FlyTrapCare Forums

I’ve recently lost two of my Sarracenia. They were newly acquired, and were divide before being sold to me. They came from a very well known and respected Sarracenia seller. I had them in my typical Sarracenia mix 7 parts peat to 2 parts perlite to 1 part sand, in the white 5x5 square pots 7 inches tall, in 1020 trays with about 1.5-2 inches of RO/DI water.
Anyway, after I lost these two to rhizome rot, I was devastated. I asked a few trusted sources, including a very well know seller here in my state of Florida, and was told that alata, leuco, and montana do not like any standing water, especially when they are weak from division.

So I am curious, what are your experience-based feelings with this statement. On all of my other 1020 trays, I have now placed drain holes at 3/4 inch. But for these trays with leucos, alatas, and montana, I have not let them stay in standing water at all.

Mind you, it’s Florida and hot outside already in the high 80’s to low 90’s F, easily 80+ % relative humidity.
I’m keeping an eye on the moisture content in the soil, but it’s sure gonna be tough not to have any water in the trays with our almost daily afternoon t-storms coming soon.

I keep all my outdoor plants in 50/50 in water treys, I have only lost one Sarracenia. It was a new division shipped late fall.

But how high is your water levels in the trays, and what species of Sarracenia are in each?

2 inches max. I think it was a bloodmoon x minor. I just assumed the peat may have had a contaminate plant was very healthy when i potted it. The only issues i have had with plants is the smalls from CPN, they seem out of gas for a lack of a better term. They seem to grow fine after a dormancy.

With pots that are 8-12 inches tall. I top-water my Sarracenia until there is 1-1.5 inches of water in the saucers/trays, then let them sit until the water is gone before doing it again (even in July and August, when we have Florida's weather in North Carolina). This keeps the plants damp enough without overdoing it.

rot happens in anaerobic conditions, when the rhizome isn't getting oxygen. this especially happens in warm, wet conditions. i wrap the rhizome/roots in live sphag before potting them in whatever, because live sphag generates oxygen. I keep the water level at over 50% of the pot height for everybody, including drosera and VFTs. I have never lost a plant to rot when using live sphag around the roots. (I'm not an expert. this is what works for me in my foggy mediterranean climate)

I never thought of using live sphag that way. It makes sense.

Live sphag, it's not just for dressing any more.

Panman wrote:I never thought of using live sphag that way. It makes sense.

Live sphag, it's not just for dressing any more.

I never understood live sphag for top dressing. Doesn't it just turn brown and die right away? there are some red sphag species that tolerate surface conditions, but they are very difficult to find.

optique wrote:2 inches max. I think it was a bloodmoon x minor. I just assumed the peat may have had a contaminate plant was very healthy when i potted it. The only issues i have had with plants is the smalls from CPN, they seem out of gas for a better term. They seem to grow fine after a dormancy.

I've had issues with mites with his plants. I still support him because he does good work, but in order to keep all my plants happy I quarantine the cpn shipments for a couple of weeks and treat them with sns209.

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elaineo wrote:rot happens in anaerobic conditions, when the rhizome isn't getting oxygen. this especially happens in warm, wet conditions. i wrap the rhizome/roots in live sphag before potting them in whatever, because live sphag generates oxygen. I keep the water level at over 50% of the pot height for everybody, including drosera and VFTs. I have never lost a plant to rot when using live sphag around the roots. (I'm not an expert. this is what works for me in my foggy mediterranean climate)

I use an aquarium bubbler with my indoor mini bogs. The plants seem to love it, and I don't have to water as frequently. I think Barry Rice is where I got the idea from.

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murrkywaters wrote:I use an aquarium bubbler with my indoor mini bogs. The plants seem to love it, and I don't have to water as frequently. I think Barry Rice is where I got the idea from.

Picture please?

Here you go! I just changed the soil for the first time in a couple years so things are going through a little shock, but I'd say that's not too bad. Ph in the water is mildly acidic at around 6

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And yes, the capes handle dormancy just fine.

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@murrkywaters, it looks like they are growing in a solid plastic box, and the aquarium tube is going into the soil. is it just blowing air into the bottom of the soil? very interesting design.

I've always used LFSM for my Sarrs and have never lost one. Maybe due to the antiseptic properties of sphagnum.
However, I just learned a new trick from another grower that uses peat/perlite for all of his Sarrs and hasn't lost one either. We all know about the antifungal properties of cinnamon, ha sprinkles it on the raw part of all his Sarr divisions before planting them.