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Ask questions about how to grow and care for Venus Flytraps

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By Zeretuel
Posts:  16
Joined:  Thu Dec 26, 2013 5:26 am
#202011
Hey fellow VFT growers. Ive given periodic updates here and there on my Hydra, but am now running into some new things that Ive read suggestions going either way on the subjects.

Image

Theres my plant, my first question is the obvious one, what to do with the flower stalk. Id prefer to have my plan just grow bigger and not have the growth stop, but is it detrimental at this point to cut the stalk? and if i should cut it, do i do that at the base?

next question kinda related is if/where i should cut those ones that have clearly dead heads but still have some green in the leaf stems.

Beyond that i guess just any advice on how you guys think it looks would be helpful, if i should repot or resoil or anything like that.

thanks guys! ive been so excited watching this guy since dormancy with all the new growth.

o and how come some of them seem to be curling and growing down into the soil as opposed to upward?

thanks as always guys!
By SundewWolf
Posts:  2219
Joined:  Fri Mar 08, 2013 2:38 pm
#202012
The flower is pretty developed at this point, so I would just let it flower. It may look a bit unhealthy afterwords but should recover. BUT...I would also put it outside. Indoor lighting and flowering is a bad combo. It most likely will not get the energy it needs to support itself and a flower indoors unless you have a growlight.

Second, I would just cut as close the leaves as close to the soil as possible. If its not bothering you too bad you could just leave the traps there until the entire things is black and able to be pulled off easily.

You may want to put it in a deeper pot too, but I can't accurately judge from the picture. How wide/deep of a container is that?
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By Matt
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Joined:  Mon Apr 21, 2008 11:28 pm
#202019
I'd recommend snipping off the flower stalk as soon as possible. Some people recommend letting the flower stalks remain if they are fairly developed, but in my experience, the flower stalks really sap energy from the plant during the flowering process and when trying to set seed. Best to cut them off when they're really small, but if you miss doing so at that time, I think it's better to cut them off before the flowers start opening.
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By SundewWolf
Posts:  2219
Joined:  Fri Mar 08, 2013 2:38 pm
#202025
Matt wrote:I'd recommend snipping off the flower stalk as soon as possible. Some people recommend letting the flower stalks remain if they are fairly developed, but in my experience, the flower stalks really sap energy from the plant during the flowering process and when trying to set seed. Best to cut them off when they're really small, but if you miss doing so at that time, I think it's better to cut them off before the flowers start opening.
Matt, I've been watching mine and after the flowers were done closing, the next day three new traps were emerging from both the plants I let flower. Is this usually the case? They seemed to recover pretty fast after the flowering and the seeds are not even fully formed yet. Does it decline again while the seed pods mature?
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By Matt
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Joined:  Mon Apr 21, 2008 11:28 pm
#202029
Of the few hundred flytraps we allow to flower each year, the vast majority essentially stop growing for the 6 weeks they're flowering. They may put up a few flower traps here and there during the flowering process, but the vast majority of the plant's resources are sent to the flower stalk.

I wouldn't say they ever "decline" but rather they just stop growing until the seed is set and some of the nutrients in the flower stalk have been re-absorbed by the rhizome.
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By Zeretuel
Posts:  16
Joined:  Thu Dec 26, 2013 5:26 am
#202111
Thanks so much for your reply matt, I'm so excited to keep this little guy going. I ended up cutting the stalk off so at this point will it just start redistributing its energy into new heads and what not?

SundewWolf wrote:You may want to put it in a deeper pot too, but I can't accurately judge from the picture. How wide/deep of a container is that?
My next step is definitely re potting, I'm just reading into what soil to get and where i can get it to make sure i have the right stuff. What its in now is pretty small and not very deep so Ill be sure to use a deeper pot.

I'm going to browse around the forums for helpful steps in the re potting process but if anyone has any quick tips they feel like sharing here it would be appreciated.

thanks as always guys
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By Matt
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Joined:  Mon Apr 21, 2008 11:28 pm
#202266
Zeretuel wrote:I ended up cutting the stalk off so at this point will it just start redistributing its energy into new heads and what not?
Yes. The nutrients and energy used to grow the flower stalk will be diverted to other areas of the plant.
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By bvalente
Posts:  892
Joined:  Tue Mar 11, 2014 8:58 pm
#202275
Zeretuel wrote:Thanks so much for your reply matt, I'm so excited to keep this little guy going. I ended up cutting the stalk off so at this point will it just start redistributing its energy into new heads and what not?

SundewWolf wrote:You may want to put it in a deeper pot too, but I can't accurately judge from the picture. How wide/deep of a container is that?
My next step is definitely re potting, I'm just reading into what soil to get and where i can get it to make sure i have the right stuff. What its in now is pretty small and not very deep so Ill be sure to use a deeper pot.

I'm going to browse around the forums for helpful steps in the re potting process but if anyone has any quick tips they feel like sharing here it would be appreciated.

thanks as always guys
A quick easy way to repot (cheap as well) simply use a 16oz styrofoam cup and poke some holes in the bottom for water to drain out of. I like those because you can put each individual plant in their own pot, some others use a bigger pot, so that is based on preference. The important factor with the pot size it to have holes in the bottom for it to drain and to shoot for atleast 5+ inches. VFT roots grow pretty much straight down more than having any horizontal spread.

As far as planting media, that is preference as well. Some like a standard 50/50 peat moss/perlite mix and others change the ratio up and add some silica sand to eat. I personally switched from the 50/50 mix to long fibered sphagnum moss (LFSM). Better-Gro Orchid Moss is a good brand to use. Whatever your media you decide to use, make sure you rinse it with distilled water. When you do decide to water, it is best to go off how your soil feels. You want it to feel damp/moist, not wet. Remember with larger pots, they hold more water deeper into the soil.
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By Zeretuel
Posts:  16
Joined:  Thu Dec 26, 2013 5:26 am
#202565
Thanks so much for the advice bvalente. Thats my next course of action.

I also had my first experience with it eating haha, an unfortunate spider found its way into my biggest head (I know it was a spider because I can see the eerie silhouette inside.) Wasn't expected to come home to see that but kinda cool, maybe good timing since I just cut off its flower so it lost energy from that.

But thanks again guys, cant say it enough, definitely couldnt keep my buddy alive this whole time if it werent for your guys amazing feedback and advice.
By Zeretuel
Posts:  16
Joined:  Thu Dec 26, 2013 5:26 am
#204374
Hey everyone, I figured Id just update on this previous post.

After cutting the flower stem off as you recommended matt, I havnt seen any new growth since then.

In fact all the remaining heads have now turned black : \ Im hoping this is just it still recovering? but how long does that usually take?

Heres a picture from today.

Image

I had also replanted it as some of you suggested to a much taller container using the 50/50 peat moss and perlite. I was hoping that would help the recovery as well, but I'm just getting worried since it hasnt shown any new growth. Thanks as always guys! hope all your plants are doing well also!
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By Matt
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#204392
Looks like the plant has suffered some change in environment (i.e. moved from a shady place to a sunny place) or was allowed to get too dry.

Cutting off the flower stalk will allow the plant to start growing again, but given the shape it's in right now, it may be a few weeks before it is able to get re-established. Just continue giving the plant good care, try to be gentle on it for the next few weeks (don't let it get too hot and protect it from mid-day sun) and it should start showing new growth soon.
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By Zeretuel
Posts:  16
Joined:  Thu Dec 26, 2013 5:26 am
#204509
well glad to hear its not hopeless, its my first VFT but I'd hate to let him die!

It hasn't changed much in terms of environment, it sits on the outside of my window, its possible it got too dry (I might have been too worried about over watering that I didnt give it enough.)

In terms of protecting it from sun, should I put it on the inside of the glass during mid day so its not direct sunlight? or should I be taking it out of the sun entirely for a little.

Thanks as always Matt, I really appreciate it.
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By Matt
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Posts:  22523
Joined:  Mon Apr 21, 2008 11:28 pm
#204521
Zeretuel wrote:It hasn't changed much in terms of environment, it sits on the outside of my window, its possible it got too dry (I might have been too worried about over watering that I didnt give it enough.)
It certainly looks as if it is in a new pot with new soil. Was it not repotted? If it were repotted, and then put back into full sun after cutting off the flower stalk, that would certainly cause the plant to look like it does.
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By Zeretuel
Posts:  16
Joined:  Thu Dec 26, 2013 5:26 am
#204551
oh ok, yes I had repotted it after I cut the flower stalk. It was still in the original pot which was really small, this one is significantly taller giving more room to grow. But ok I guess that would be the cause of this.
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