my plants, they catch their own insects.
I wouldn't say the soil doesn't affect VFT growth, both the feeding as well as the soil affects their growth, read this:
http://www.flytrapcare.com/phpBB3/sphag ... 11736.html .
I'm trying to set up something to grow some crickets from petsmart, feeding VFT's takes their color, but it does help them grow bigger, just like the type of soil.

Jaws wrote:I have used this http://www.bayergarden.co.uk/products/p ... egoryid=13 on VFTs and Sundews, doesnt seem to affect the dew either.

Littleshopofhorrors, commercial grower near me recommends it on their site too.

The aerosol is a fine mist so you dont get any chance of a "drenching" effect from a spray.

Thanks!

I need to take a trip to lowe's and see if they have that one overthere, i will also put pics of the miticides and pesticides they have, i really feel i should get one at least to have if something were to attack my plants!

jht-union wrote:I have a thermometer, and will do that for several days and then post back here, i'm guessing i have to dip a bit the thermometer right?

id put the end of the thermometer in the soil so its not in the tray of water which will give a false reading (colder)
i'd do it so its just reading the dryer sands temp

Oblivion wrote:id put the end of the thermometer in the soil so its not in the tray of water which will give a false reading (colder)
i'd do it so its just reading the dryer sands temp

But i have to dip a bit the thermometer in the silica sand right, because if i leave it there receiving sun, then that will give a false reading as well. Maybe a few centimeters?

sounds about right to me, jht !

Yea Jht, down in the sand.

I need to start using my "real" vocabulary instead of rushing to type. Sand is sand. I wil no longer call peat soil because it isn't. Like I said before, all that sand is doing is providing drainage, aeration and keeping the soil cool for the plants. Nothing else. A 50/50 peat/sand or the 75/25 sand/peat mix i use sometimes works just as well as long as it's just moist. jht, there are a lot of videos on youtube on how to care for crickets. All you need is to pt them in a container with some vegetables or fruit, and a dish of potting soil (peat didnt work for me) for them to lay their eggs in.

Oblivion wrote:sounds about right to me, jht !

the thermometer is a little too big to put in the pot, is one of those massive ones, i'm trying to come up with something, but really the only way to find out is with a thermometer.

Well VFT's in the wild(if you have seen brad's pics) some are growing in all silica sand, but i understand they are in the wild, while mine is in a 6-inch pot.
I will get a smaller thermometer, next time i go to a hospital, i'll ask for one!

jamez- I had some crickets in a small container, i fed them betta fish food pellets, i gave my VFT's double nutrition!

I'm getting more fancier with my set-up, and i will use two square containers, with a hole to the side to fit a paper towel roll and connect both containers!
I will be posting pics when i do the set-up!
Thanks!

Then there will be a paper towel roll halfway through both pots...