FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

I think I'm really getting obsessed with carnivorous plants. My parents think so too, and aren't as happy about my growing collection as I am. We will be going on vacation over the summer as always though, and I have too many now to take them all. I'll be bringing 6, and making arrangements for the others as well as my non-carnivorous plants to be taken care of. Maybe I can double-pot a couple to bring more. I'll be transferring to SUNY Delhi for their veterinary technology program in the fall. I definitely will not be able to bring them all, but my family will be given instructions and I'll have them send me pictures. I will need to figure out a good way to put them into dormancy next winter though- I have so many that they will not safely fit into the space I've kept them in during winters up to now. It gets cold here, so I don't know how to protect them from freezing if they were put outside. I'll look into that later. Maybe a greenhouse thing would work, but that would be expensive to make. Once that is figured out, I plan to come home for Thanksgiving break, put them all into dormancy, and take them out at the start of the spring semester. Francis, my cape sundew, doesn't need dormancy, right? I have time to work on this.

The winter dormancy setup will be the second biggest issue in my eyes. I'll start a thread about that later after finals end. I plan to go over with my parents (my sisters show no interest) how to re-pot in case of emergency, and will increase the cat protection. Luckily, my cats haven't attacked the new setup with popsicle sticks and sticky tape covering every surface, but I still worry every time I hear noises in the night.

Correction- Summer will be my biggest concern. I can only bring six with me on vacation all summer, and I have a lot now. My family will be gone too, and my friends aren't willing to babysit them. I may just end up having to leave instructions with the person who feeds our cats. I visited SUNY Delhi last weekend, and learned that I should be able to bring some plants. I wonder if it is possible to request a south facing window? I just hope my future roommate ends up being okay with vfts.

I always get nervous when I leave my plants under someone else's care. I might be going on vacation soon too so I believe I'm going to have to delay my plant's growing seasons even further (keeping them inside until maybe the 21st of May. It's not preferred but I dont want to leave them in full sun for a week and a half and risk someone forgetting to water, or not being there if they start to burn. Only thing saving mine is the growlights.)

How many plants do you have that you cannot bring them all to college? I usually have to bring two cars for all my plants, or I'm limited to one suitcase and all my plants in the car.

I have a solution but your not gonna like it... Take ONE of each plant, probably the biggest and most healthy. If you have too many varieties than your gonna have to pick your favorites. I think you could take 3-4 pots with about a 6-7 inch diameter and fit 4 flytraps in each pot. I don't know the sizes of your other plants so... I would NOT leave any flytraps with your family they WILL die, Pitcher Plants are a little tougher. I am of course referring to your college transfer. Actually just get together with friends and rent a house maybe after the first year than you can get all of your plants back! After you have picked your favorite CP's about 4 maybe 5 pots worth, sell/ trade your other plants to fellow CP lovers here on the forum, that way they could have a good home. In about a year or so if you make friends and rent a house or bigger apartment you can than rebuild your collection.

Being OCD about collecting myself I realize how hard this may be but you must think of your plants first! And remember its only temporary!

Sam T.

kronos1996 wrote:Actually just get together with friends and rent a house maybe after the first year than you can get all of your plants back! In about a year or so if you make friends and rent a house or bigger apartment you can than rebuild your collection.

If you can, make sure you pick a house where the neighbors children have no interest in watering your plants. I have ALL mine under growlights for this reason! I could leave mine at the campus greenhouse but I prefer to come home to my plants. Maybe if you "buddy up" with a greenhouse at your school or somewhere near they can help you out.

I was already planning to group them into fewer pots. I don't have as many plants as some other people on here do, as I've only really been getting more this year. Bad timing, I know. Currently, I'm using about 15 styrofoam cups as pots, and most have only one plant. If I try to group them at least 4 to a pot as you suggested, I should be able to bring most of them with me. I'm going to have to do some more thinking.