FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

I'm not an expert gardener, but it seems to me that most (if not *all*) types of plants go through a "dormancy" of some type, to one extent or another, in the fall and winter when they are growing in the wild in nature, but I've never heard about dormancy being such a huge issue for any other type of house plant (or any other kind of plant at all, really) before I got interested in VFTs. Is there something about them, or about carnivorous plants in general, that makes them more sensitive or vulnerable to "burning out" and dying young if they do not have distinct periods of dormancy?

Many other species like daylilies for example that live in temperate zones require a dormancy. It's just the way they have evolved to store energy during the winter. A VFT without dormancy I've heard tends to drop out the next growing season or two.

ALso, think about all the extra work a venus flytrap has to to just to get some food. It has to be "on edge" all the time ready to trigger! No wonder why they need some rest

That's a good point about the energy they have to expend to trap food; I hadn't thought of that. But that leads me to ask, well, supposing we never actually feed a flytrap which lives indoors and it doesn't catch any bugs on its own, but just lives on light and water...could that extend its lifespan if it doesn't get dormancy or if dormancy isn't done correctly?

Kathleen13 wrote:That's a good point about the energy they have to expend to trap food; I hadn't thought of that. But that leads me to ask, well, supposing we never actually feed a flytrap which lives indoors and it doesn't catch any bugs on its own, but just lives on light and water...could that extend its lifespan if it doesn't get dormancy or if dormancy isn't done correctly?

Flytraps can survive without bugs, but they cannot survive without dormancy. A flytrap that skips a dormancy will not grow as well during the growing season compared to a flytrap that went through dormancy, and a flytrap that skips 2 dormancies will more than likely die. Like people, flytraps need their sleep

The other thing to consider is that most house plants are tropical plants for the very reason that they don't require dormancy and they tend to have less light requirements.

Also, while people commonly grow them on window sills and some places market them as a house plant, VFT's really aren't house plants. It's more that they're a plant that can, in some situations, be grown in a house.

parker679 wrote:The other thing to consider is that most house plants are tropical plants for the very reason that they don't require dormancy and they tend to have less light requirements.

Also, while people commonly grow them on window sills and some places market them as a house plant, VFT's really aren't house plants. It's more that they're a plant that can, in some situations, be grown in a house.

I agree, in no way I'd consider these houseplants. I'd say a venus flytrap at best can be left outside (in full sun) in zones 9-7b all year otherwise, need specials treatment for dormancy. Either in the fridge for tropical climates (or indoors) or in an unheated greenhouse in colder zones. I'm in zone 7b and will only be moving my traps in the garage in theres a severe cold spell. First time grower though so I'm just going based on what I've researched.

Kathleen13 wrote:I'm not an expert gardener, but it seems to me that most (if not *all*) types of plants go through a "dormancy" of some type, to one extent or another, in the fall and winter when they are growing in the wild in nature, but I've never heard about dormancy being such a huge issue for any other type of house plant (or any other kind of plant at all, really) before I got interested in VFTs.

It's simple, VFTs and Sarracenias are not houseplants. Some sundews aren't either. Even though some people insist on growing their VFTs indoors IMHO it's just not a bright idea.

Well, Nature didn't intend for *any* plant to be grown indoors, right? I understand outdoors is better. Unfortunately, indoors is the only option for me since I live in an apartment complex where the only place my VFT could be outside would be in public areas where it would either be swiped or else messed with (poked, overfed) *constantly*. My apartment stays pretty warm all winter- we rarely, if ever, even need to turn on any kind of heat (sometimes even need air conditioning!), so the only real option for my VFT to get a dormant period would be the refrigerator, and I gather that's not ideal, either, so yes, I'm trying to find any way around it that I can. I've contacted Rocket Farms, where it came from, to inquire whether their young plants get a dormant period in their first year or two before they are sold, (hoping I can safely skip it this year) and they appear to be ignoring me.

Your VFT would be FINE in the fridge. I've been doing it for years now. My sarrs go in as well. Just drain off the excess water from the pot, throw it in a zip lock bag and put it on the bottom of the fridge.

Well, as you said, you've been doing it for years. It would be my first time trying it, and I've read enough on this forum to know that quite a few less experienced people have lost plants by doing a fridge dormancy. Still, I do want to do the best I can for it, so I may end up trying it- but right now, to me it seems like a choice between (possibly) losing the plant over the winter, or (possibly) losing it next year if I skip the dormancy.

Where are you located? If it is cold enough outside, you may be able to keep your flytrap next to a windowsill, where the temperature surrounding the window is lower than the rest of the room.

pieguy452 wrote:Where are you located? If it is cold enough outside, you may be able to keep your flytrap next to a windowsill, where the temperature surrounding the window is lower than the rest of the room.

If I remember correctly from her intro post it's New Orleans, which should get good outside temps for dormancy but inside by a window may be iffy but certainly worth the try since outside isn't an option and she doesn't want to try the fridge.

Kathleen, I don't blame you for being nervous about the fridge dormancy given you're new and don't want to risk your plant. Heck, I didn't repot mine out of it's tiny pot for a while because based on what I read I was sure repotting it almost always led to death.

If it helps you rest easier go ahead and try it either way, window sill or fridge, and if your plant doesn't make it I will send you a new one free of charge.

Yes, I'm in New Orleans. I do have a nice drafty windowsill that also gets sun (east facing, might even be *too* much sun or too warm for dormancy), but the bigger problem with that windowsill would be my two cats- it's THEIR window, you see, and the VFT would undoubtedly get eaten and knocked over. (Currently I keep the VFT in a small room that's inaccessible to the cats.) I really think the fridge is unfortunately my only option for attempting dormancy, but yes, it does make me pretty nervous. Here's something I was wondering about: Since the idea of dormancy seems to be to approximate winter conditions for the plant indoors, how bad of an idea would it be to perhaps put the potted plant in the fridge at *night* (when outdoor temps would naturally be lower) and bring it out into the apartment to sit under its artificial light during the day? I thought that *might* kind of simulate a natural cycle for the plant, and maybe be less risky than putting it into the "deep dormancy" or suspended animation that the fridge method seems to produce, but my apartment tends to stay in the 70s during the winter- would that be too extreme of a temperature fluctuation? I'm guessing probably so......