FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

[SquidBait]

Hey guys,
I am going to start a new job In Arkansas in less than a month. What is the best way to move my plants? Is there anything special I need to do?

Also, anyone know how well they will grow there? It is more humid than here in Colorado.

Thanks,
Troy

I forgot to mention I have VFT's and a couple of pitcher plants.

[Matt]

The plants should do exceptionally well in most parts of Arkansas Troy. What city are you moving to?

When I moved all of my plants out here to Ashland from Boulder, I just put them in their trays and set them down flat in the bed of the moving truck. They seemed to do fine with that.

[heathenpriest]

The main problem I've had when moving plants is trying to keep the pots upright, especially since I prefer tall pots. I would suggest putting them in milk crates, boxes, etc., and wedging them in so they can't fall over and dump the soil and plants out.
Good luck!

[SquidBait]

We are going to be somewhere in the northwest area (Bentonville, Rogers etc). I will have to move out there before the rest of the family as we still need to sell the house. I was thinking of a box or something. I think it will be about a 13 hour drive.

[SquidBait]

Ok, I'll try this again. The first time I typed a bunch of stuff and it blew up when I tried to post. Anyway, I thought I would update you guys on the move out here.
The house we rented is a hair on the shady side. It is near a lake, but too many trees to give any decent amount of sun.

Well, the plants made it just fine. I put them in a plastic tub and they were wedged in between other stuff. They rode in the passenger seat, so they even got a little sun on the way out here. The house has a back deck that faces the woods, but it is about 20-30 feet off the ground. I put the plants out there until I could maybe find another spot for them. Well, 3 days into my being here, I hear a loud thump about 4:30 in the morning. I sort of woke up, but didn't investigate. I guess I figured it would wait until morning to see what had happened. Well, about 15 minutes later, I hear the same loud bump. It took me a little bit, but I made it out of bed and went by the windows and saw two of my plants had been picked up and dropped and there was dirt all over. I went outside, and checked the plants and they didn't seemed to be too damaged. A little root exposure, but I scooped up all the dirt I could and put it back into the pots. I suspected squirrels but I started to think that there was no way a squirrel was going to be able to pick up a pot and drop it from enough height to do what had been done. I found out later that there are raccoons here! That would be the only thing that could have gotten up here.

This morning, I caught two squirrels on the deck, and one of them was close to my plants. I noticed that the squirrel had been digging in my VFT pot. It's starting to tick me off. Everything had started to get really impressive looking and now they have been attacked 3 times.

Anyway, I have noticed that in the pitchers, the small ones have opened up way early instead of getting big like the earlier ones. Holes so small, maybe a gnat might get in.
And a couple of them have curled around in a circle (Think big horn sheep horns). The VFT that has gotten dug up and slammed around doesn't look nearly as healthy as it did. I am a little worried that they aren't going to survive being here. They really miss 9 hours of 98 degree sun.

Does anybody have any suggestions for any thing or maybe words of encouragement?
Thanks.

[Matt]

Sorry to hear about the trauma your plants are receiving Troy. Squirrels and raccoons can be a huge nuisance. I think that perhaps the easiest way to prevent them from getting to your plants is to build a little cage for them. That's what I had to do when I had my plants outside in Boulder. Here in Ashland I haven't had a problem yet with the plants I keep outside, but I know that raccoons are a problem here too.

[SquidBait]

Any idea what the raccoons are looking for?

[cbennett4041]

In my experience, anything. Raccoons are curious, albeit annoying, creatures. You can set out live animal traps if you think you just have a couple around. Its a safer way to relocate them.

You can even bore a hole in a stump or log about 3/4" to an 1" across, then put some tin foil in the bottom. Once the foils in, pound nails through the stump at an angle so the tips appear in the hole. The raccoon will be so curious about the shiny he'll reach in and grab the foil and refuse to let go. The nails and his innate fortitude will keep him in place til you get there. But then you have a problem... usually this you shoot them. Maybe not your cup of tea... or legal.

If you do cage them, take them a LONG way from your house to dump them. They'll find there way back to your place.

[SquidBait]

Matt, can you describe the cage you built in a little more detail. I was thinking a raccoon would just knock over a cage.

Also, I would like to pick up a sundew for the window sill. Any suggestions on what kind would be best?

Thanks a bunch.

[Matt]

Matt, can you describe the cage you built in a little more detail. I was thinking a raccoon would just knock over a cage.

It was a very simple bottomless cage made out of 1"x1" boards and chicken wire. Basically make a box or rectangle out of the boards and then put chicken wire on 5 out of the six sides and then set it down over the top of your plants. That's it.

Also, I would like to pick up a sundew for the window sill. Any suggestions on what kind would be best?

Definitely a Drosera capensis. They're incredibly easy to grow and also one of the most attractive looking sundews out there (in my opinion).