FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

I recently picked up a couple of VFTs and transferred them to bigger pots after a couple days, especially because the roots were crammed at the bottom of the small pots they came in. I know they get stressed afterward, but every single leaf, and even the new growths are turning brown.

I'm sure I did everything right (right water, media (LFSM), I even wet the media before repotting, pot is about 6in deep and made of plastic), but I'm scared that I may have repotted them too quickly and killed them as a result.

Another thing I forgot to write in (and I can't seem to edit my post either): I moved them to new pots about a week ago.

It prolly wouldn’t hurt to bag them or put some sort of clear lid on the pots to keep humidity up. Make sure they are out of direct sunlight while bagged so you don’t cook them.

I did the exact same thing when I bought a VFT, and it looks around the same as your plants. Mine doesn't seem to be getting any worse and is getting new growth points now, so time is most likely the cure to this.

I pray you're right ;v;...

carnivorous_noob wrote:I did the exact same thing when I bought a VFT, and it looks around the same as your plants. Mine doesn't seem to be getting any worse and is getting new growth points now, so time is most likely the cure to this.

I pray you're right ;v;

Ewreck wrote:It prolly wouldn’t hurt to bag them or put some sort of clear lid on the pots to keep humidity up. Make sure they are out of direct sunlight while bagged so you don’t cook them.

I may try putting a clear thing over them, though what do you mean by "Bagging?" I've heard advice about taking them out of their pots and putting them in a bag, but I don't want to cause them any more stress.

Furthermore, should I have air holes in the clear lid? Or...

Bagging is basically putting them in a large clear bag rather putting a clear cover over them. Don’t keep them too wet. If you have them in a water tray then maybe a 1/4” deep. What kind of light are you giving them? They do take time to recover.

Aqua521 wrote:

Ewreck wrote:It prolly wouldn’t hurt to bag them or put some sort of clear lid on the pots to keep humidity up. Make sure they are out of direct sunlight while bagged so you don’t cook them.

I may try putting a clear thing over them, though what do you mean by "Bagging?" I've heard advice about taking them out of their pots and putting them in a bag, but I don't want to cause them any more stress.

Furthermore, should I have air holes in the clear lid? Or...

Intheswamp wrote:Bagging is basically putting them in a large clear bag rather putting a clear cover over them. Don’t keep them too wet. If you have them in a water tray then maybe a 1/4” deep. What kind of light are you giving them? They do take time to recover.

- Ahhhh gotcha with the bagging bit. Currently I'm trying that or something similar by covering them with a plastic bag, should that work?
- I don't usually keep them in a water tray, but I'll keep that in mind.
- I give them sunlight from a nearby window (Ever so slightly pictured in the attachment on the original post... It's mostly just a couple blinds ^^;) for a few hours, not a whole lot because it gets intense and dries out the moss too quickly. I've been tempted to give them full sun, but again, the light from the window can get a bit intense (and moreover with trying to get their humidity up).

I've heard they thrive well outside, but at the moment they would most likely get cold snap overnight.

for a few hours, not a whole lot because it gets intense and dries out the moss too quickly.

This sounds like your problem right here. A plant just repotted and not yet fully acclimated and sitting by a hot window would be my guess as to why it’s looking brown and dried out. If you can just scoot it away from the window a bit where it’s not so hot and I’d bet money it will be back to looking good before you know it.

Ewreck wrote:for a few hours, not a whole lot because it gets intense and dries out the moss too quickly.

This sounds like your problem right here. A plant just repotted and not yet fully acclimated and sitting by a hot window would be my guess as to why it’s looking brown and dried out. If you can just scoot it away from the window a bit where it’s not so hot and I’d bet money it will be back to looking good before you know it.

Ahhhh I see! I'll try that!

Also, how long do I keep the clear cover on the plants?

Ok, you've got a couple of things here...

Do you mean the plastic bag is just laying over the tops of the pots or the bag is turned upside down and slid down over the pots? If the pots are pretty much sealed up and in "intense" light it could be a sauna...but you said the moss dries out so that probably isn't it. On the other hand, if the bag is simply laying across the tops of the pots with plenty of air gaps then that should be fine...I've raised some fine vegetable seedlings by basically doing that (old ice bags split open and laid across Sterilite containers with seedlings cups in them). And, to answer and earlier question, yes...the cover needs ventilation holes in it.

Have you checked an inch down into the sphagnum moss to see how moist it is there, not just on the surface? Did you go with 100% LFSM or did you add some perlite to help with drainage? Flytraps want it "moist"...not "wet".

If you decide to use a water tray only keep a 1/4" to 1/2" or so of water in it...let it dry down, wait a day or two and then add water back. I went back and read, though, and see that you're using LFSM. If that's the case I've seen it recommended not to keep them in a water tray if planted in LFSM. LFSM holds LOTS of water...possibly to much.

Where are you located (roughly)? You can add a basic location in your control panel...it helps folks give advice.

Do you mean the plastic bag is just laying over the tops of the pots or the bag is turned upside down and slid down over the pots?
- It's slid over the pots, I was very careful in having no leaves touch the sides of the bag. There's also openings at the bottom and cut out of a bag corner.

Did you go with 100% LFSM or did you add some perlite to help with drainage? Flytraps want it "moist"...not "wet".
- It's all moss.

Yep, slipping it into the bag will work fine. I usually don't cut slits in the bottoms of mine when I use them, only the tops. Sometimes I only leave the end open. I've found that some ventilation is really good. If I can see a little condensation on the bag I know things are well inside...moisture-wise.

Have you dug down and inch or so, though, down into the moss to see how moist it is when the surface dries out? If it's dry that deep then probably you need the pot standing in a saucer of water. But, this goes back to bagging the plant and it being in "intense" and drying the moss out. It seems that having enough heat to dry out the moss while the pot is sitting in a plastic bag would be cooking the plant...and unless the plastic bag actually has too much venting the moisture shouldn't be leaving as quickly as you've mentioned. Getting the bagged plant out of the direct sunlight would be imperative.

Again, I don't know where your located so I can't comment on the plant going out. Where I'm at it would be fine....there's still a chance of possibly a freeze or frost in the next couple of weeks but the forecasts aren't looking like it. Where you're at, I have no idea.

I think I'd keep the pot sitting in 1/4" or so of water since it is drying out so fast while in the bag.

Intheswamp wrote:Yep, slipping it into the bag will work fine. I usually don't cut slits in the bottoms of mine when I use them, only the tops. Sometimes I only leave the end open. I've found that some ventilation is really good. If I can see a little condensation on the bag I know things are well inside...moisture-wise.

Have you dug down and inch or so, though, down into the moss to see how moist it is when the surface dries out? If it's dry that deep then probably you need the pot standing in a saucer of water. But, this goes back to bagging the plant and it being in "intense" and drying the moss out. It seems that having enough heat to dry out the moss while the pot is sitting in a plastic bag would be cooking the plant...and unless the plastic bag actually has too much venting the moisture shouldn't be leaving as quickly as you've mentioned. Getting the bagged plant out of the direct sunlight would be imperative.

Again, I don't know where your located so I can't comment on the plant going out. Where I'm at it would be fine....there's still a chance of possibly a freeze or frost in the next couple of weeks but the forecasts aren't looking like it. Where you're at, I have no idea.

I think I'd keep the pot sitting in 1/4" or so of water since it is drying out so fast while in the bag.

- I only just put the bags over the flytraps, usually they're left uncovered. This morning I found no condensation, but the soil is moist.
- I haven't checked the moisture when it's dried out yet, but some of the moss in one of them is significantly wetter than the other.
- Where I am, it gets very cold overnight in late fall and early spring. I actually made the mistake of putting a flytrap outside too quickly while trying to have it go dormant and gave it cold snap instead.