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By caned_monkey
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Joined:  Wed Jan 13, 2021 6:16 pm
#371947
Hi, everyone.

I was the lucky recipient of a Venus Fly Trap and Sarracenia for my birthday last October. My VFT is thriving and getting on perfectly well but my Sarracenia doesn't look happy and nothing I've tried seems to reverse the decline (see pic). I've zero experience with these plant so I'm hoping some knowledgeable folk on here maybe able to help.

The information I've read seems to suggest that the problem may be a lack of water or humidity which I don't think it could be either. I've always kept it wet (but not too wet) and there is plenty of moisture in the air at this time of year. It's on my north facing kitchen window sill and that room is not heated so I don't think it can be too warm or getting too much sun either.

I've always used rain water except once when I had run out and it hadn't rained for ages. I used boiled water from the kettle as I was told this would be ok but I don't think it liked it at all so I got rid of it and fortunately it rained a few days later. Could it be that?

Or, is this just natural winter die back and it will spring back in the spring?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thank you.
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By Panman
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#371948
Where are you located? If you are in the northern hemisphere, it is likely just dormant. Pitchers will die back during that time. Has it always been growing in the window like that? Sarrs like a lot of light so it may also be light starved.
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By steve booth
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Joined:  Mon Jul 18, 2011 11:15 am
#371951
I'm afraid that using boiled water to water the plant isn't good, as all boiling does is to increase the mineral content of the water which makes matters worse. That said if you have only done that once or twice and have rinsed the media through with rainwater since it should be fine.

I cant see the leaves properly due to the picture, are they wrinkly?

If they are not it could be just entering dormancy if so don't stand it in water, just keep the medium damp, but as has been said, if you can put it somewhere sunnier that nay help.

cheers
Steve
By caned_monkey
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#371959
I'm in London so northern hemisphere, yes. It was initially on south facing window sill but I tried moving it to a north facing window to see if it made any difference, it didnt.

The leaves are only wrinkly on the yellow parts. The parts that are still green look relatively healthy.

Do these plants normally die back completely in winter?

How much sun do they need in winter? In a typical January in London, you're more likely to see a unicorn when you look out of the window than the sun coming out so giving it more sun may be a problem.
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By Panman
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#371962
If you are in London and it is in a window, then it is probably dormancy. The south window is the correct place for it. It would get less light in the north window. Some sarrs lose all of their pitchers in the winter while others hold onto them for a long time. It's hart to tell what kind it is. Do you know? At this point I would put my bets on dormancy. You might want to scrape away some soil around the rhizome just to check that it is healthy looking and not turning mushy. That's about all the advice I have.
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By caned_monkey
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Joined:  Wed Jan 13, 2021 6:16 pm
#371966
I've no idea what type it is, it only came with a tag that said sarracenia. I didn't even know that these plants die back which is why I wasn't sure what was happening.

Clearly October is not a good time to buy sarracenia for someone as a present but at least I have spring to look forward.

Thanks for the help, it's good to know all is not lost and I'll persevere.
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By steve booth
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Joined:  Mon Jul 18, 2011 11:15 am
#371992
Hopefully, its dormancy, have a peer at the rhizome, you should be able to see it without pulling anything apart. If it is a light brown with white or red at the growth points all is well, if it is dark brown and corky looking there is some rot.
its a hybrid of some sort but I can't tell much more from the picture I'm afraid
Good luck
Steve
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By Nepenthes0260
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#372077
If the rhizome is healthy, you don't have a problem and it will come back perfectly fine in the spring. I would repot into a 1:1:1 peat : sand : perlite mix and trim all the top growth off. Also, it looks like a Sarracenia Bug Bat.
By caned_monkey
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Joined:  Wed Jan 13, 2021 6:16 pm
#372150
I've had a look at the ryzome and it doesn't look like it's rotting so all good.

Should I cut it right back and repot it now ir wait until spring?

Also, I didn't realise that I was supposed to be spraying rainwater into the pitchers so I haven't been doing that. I'm not sure if it's worth doing that now or wait until spring to do that?
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By steve booth
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Joined:  Mon Jul 18, 2011 11:15 am
#372177
If you want to cut back, only cut back the brown dead leaf parts leaving the green to photosynthesise. I would repot in spring, if you damage the root or rhizome when repotting in winter whilst dormant, they cant grow a callous over the wound till spring, which will leave the wounds open to pathogens all winter.

Not all pitchers need water in them, generally, only Purpurea or some of their hybrids, need this. As a general rule, pitchers whose lids cover the pitcher don't need it and those whose lids point skyward to allow rainwater in, do. If you put water in pitchers that don't need it, as they make their own digestive juices, then you effectively dilute the digestive juices so they don't work so well.

Yours look like they don't need it but if you do put some in only put in a small amount, dont fill the pitcher, as those you have will fall over.

Cheers
Steve
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