FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

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Ask questions about how to grow and care for Venus Flytraps

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By frankgrimes087
Posts:  183
Joined:  Thu Aug 04, 2016 5:20 pm
#362120
Hey everyone, I would like to ask a question about a couple of my flytraps (G16 and DCXL) and there are also a few other traps that are doing the same thing regarding traps not closing or closing really slow or not that much. On a couple of my plants I wanted to test and see if traps would close and some of them would not close, while others would, but they would close really slowly. I found a post from a couple years back suggesting that this could be caused by to much watering and or not enough sunlight. Living in Arizona, I am having a really hard time giving them enough sunlight because the temperatures during the day are 110+ and I do not want to fry the plants in the direct sunlight, so I try and give them direct sunlight in the morning. But even if they are not getting enough sunlight I just cant see them getting over watered due to the extreme heat. I do leave them in water all day and night and fill the bowls when needed. I know for a fact they are not getting enough sunlight though. Could another factor of them not closing/closing really slowly be the extreme heat? Perhaps they are just super exhausted or something lol? Any help would be really helpful!
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By ChefDean
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Posts:  9207
Joined:  Tue Sep 18, 2018 12:44 am
#362132
It could be a lack of sunlight, but even shaded they should be getting enough.
You probably hit the nail on the head with the temps, they're overheated. They can cope with the heat, but they do shut down. My Flytraps in front are a little slower, the ones in the back are faster, and I only get into the 90's. The biggest issue is their roots get too hot.
In the wild, they regularly see triple digit temps every year, just not as extreme and extended as Arizona. Plus, in the wild, their roots are insulated from the high heat due to the sandy soil and high water table. The water evaporates from the sand, cooling the roots. Also, other plants growing right next to the VFT provide some shade, so they're not always in direct sun.
It sounds like your plants are doing OK, and I know a few people in Arizona growing all sorts of carnivorous plants, so it can be done.
Maybe get shade cloth, at least 50%, and hang it to protect your plants. Perhaps you could fold it in a way that there are a few layers blocking the pots themselves from more sun to keep solar radiation from heating up the pots, while leaving the plants at 50%. Don't worry, they'll still get more than enough light.
Try to do something to keep the roots cool, even a few degrees less than 110° could help.
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By frankgrimes087
Posts:  183
Joined:  Thu Aug 04, 2016 5:20 pm
#362149
ChefDean wrote: Fri Aug 07, 2020 11:31 am It could be a lack of sunlight, but even shaded they should be getting enough.
You probably hit the nail on the head with the temps, they're overheated. They can cope with the heat, but they do shut down. My Flytraps in front are a little slower, the ones in the back are faster, and I only get into the 90's. The biggest issue is their roots get too hot.
In the wild, they regularly see triple digit temps every year, just not as extreme and extended as Arizona. Plus, in the wild, their roots are insulated from the high heat due to the sandy soil and high water table. The water evaporates from the sand, cooling the roots. Also, other plants growing right next to the VFT provide some shade, so they're not always in direct sun.
It sounds like your plants are doing OK, and I know a few people in Arizona growing all sorts of carnivorous plants, so it can be done.
Maybe get shade cloth, at least 50%, and hang it to protect your plants. Perhaps you could fold it in a way that there are a few layers blocking the pots themselves from more sun to keep solar radiation from heating up the pots, while leaving the plants at 50%. Don't worry, they'll still get more than enough light.
Try to do something to keep the roots cool, even a few degrees less than 110° could help.
Thanks for all the info ChefDean much appreciated! I attached a few pictures of the DCXL and G16 on this post. I just really suspected that the heat was doing something because I mean there was a flytrap on the G16 that would not close at all, and im sure G16 is a flytrap that does close when in the right conditions, so is DCXL. The same thing is happening with my other flytraps like Wally, sawtooth, dracula, Deep Red Guerrilla. They will start to close but some are VERY slow, or will not close all the way, and im pretty sure that these cultivars traps do close. They are not like the werewolf that does not close which I also have one of those as well. All this is pretty interesting to me, so the plants must basically be in "shock" from the extreme temperatures that cause them to act like this. Thank God September is next month and things will FINALLY start cooling down lol...
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By Matt
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Posts:  22522
Joined:  Mon Apr 21, 2008 11:28 pm
#362163
They are very much lacking enough sunlight and they are being kept too wet. I understand the dilemma with the extreme heat in Arizona, but do get them more sunlight. Might be best to put them under a 40% to 50% shade cloth where they get dappled sunlight all day.
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By frankgrimes087
Posts:  183
Joined:  Thu Aug 04, 2016 5:20 pm
#362167
Thank you for the reply Matt very much appreciated! I will not give the plants as much water but keep a close eye on them and I will do what I can to get them more sunlight. They do get sunlight in the morning and evening but its just not long enough direct sunlight. Earlier in the summer I had the plants under the fruit trees I have here which always seemed to work out good, but the reason I moved them under the patio is because I kept having these birds called thrashers messing with my plants and they really wreck havoc due to their long beaks! They would rip and tear through my plants and it got very irritating! Do you think even though the fruit trees provide shade that the plants would do better under the fruit trees? Perhaps they would get more dappled sunlight throughout the day?
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By Matt
Location: 
Posts:  22522
Joined:  Mon Apr 21, 2008 11:28 pm
#362170
frankgrimes087 wrote:the reason I moved them under the patio is because I kept having these birds called thrashers messing with my plants and they really wreck havoc due to their long beaks!
Birds and squirrels are common pests that can be super destructive and super annoying for growers. If they won't leave the plants alone, you can build a "cage" of sorts to put over them. I had to do this years ago when we lived in Boulder, Colorado because the squirrels and birds would not leave my plants alone. Basically I just built a frame with some 2 x 2 boards and then used chicken wire around the top and sides, leaving the bottom open so I could pick up the cage and access my plants easily. It worked great.
frankgrimes087 wrote:Do you think even though the fruit trees provide shade that the plants would do better under the fruit trees?
Yes, definitely!
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