FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Orit wrote:All my living flytraps are from here. i had 1 other one that I got for free, tiny and half-dead. it didn't make it, but it sparked the obsession.

All it takes is one! Pretty neat you got them all locally, I'm sure there are places here. I just haven't tried searching. They will find me.

I'm excited to see how mine grow as the months pass. I would like shorter petioles, but it's really all genetics at this point since I keep them outside in full sun. Or at least that's what I've deduced.

I'm only a novice, and this is pure speculation, but maybe the ones you've repotted need another season to adjust? You said the ones you left alone are healthier, that might be why? May I inquire about your media? I use 50/50 peat/perlite, and top off with LFS. I want to get some sand for my next plants, see if that does anything. Hopefully you manage to get them to peak health to see them in their full glory tho! I've really liked seeing the red inside the traps now that they've adjusted to full sun. Makes me feel like I'm doing something right.

Even in dormancy Jaws is still quite attractive. I didn't realize the outside of their trap could have red patches either. Ah, genetics.

ooh, sorry for being confusing. by "here," i meant the FlytrapStore, not locally. i bought all my flytraps from FTS. The ones I repotted are in sphagnum moss purchased from FTS as well. i know if it comes from here, i dont have to worry about the quality or suitability. Maroon Monster and Flaming Lips are both FTS originals.

A little update after 5.5 weeks from my last post of Sunny.

I have applied a neem oil spray every 2 weeks or so since my initial post. It appears that whatever was leeching on my VFT has since disappeared.

There are currently a bunch of little new growths emerging from one side of the rhizome with more mature growth continuing to sprout adjacent. Yaaaas! There was even another flower stalk that began to grow, the stem got all tangled/ jammed so the flower never grew above the base of the leaves so I just snipped it off. Otherwise, Sunny is quite happy in the taller pot and natural repellent misting. Again, many thanks to the advice of fellow FTC forum members.

As for the flower stalk, it looks like it's doing well. Hasn't browned anymore than top since the first weeks, hope that's a good sign. Not really sure if it has any strikes yet, I wouldn't want to pull it out and disturb whatever is going on beneath the LFS surface. Just going to continue filling the tray with DI water when needed.

Looking good! And yes, the fact that the cut stalk has stopped turning black is an excellent sign. All you have to do now is watch and wait. My only strikes took 3 months to show, so be patient. Wouldn't hurt to apply neem oil to prevent mold as well. Mold was the main killer of my other stalks since the media had to be kept damp for so long. Good luck!

Greatly appreciate your input, orit!

I didn't realize neem oil helps with mold as well. Seems to be a cure all! Although, I did read one should occasionally spray sowed seeds in the process of germinating for that reason. I just sowed a variety of D. capensis seeds two days ago, would you suggest I mist as a preventative?

Thank you again for the advice, I will definitely mist my little stalk whenever I spray my plants. After the 3 months, did leaves start to poke out? And did you repot it immediately or you waited some time so the roots could further develop?

Not sure about the sundew seeds. My only issues with them has been algae (at least i think that's what it is), and I'm still not sure how to get rid of it. Better defer to someone who knows better (Shadowtski, please feel free to chime in LOL).

Maroon Monster was cut 4/22 and Jaws 5/29. I spotted the MM cotyledons late July and Jaws just about 2 weeks ago. The plants are microscopic and I almost missed them, especially MM, as it blends in with the moss. This is what they looked like 9/1. I won't repot them for a while because they're very delicate and I'm afraid I'd kill or damage them. but again, other more experienced growers please chime in.

i know the moss looks dry, but it is not. dry moss would kill them pretty quickly.

I remember seeing something about a diluted Hydrogen peroxide solution to help with algae. As you've stated, perhaps some insite from a more experienced grower would be better. I'm a rook, wanting to learn! It looks like the algae hasn't prevent growth tho, so that's good.

It's awesome you were successful with your flower stalks! I love seeing the adorable, little new growth. Have you propagated using leaf cuttings before? Definitely interested in that one of these days.

It seems that they're happy with the LFS conditions. I've only really used it as top dressing. Well also as media for the flower stalk and for some of the D. capensis seeds I sowed. I did notice you requested seeds from the seed bank kinda recently. How're they doing??

My drosera capensis red seeds are doing well, but I haven't planted the drosera burmanni yet - probably do that this weekend. I got both from the seedbank and am extremely thankful... my fungus gnats won't be!

I have not tried leaf cutting yet, and those were the only 2 out of 15 flower stalks I got to strike. Of those 15, I had cut several into smaller pieces, so my success rate is only about 10%. Still, I am thrilled at the two I have. They ARE adorable.

I really like Sunny's teeth. I see your collection is growing rapidly. You were warned, CPs are addictive!

Orit, oh how quickly it HAS grown! Hello, I'm Mary and I'm addicted to CPs. I've jumped the gun and am on two new Genera! Although I've been reading up so hopefully all that information is being applied correctly.

I received a few baby clumps of Cephalotus in the mail two nights ago and potted them up yesterday. So giddy about those!

And on Tuesday morning, I stopped by a Home Depot and saved two Sarracenia! Do you happen to have any experience with them? Idk whether to repot them now or to wait until after dormancy since they were in those death cubes. They aren't doing bad in there as far as I can tell, I just really want to! For now, I've watered them and slowly acclimating to the real world. Lol.

That's crazy you only got 2 to strike out of all of them, still successful! I'm sure it was a great feeling seeing those growths pop out. Yeah, the other day I potted 2 VFT leaf pullings so hoping those make it.

Have fun sowing those D. brumanni! I love getting my fingers dirty with CP media. Such an enjoyable process overall.

Thank you! This past month I just noticed my other, Mars has red cilia and often has 4 trigger hairs. Trying to figure out Sunny exactly, he puts out pretty big traps. Cilia have been nice and long in the past, but the recent heat has burnt the tips slightly. Still putting out wicked new growth tho. No complaints here!

oh wow! cephalotus are so beautiful. I'm almost thankful most pitcher plants need humidity, otherwise I'd be broke! I'm sure you could grow them here if you end up moving, but i have no idea what that would entail. and sorry, i know very little about sarracenia and can't offer advice.

Most of my flower stalks stayed green at the bottom for weeks or months before mold finally got them. Lesson learned, i will ventilate the bags more frequently, apply neem oil, and hopefully do better than 10% next spring! But it really was very exciting when they came up. I'm looking forward to comparing their growth with my VFT seedlings that recently sprouted, since they are supposed to grow much more slowly from seed. good luck with your leaf cuttings!

i just love the sundews, and they really love fungus gnats, and fungus gnats really love my flytraps (which eat a few but not nearly enough to put a dent in the population), so it has been a nice symbiotic relationship between the two for me. the gnats really did a number on my plants earlier this year, and i honestly can't believe the sheer quantity of gnats the sundews are eating. so the more sundews, the merrier!

congrats on your new additions! good growing!

I really enjoy that they have both non/carnivorous leaves. If I'm not mistaken, my location and Albany are almost the same latitude so that makes me hopeful with these guys. If I do end up relocating, I'd probably need to have an indoor set up for them to really thrive which is different and cool in it's own right, I just prefer being able to see how they fair in nature opposed to controlled conditions.

That is a blessing and a curse. I just got a Nepenthes yesterday afternoon... It was $5 at Lowe's!

Good thing you have TONS of sun often out there for your sundews. Patiently waiting on my Drosera to sprout. I haven't seen any in store, so I think it would be really neat to have some that I grew myself. Each CP has their own little quirk. I can see myself enjoying those greatly. Pygmies are adorable and reproduction via gemmea is awesome. I'm not sure if we have too many fungus gnats here or if at all. We get fruit flies often since my gma throws over ripe produce in her plants. Lol. It's pretty fun harvesting those except they're not easy to feed VFT. Sundews will probably be better at capturing them since they just get stuck!

It's been 3 months since I planted the stalk and I have been very curious as to what's been going on beneath all the LFS the past couple weeks. Then today I noticed a small green spec poking out. Decided to grab a bamboo skewer and do a little digging. Low and behold, we have some tiny Sunny babies coming out! There were about 7 carnivorous leave already. I covered them back up shortly after. Miracles happen every day.

That's awesome, congratulations! You must be thrilled.

awwwwwh yeah!!

Orit wrote:That's awesome, congratulations! You must be thrilled.

Most definitely. Your strikes are looking mighty good yourself!