Dormancy question

Dormancy question#441946

By Gary -  Thu Nov 09, 2023 3:10 am
Posts:  525
Joined:  Fri Jul 08, 2022 3:23 pm

- Thu Nov 09, 2023 3:10 am #441946

This spring I bought a couple of the Mini Pitcher Plants at Trader Joe's. The plants appear to be heading into dormancy, pitchers getting crispy, no new growth, all the usual stuff. They seem to be Purp hybrids and I need some advice on what to do with them to prepare them for winter. After the pitchers finish dying back should I just cut them off close to the rhizomes and wait for the new growth?
I'm considering a repot for all my plants as they start coming out of dormancy, especially the VFTs that burrowed deep into their pots. I'll be curious to see what these "minis" do next year.

Re: Dormancy question#441950

By andynorth -  Thu Nov 09, 2023 3:30 am
Location:  Federal Way, WA
Posts:  1658
Joined:  Fri May 12, 2023 9:08 pm

- Thu Nov 09, 2023 3:30 am #441950

It is my understanding that you want to cut away, at the base, anything that is not green. This will help keep from molding and will help the plant thrive in the Spring. I am by far not an expert but that is my understanding. I could be wrong and it might depend upon where you are located also.

Thank you:
andynorth-s-grow-want-list-t58612.html

Andy North

Re: Dormancy question#441970

By steve booth -  Thu Nov 09, 2023 10:07 am
Posts:  1280
Joined:  Mon Jul 18, 2011 11:15 am

- Thu Nov 09, 2023 10:07 am #441970

If your temperatures are suitable for outside dormancy, put it outside and keep it damp. With all my outdoor sarrs I leave the leaves on till spring to give some protection to the rhizome. then in early spring remove any dead leaves by grabbing them low down and pull away from the rhizome, the dead leaves should come away with its 'clasp' (the bit that joined it to the rhizome) with it, thereby removing all dead material, leaving a clean rhizome and preventing any mould. This often promotes new growth points.
Cheers
Steve

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Re: Dormancy question#441991

By andynorth -  Thu Nov 09, 2023 5:52 pm
Location:  Federal Way, WA
Posts:  1658
Joined:  Fri May 12, 2023 9:08 pm

- Thu Nov 09, 2023 5:52 pm #441991

@stevebooth. Do you recommend the same if using garage for dormancy? I read that it is best to clean them up before so as to avoid the mold, etc. I understand waiting until Spring if they will be outside to provide some protection from the elements but if in a garage there really are no elements except the cold.

Thank you:
andynorth-s-grow-want-list-t58612.html

Andy North

Re: Dormancy question#442004

By Gary -  Thu Nov 09, 2023 8:25 pm
Posts:  525
Joined:  Fri Jul 08, 2022 3:23 pm

- Thu Nov 09, 2023 8:25 pm #442004

Sounds good, Steve. I trimmed all the black leaves on the VFTs (whew!) and pulled several of the leaves on the Sarrs. There's still a lot of late-season pitchers on a couple of them, another month or two will crisp them up. The rhizomes all look good after pulling off the dead clasps.
Whatever do these plants do in the wild without humans to give them all this TLC???

Re: Dormancy question#442037

By steve booth -  Fri Nov 10, 2023 8:55 am
Posts:  1280
Joined:  Mon Jul 18, 2011 11:15 am

- Fri Nov 10, 2023 8:55 am #442037

andynorth wrote:@stevebooth. Do you recommend the same if using garage for dormancy? I read that it is best to clean them up before so as to avoid the mold, etc. I understand waiting until Spring if they will be outside to provide some protection from the elements but if in a garage there really are no elements except the cold.

Hi Andy, If you use the garage then please do clean them up before and during storage, the reason being that you will normally get little air movement over the rhizome indoors, so as stuff starts to rot, (and it will!) the risk of mould increases exponentially.

@ Gary - Haha, yep you are quite right, I have absolutely no idea how they manage to survive out there on their own, its a miracle .

Cheers
Steve

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Re: Dormancy question#442051

By andynorth -  Fri Nov 10, 2023 1:26 pm
Location:  Federal Way, WA
Posts:  1658
Joined:  Fri May 12, 2023 9:08 pm

- Fri Nov 10, 2023 1:26 pm #442051

steve booth wrote: ↑Fri Nov 10, 2023 8:55 am
andynorth wrote:@stevebooth. Do you recommend the same if using garage for dormancy? I read that it is best to clean them up before so as to avoid the mold, etc. I understand waiting until Spring if they will be outside to provide some protection from the elements but if in a garage there really are no elements except the cold.
Hi Andy, If you use the garage then please do clean them up before and during storage, the reason being that you will normally get little air movement over the rhizome indoors, so as stuff starts to rot, (and it will!) the risk of mould increases exponentially
Cheers
Steve

Got it. Thanks for the info. I will clean them up before going in garage. Leave anything green until they are completely brown, correct?

Thank you:
andynorth-s-grow-want-list-t58612.html

Andy North

Re: Dormancy question#442299

By steve booth -  Mon Nov 13, 2023 12:19 pm
Posts:  1280
Joined:  Mon Jul 18, 2011 11:15 am

- Mon Nov 13, 2023 12:19 pm #442299

Spot on, if the brown offends you, ( and it does some people) cut that back to the green.

Cheers
Steve

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