FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

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Discuss any carnivorous plant that doesn't fit in the above categories here or general chat about carnivorous plants

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By Grey
Posts:  3255
Joined:  Mon Jul 26, 2010 3:48 pm
#245941
Just a note to say I popped this topic in to the "All other Carnivorous Plants/General CP Discussions" sub-forum.

Personally I'm very fond of Mexican Pinguicula such as P. 'Tina', P. 'Weser' or P. moranensis... but then I am highly biased. ;) With that being said...
briea wrote:Any experience with shaggy sundew, drosophyllum lusitanicum, butterworts or bladderworts???? They are all beautiful, i just want to pick ones that i will do well growing.. thanks everyone
The care for butterworts (aka. "Pinguicula") varies depending upon which "kind" you get; Mexican Pinguicula are ideal for starters because they are incredibly easy to care for, highly robust, simple to grow year-round on a windowsill and have slightly more forgiving care needs than many other carnivorous plants. You can find a care guide for them here. :)

I can also recommend U. sandersonii (a bladderwort species) as a simple starter plant.
By briea
Posts:  38
Joined:  Tue Sep 29, 2015 3:09 pm
#245965
Thanks everyone.. im going to order a couple of things this week. Im super excite to get started :)
By briea
Posts:  38
Joined:  Tue Sep 29, 2015 3:09 pm
#245966
Do i need to use supplemental lighting in the winter months and what about feeding?
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By nimbulan
Location: 
Posts:  2395
Joined:  Fri Feb 28, 2014 9:03 pm
#245968
On a sunny windowsill, additional light should not be necessary during the winter. You can always buy a light later if your plants look like they need it later in the year. A regular lamp with a CFL bulb is a good option for a small number of plants.

I feed my sundews betta fish food pellets if they aren't catching anything, though they are quite good at catching their own food if there are many bugs in the house.
By paulkoop
Posts:  6
Joined:  Sat Aug 10, 2013 11:52 pm
#246053
P tina doesnt realy need a dry winter and has carnivorous leaves for me alll year under lights


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By Anymal911
Posts:  994
Joined:  Mon Jul 13, 2015 3:14 pm
#246062
Honestly for my first CP I went for the best thing (VFT) out there (DC XL), because go big or go home... These can go through any type of abuse and still be healthy. :P
By Grey
Posts:  3255
Joined:  Mon Jul 26, 2010 3:48 pm
#246093
briea wrote:Do i need to use supplemental lighting in the winter months and what about feeding?
With regards to Mexican Pinguicula, you don't need to supplement their lighting in the winter if you have them on a bright windowsill. Most Mexican Pinguciula go into a winter dry period which is similar to a dormancy but not quite the same; their growth habits will change but the plant won't die back. You don't need to feed Pinguicula as they are exceptionally adept at catching tiny flies in the room, but if you would like to I advise ground betta fish pellets (available from aquatics stores) or crushed freeze-dried bloodworms, although you shouldn't need either really. The plants won't suffer if you don't intentionally feed them. :)
By briea
Posts:  38
Joined:  Tue Sep 29, 2015 3:09 pm
#246106
Can i buy vft now since they are about to go into dormancy? Is so i can just sit it in the garage until when?
By Benurmanii
Posts:  2000
Joined:  Fri Aug 07, 2015 4:34 pm
#246362
briea wrote:Can i buy vft now since they are about to go into dormancy? Is so i can just sit it in the garage until when?
Your vft will need sunlight even in dormancy, however not nearly as much as during the growing season (which is least 6 hours of direct for best growth), so I don't know how well it will fare in your garage. What spaces do you have outdoors? Vfts are usually pretty hardy and can survive frosts for short periods during the winter if you put some mulch on the media.
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By TS 1989
Posts:  459
Joined:  Sun Feb 22, 2015 3:02 pm
#248242
briea wrote:Can i buy vft now since they are about to go into dormancy? Is so i can just sit it in the garage until when?
Like the above messages, Venus Fly Trap still requires sunlight during dormancy. Dormancy is just a period where the plant slows down its growth and goes into 'hibernation'.

Leave it out in the open, and bring it in when the temperature gets too cold. As for the period, it will start to grow faster at the start of spring. So you can leave it till then.
By kronos1996
Posts:  515
Joined:  Thu Sep 13, 2012 2:23 pm
#248443
Venus flytraps are native to Zone #7 if I recall so anything below that should be fine. I'm in zone #8 and I've never had trouble with mine even when the temperature has dropped to 5 degrees for a day or two. They can be grown outside through Zone #4 from what I've read but you will need varying degrees of insulation to protect them depending upon where you live.

I have more than thirty cultivars and I haven't lost a single one during dormancy so far.

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