- Thu Dec 19, 2019 7:57 pm
#346897
Hi all,
I have a small dilemma: my venus flytraps are only 4-5 months old and just about 1-2 mm tall. I live on the line of the 5a / 5b zone in Indiana and our winters get extremely harsh, windy, and cold most of the time (or bounce between near 0/the teens F and 30-50 F degree weather). I'm wondering if I should attempt to have them go into dormancy their first year or not.
In this topic, I have found the following information:
"Let’s talk about hibernating small plants now. As we know, they are more vulnerable to unfriendly conditions, such as lack of light and lower temperatures. Technically, putting them into dormancy isn’t that hard and can be beneficial, but it should be tried by more experienced growers. Beginners can skip the dormancy of small plants (up to 4-5 cm, 1,5-2 inches), without having to worry about negative effects. Seedlings can be “cheated” simply by repotting them.
Smaller plants don’t need dormancy
But, is it really beneficial to hibernate smaller VFT’s? The answer is: yes, it is. They grow better then and reach the mature size faster. You should be careful about it, tough. It might be better not to hibernate them, if they are your first and only plants. If you can assure them the right conditions, you can give it a try. If not, there’s nothing wrong if you wait until they reach a bigger size and hibernate them the next year."
This would indicate to me that while it may be beneficial for them to hibernate, since I am not as experienced, since it's so terrible in winter here, and because they are so young it may not be the best idea. However, Matt - the admin - also mentioned to me that I could go either way but that without dormancy (even the first year) they could not grow very well next season (or even perish possibly) without the break.
I'm torn... Seeing as there are conflicting opinions/suggestions, I would love to hear any feedback from any experienced growers in a similar area / situation. It would be greatly appreciated!