FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Backstory: I bought this VFT in October 2020. For the past 2 summers I left it outside all day (and often overnight), and it grew wonderfully. In March of 2021, it got totally chewed up by squirrels but managed to grow back just fine. Then, around the beginning of this year the squirrel attacks became more incessant. I thought I solved the problem in March by getting a wire cloche cover, but that failed after I discovered my plants knocked over and completely uprooted, with the wire cover knocked down my back porch stairs and several feet away... (I have no idea how a creature managed to do that! Though, it was probably my mistake as I had placed the plants and wire cover up on a chair where there were small gaps on the bottom, instead of flat on the ground.)

My other plant did not survive, but my partner was able to find this one’s rhizome and roots (with one trap still attached) and re-potted it in its original container. We left it on a sunny windowsill, and I watered it daily/every other day, and to my pleasant surprise, it started to sprout new traps. As its grown bigger, I’ve been trying to leave it outside in direct sunlight as often as I can (usually ~5 hours at a time during afternoons and when I can keep my eye on it) while bringing it inside to the windowsill during the evening.

However, I’ve noticed that the traps are turning brown and shriveling up before they turn red or reach their former full size. I'm not sure whether the plant is just struggling as a result of the previous traumas, if how I'm giving it sunlight is an issue, if the potting is an issue (it's in the same container I purchased it in, placed inside a ceramic pot for extra weight/protection, and doesn't have a saucer... this has not caused any issues before, but I'm wondering if I should upgrade the potting and whether it's safe to re-pot it right now), or if it's something else.

Here is a photo of what it looks like today:

What is happening is the constant moving it from inside to out is stressing the plant. Under those conditions it will continue to be stressed and will not grow well. If you can't leave it outside, then you are going to come up with an indoor set up with artificial lights. It can be done, but your run of the mill plant light won't do it.

Panman wrote: ↑Tue May 24, 2022 8:23 pm What is happening is the constant moving it from inside to out is stressing the plant. Under those conditions it will continue to be stressed and will not grow well. If you can't leave it outside, then you are going to come up with an indoor set up with artificial lights. It can be done, but your run of the mill plant light won't do it.

Thank you so much! A safe/permanent outdoor set-up feels tricky with my small apartment, so I'll definitely look into artificial light options.