FlyTrapCare Forums

Hi.
So, till now my VFT was growing in pure sphagnum and perlite. There were lots of moss and ferns in the pot that were sort of starving the plant(s) of light. I wanted to repot it.

But I had problem in sourcing good amounts of sphag at reasonable price so I got peat and perlite. I repotted them using a bottom layer of dried sphag(for absorbing water), middle layer of peat and perlite and top layer of sphag( hoping some moss grows again).

Problem is, the VFT is looking mighty sad now. The things that happened during repot:

1) probably some root breakage. The ferns had absolutely taken over the pot and essentially their roots had become a new pot (its shape and all). So to untangle that, I think I might have torn a little bit of VFT roots accidentally. Not much, I was as careful S possible.

2) using peat for first time. I did properly wet it and stuff though.

3) since it grows in outside sun, after Repot I kept it in outside sun for stable conditions.

I'm panicking because one of the small side divisions dried up in past few days. Is my VFT going to survive? What did I do wrong?

BEFORE REPOT:



AFTER REPOT:

I would say to just let it try and recuperate. Is the peat fertilizer free?

Just give it plenty of direct sun and make sure it’s sitting in the correct type of water and just hope it pulls through.


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Frothy_Milk wrote: ↑Thu Apr 08, 2021 6:16 am I would say to just let it try and recuperate. Is the peat fertilizer free?

Just give it plenty of direct sun and make sure it’s sitting in the correct type of water and just hope it pulls through.


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Yes, fertiliser free. It's in distilled water.

How bad does it look?

I understand this struggle well. Unfortunately invaders take over the pots and then it becomes a nightmare to straighten it out. Still have unwanted utrics that apparently "thrive" in the full Florida sun

Anyway, root damage was perhaps unavoidable. I mean typically when I repot, I give a few days in the shade if I can to allow it to gain its bearings though if its been out there for a week, I'd just leave it where it is. If the roots are damaged, the plant will weaken but it will develop new roots with its energy. Worst case, provided the temps and humidity/moisture are alright, the rhizome would likely act as a hub of sorts and sprout plants in response to excessive damage. These plants (the mature ones) are surprisingly tough if they don't get tap watered to death. The tiny ones would probably do much better having a shade/partial reacclimation after a repot.

Where do you keep this plant outside?

Apollyon wrote: ↑Thu Apr 08, 2021 7:12 am I understand this struggle well. Unfortunately invaders take over the pots and then it becomes a nightmare to straighten it out. Still have unwanted utrics that apparently "thrive" in the full Florida sun

Anyway, root damage was perhaps unavoidable. I mean typically when I repot, I give a few days in the shade if I can to allow it to gain its bearings though if its been out there for a week, I'd just leave it where it is. If the roots are damaged, the plant will weaken but it will develop new roots with its energy. Worst case, provided the temps and humidity/moisture are alright, the rhizome would likely act as a hub of sorts and sprout plants in response to excessive damage. These plants (the mature ones) are surprisingly tough if they don't get tap watered to death. The tiny ones would probably do much better having a shade/partial reacclimation after a repot.

Where do you keep this plant outside?

Temps are 27- 35°C through day-night and humidity 50- 65%

I keep it just...outside on a raised bed sort of area. Gets direct tropical sun for 5-6 hrs a day and rest of the time very bright light.

So, should I dig up the small one and keep it in less bright area? Would putting a plastic bag over it help wrt humidity?

The other small one (that dried up)is still attached to the mother plant. Should I divide it or let it be with the mother plant for now?

Just curious. Why is the fern there? Do you like it? It’s gonna choke out the VFT eventually, although it surprises me it is growing in a place without nutrients.
I’d probably get the VFT free of this competitor and know that the VFT has a fighting chance.
Good luck, and keep us informed.

I often get ferns growing in my Sphagnum and peat too, it is a pain at times, I get them out as soon as I see them, and any sedges, heathers and birch trees that appear. The best thing you can do is to stress the plants as little as possible at the moment whilst they recover, so leave the dead plant for now, it shouldn't cause a problem and shade from the worst of the tropical sun for a while to minimise transpiration, whilst the roots recover, and keep them wetter than normal
Cheers
Steve.

Supercazzola wrote: ↑Thu Apr 08, 2021 9:50 am Just curious. Why is the fern there? Do you like it? It’s gonna choke out the VFT eventually, although it surprises me it is growing in a place without nutrients.
I’d probably get the VFT free of this competitor and know that the VFT has a fighting chance.
Good luck, and keep us informed.

At first, I liked it. Cool novel little thing I thought. My only experience with fern is a selanginella that died within a week and aquarium ferns. So I didn't realise it was such a monstrous little thing. Heck, I didn't realiseb except how bad it was in the pot (the fern roots had effectively taken the shape of the pot and became the new pot, like some nightmarish vegetative variety of a skinwalker.

I already got the VFT free of this. That's why the repot and my subsequent anguish at its current state.

steve booth wrote: ↑Thu Apr 08, 2021 10:23 am I often get ferns growing in my Sphagnum and peat too, it is a pain at times, I get them out as soon as I see them, and any sedges, heathers and birch trees that appear. The best thing you can do is to stress the plants as little as possible at the moment whilst they recover, so leave the dead plant for now, it shouldn't cause a problem and shade from the worst of the tropical sun for a while to minimise transpiration, whilst the roots recover, and keep them wetter than normal
Cheers
Steve.

I don't get those trees since it's tropics, but I do sometimes get some random plants growing or plain old grass.

The dead plant still has hard, white rhizome(?) So it can sprout back right?

Yeah, I've increased the water level and will put some shade on it tomorrow.

How long has it been since you repotted?
After a repot, the plants will usually decline, looking not so great due to the stressors they just experienced. Even the most gentle attempts at getting the old media off the roots will cause some stress to the plant. Where you said you were pretty aggressive, possibly breaking some roots, there's a lot of stress, and the plant simply needs time to recover.
Sometimes it can take up to a month or more to recover, and putting it in an area of indirect light can help by not adding the stress of direct, tropical sunlight while the media settles to contact the roots better, allowing them to take up water better.
The plants look really good, just keep them moist, outside in indirect light, and they'll recover on their own schedule.
You got this!

ChefDean wrote: ↑Thu Apr 08, 2021 12:47 pm How long has it been since you repotted?
After a repot, the plants will usually decline, looking not so great due to the stressors they just experienced. Even the most gentle attempts at getting the old media off the roots will cause some stress to the plant. Where you said you were pretty aggressive, possibly breaking some roots, there's a lot of stress, and the plant simply needs time to recover.
Sometimes it can take up to a month or more to recover, and putting it in an area of indirect light can help by not adding the stress of direct, tropical sunlight while the media settles to contact the roots better, allowing them to take up water better.
The plants look really good, just keep them moist, outside in indirect light, and they'll recover on their own schedule.
You got this!

I don't remember the exact date, couldn't have been much more than a week ago.

Yeah, I tried to be gentle as much as I could, but the VFT roots and the sphagnum around it was coiled around tightly by the fern roots.
In some areas (thankfully not anywhere near the VFT roots) the clumping was so bad that trying to tear the rootbound sphagnum wasn't working, had to use scissors.

If it's been +/- a week, then don't worry about how they look as long as there's still green, and your plants are still way green.
You can expect some wilting, even some leaves dying starting with the trap, but you should start seeing new leaves in about a week or two.
These plants are tough, they just stall a bit when they get stressed. It's fine, just keep it moist and you're good.

Durrendal wrote:

Frothy_Milk wrote: ↑Thu Apr 08, 2021 6:16 am I would say to just let it try and recuperate. Is the peat fertilizer free?

Just give it plenty of direct sun and make sure it’s sitting in the correct type of water and just hope it pulls through.


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Yes, fertiliser free. It's in distilled water.

How bad does it look?

It’s not too bad in my opinion at all but I am no expert. I think they’ll be fine


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They look good to me. They just need time to settle in.