FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

How can you tell what is a viable rhizome they're all hard, but they're all brown. I can't tell. They got hit by the three day solid water freeze too. I just want to know what's going to grow this spring and what I can clear out to give better light to the rest. Thanks in advance.

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It is kind of hard to explain the difference between a dead woody rhizome and one that still has life in it. Usually, they turn to mush or you can pick off the deadness from the outside in and if it goes to the core, they are gone. If there is some firmness and whiteness, then it still has some life in it.

Matt wrote:It is kind of hard to explain the difference between a dead woody rhizome and one that still has life in it. Usually, they turn to mush or you can pick off the deadness from the outside in and if it goes to the core, they are gone. If there is some firmness and whiteness, then it still has some life in it.

That's good. I can't say any of them are mushy. They're all hard like branches. Quite a few of them have new growth! I'll keep checking for branches lol. Though one I tepotted, I broke the end off and it was more a tan inside than white. Hopefully it's still okay. Thanks for helping again. I threw away another 60 plants today, but at least I'm keeping most of the sarracenias lol.

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I'd chuck them into pots and see what grows. What's better than playing the wait and see game with a questionable rhizome? Think of it like one veeeery long Christmas!

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Artchic528 wrote:I'd chuck them into pots and see what grows. What's better than playing the wait and see game with a questionable rhizome? Think of it like one veeeery long Christmas!

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as always you make me laugh.

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It can be hard to tell sometimes. Right now I have a "dead" rhizome mixed in with a lot of good ones. The others are growing fine, but so far, only grass and weed sprouts have popped up from the suspect one. So, a good rhizome is one that grows.

Sarracenia rhizomes are white inside when healthy (the white browning on he surface once exposed to the air) If you have broken one and it is brown inside, that is rhizome rot and should be cut out, cut back to healthy white rhizome and burn the rotten parts to prevent contamination.
If you rhizomes have old brown leaves on them, pull one off (hold the rhizome and tug in the opposite direction from where the leaf clasps the rhizome) and whats underneath should be white/reddish and firm.
Any 'corky' or mushy rhizome is bad and should be cut off.

Cheers
Steve