How do I handle dormancy?

[artisanrox]

Hi everyone, I've had my Dionae for about five months now, and it's December. I am interested in making it go dormant. However it doesn't seem like it's wanting to do that...there are new traps every time I look at it, and the new traps/leaves are not as big as the original ones, but they're not turning black at any alarming rate at all.

How do I start this dormancy? Do I just put it in the fridge and forget about it for four months? Do I put it in the fridge for short lengths of time?

It is a bit too warm in the house now for dormancy, and it is way too cold outside now (below zero windchill) to just put it out there, I'd feel awful!

I hope the picture links work, they're from yesterday or the day before.

I have a bonus weird trap on the plant, by the way!

[Aidan]

A windowsill at 50F or lower would be ideal... and the simplest solution. Fridging plants is the last resort.

[artisanrox]

Unfortunately, our house is only one level, and very small....all the windowsills I have are at least at 70F (which is why i asked about the fridge) except the garage downstairs, which is not heated and leaves the plant open to unwelcome guests. I think I might have to do the fridge thing.

[Aidan]

It depends upon the conditions under which you have been growing the plant up to now. If it has not received the cues to prepare for dormancy (primarily reducing daylength but also falling temperature), putting it in the fridge will at best result in suspended-animation (not dormancy) or at worst, kill the plant.

My plants are currently frozen into their pots, but they have had many weeks to prepare for such conditions. You can get away with skipping dormancy for a year and make certain the plant gets a dormant period next year. This may be your best option.

[artisanrox]

The newest traps on the plant look so spindly...compared to the traps that were already on it when I got it, it does look "tired".


I think I am coming up with a plan. My restroom is the only place in the house where it would be safe and cool...that room is usually VERY cool (but not frigid) because I keep the window open a crack all winter. (My part of the house gets way too warm if i don't do that.) If I move it for a week or two from the light to the restroom I think it'd be able to handle the fridge. I hope.

So I'll try acclamating it to some cooler temps first. Thanks for the advice.

[mmlr38]

Dec 8, 2008 14:53:10 GMT artisanrox said:

The newest traps on the plant look so spindly...compared to the traps that were already on it when I got it, it does look "tired".


I think I am coming up with a plan. My restroom is the only place in the house where it would be safe and cool...that room is usually VERY cool (but not frigid) because I keep the window open a crack all winter. (My part of the house gets way too warm if i don't do that.) If I move it for a week or two from the light to the restroom I think it'd be able to handle the fridge. I hope.

So I'll try acclamating it to some cooler temps first. Thanks for the advice.

It sounds like your plan for using the restroom will work. I put my plants on an unheated south facing porch. The temps usually stay between 35F and 65F and they get plenty of natural light to know when to come out of dormancy. This seems to work well and match the temperatures that they're used to in their native habitat:
Wilmington, NC weather

If you want to read about your other options for dormancy, this might be a good read for you:
Venus Fly Trap Dormancy

And if you decide to go the fridge route (not recommended unless you can't come up with any other options), here's a good tutorial:
Venus Fly Trap Fridge Dormancy

Hope some of that information helps.

[cindy]

artisanrox,

I live in a region that is hot year round so the growers tend to carry out "dry dormancy". We leave the media to dry out completely in our ambient humidity (>40%) and put the pot in a shady and cool place. After 1-2 months, we repot the plant into fresh media and start increasing the water level over 2 weeks. The plant is also placed a bright spot to wake it up.

The fridge method does not work as well for us so now most of us carry out the method described above when our VFTs go dormant. Also, dormancy sometimes happens during the hottest months, triggered by the plant's internal clock.

[inman1979]

Depending on the climate that you curently reside in depends alot on how you handle the VFT. The temperature, humidity, evironment, all has to do with how you're VFT does. You live in a different evironment than what it's used to. VFT's will go domant when they need to, not when you want them to. Frigerator............. bad Ju Ju, makes sense but doesn't work. They will do what they have to do to survive!! Try to keep them outside, in the sun but not too much. VFT's take Alot of work, maybe try different Carnivores

[scottychaos]

Dec 19, 2008 6:12:22 GMT inman1979 said:

Frigerator............. bad Ju Ju, makes sense but doesn't work.

Actually.."frigerator" makes perfect sense and works great!
you just have to know how to do it right..

the trick to the "fridge method" is the plant has to be grown outdoors between April and November..so that it goes dormant naturally outdoors before it goes into the fridge..

IMO, VFTs should not be grown indoors...ever...because they have problems going dormant indoors, because they dont get the decreasing photoperiod and decreasing temp cues indoors..

you cant take a plant that has been growing indoors and just stick it in the fridge in december..wont work..because it wont be dormant..it would be dormant however if the plant has been outdoors all season..

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the "fridge method"..
I have been using it with great success for 16 years..
the trick is simply..dont grow your plant indoors!

For many of us in northern regions, using the fridge is the only option.
plants cant stay indoors all winter..70 degrees..far too warm.
plants stay outdoors all winter..10 degrees..far too cold.

the fridge, at a nice steady 35 degrees, is perfect!
its ideal actually..IF the plant is already dormant before it goes into the fridge! ;D

Here are some webpage aout how I do the fridge method:

gold.mylargescale.com/scottychaos/CP/

Yes, I am now using a cool stairwell instead of an actual fridge..
but the concept is exactly the same..

Scot

[Alexis]

Good advice, but I would disagree about the growing indoors bit. They grow fine on a windowsill and get dormancy signals through the decreasing daylight. Stick them outside during in late autumn and then they're ready for the fridge.

[scottychaos]

Mar 9, 2009 19:26:22 GMT Alexis said:

Good advice, but I would disagree about the growing indoors bit. They grow fine on a windowsill and get dormancy signals through the decreasing daylight. Stick them outside during in late autumn and then they're ready for the fridge.

maybe..
but if you can put the plant outside in late autumn, why not just grow it outdoors ALL season? which would be so much better for the plant?

if someone *can* grow the plant outdoors, there is no reason not to..

yes, some people really dont have good outdoor space..
and thats a problem..
in that case, I would suggest Nepenthes!

IMO, if you cant grow VFTs or Sarrs outdoors..well..you probably shouldnt grow them at all..sorry, but thats really the best thing for the plants...I know some might not like that advice..but I didnt make the rules! you really cant fight Mother Nature when it comes to these kinds of climate/dormancy requirements..

you need to provide specific conditions for any plant you want to grow..and if you cant provide those conditions, you shouldnt grow it..I dont try to grow palm trees in my front yard..

I have seen a LOT of VFTs of various forums over the years,
in threads just like this one, where someone just got a new VFT, doesnt know much about them, has had them indoors, now its winter.."what can I do?" they ask..
they stick it right in the fridge..they always die..

but if the plants are grown outdoors all season before going in the fridge, they nearly always live..
I dont think I have lost a plant in 10 years..
and the few I have lost over winter dormancy were young plants killed by mold..the fridge itself is never a killer..IF the plants are already dormant when they go in..

actually..the fridge is a life saver!
its not dangerous at all..its actually a very GOOD thing if its your only option for dormancy..

artisanrox,
please give us an update! ;D
its now spring-ish..how is your VFT doing?

Scot

[Not a Number]

Mar 9, 2009 19:39:23 GMT scottychaos said:

maybe..
but if you can put the plant outside in late autumn, why not just grow it outdoors ALL season? which would be so much better for the plant?

if someone *can* grow the plant outdoors, there is no reason not to..

Scot

Why don't you ask Barry Rice? He grows his Dionaea indoors under lights Spring and Summer and puts them outdoors for dormancy in the fall and winter.

For one reason of many, plants grown indoors under proper conditions often look much better than plants grown outdoors. There is less problems from insect and wind damage.

[scottychaos]

Mar 9, 2009 23:35:24 GMT Not a Number said:

Mar 9, 2009 19:39:23 GMT scottychaos said:

maybe..
but if you can put the plant outside in late autumn, why not just grow it outdoors ALL season? which would be so much better for the plant?

if someone *can* grow the plant outdoors, there is no reason not to..

Scot

Why don't you ask Barry Rice? He grows his Dionaea indoors under lights Spring and Summer and puts them outdoors for dormancy in the fall and winter.

For one reason of many, plants grown indoors under proper conditions often look much better than plants grown outdoors. There is less problems from insect and wind damage.

ok! that sounds fine..
as long as they are outside by late August it should work fine..
you would want at least 2 months outdoors (all of September and October) for them to go dormant naturally..earlier is even better! personally I would put them outdoors in August if growing indoors..

sometimes you see pepole ask "can I put it outside for a week and then put it in the fridge"? nope!
no one can give an *exact* amount of time needed..but IMO 2-months to go dormant would be the absolute minimum time needed..that might even be pushing it a bit..
I would do outdoors Aug-Sep-Oct just to be safe, if putting plants in the fridge in early November.

Scot

[Alexis]

Depends what your outside summers are like. 18C during the day and 8C at night aren't as favourable as a constant 21C indoors.

[scottychaos]

Mar 11, 2009 18:35:02 GMT Alexis said:

Depends what your outside summers are like. 18C during the day and 8C at night aren't as favourable as a constant 21C indoors.

or..conversly..
IMO 18C during the day and 8C at night is more favourable than a constant 21C indoors..because outdoors the plants still get the dormancy cues..which they dont get indoors.
they can handle cool temps just fine..

Few people have summers that cool anyway..

you can keep trying, but you will never convince me it can somehow be "better" to grow VFT's indoors!

(oh..and you should really phrase your opinions as opinions..not as facts..)

thanks,
Scot