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Post by lloyd on Oct 29, 2006 9:58:37 GMT -5
This is my first year seriously inducing dormancy for the cold temperate plants. Up to now, I've just put them close to the window and hoped for the best. The sundews seem to be Ok with this but the VFT's and sarr's are not looking as good as I'd like after years of more or less continuous growth. The sarr's do sort of pause for the winter after a few of the phyllopodia (sounds like Greek pastry) come out. So far I've put the smaller plants that needed repotting bare-root into the crisper section of the fridge. However, I have a big S. leukophylla in a big pot and I'm not sure what to do with it. I was reorganizing a basement storage area and noticed that it's fairly cool as it has no vents, is next to an outside wall and it's door is always closed. Would it be Ok to take the plants and park them there over the winter? The closet has air moving (it's drafty) but is pitch dark. How wet should the soil be? Should it be covered or would that invite decay? Should they be misted occasionally? Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks, Lloyd
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Post by mabudon on Oct 29, 2006 10:17:39 GMT -5
Personally I think that sounds okay- no cover, and keep them with a tiny bit of water in a tray, check it pretty often I don't believe you'd need to mist them either, just keep the medium damp but not too wet and it should be fine- you'll have to be a bit careful about hardening them off, I think, in the spring, as the sun might be awful strong after a super-dark winter. I put most of my not super hardy stuff in basement windows, the water sometimes freezes a bit but never solid and they seem to be okay, but then they DO have a bit of lousy light at least Purpman might be the best advisor on this matter, so here's hopin he stops in to this thread and posts his 2 dollars worth OH and I think maybe fungicide if you really want to guarantee as little trouble as possible, but as to which one I dunno
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Post by PingKing on Oct 31, 2006 14:13:58 GMT -5
Lloyd,
I can probably help you abit with the VFT. It needs north facing windows and basement temps are ideal for them. In my experinced with them they do nicely with some north light in the winter. the ones I had did not lose all the leaves but and the new ones coming after got smaller and smaller as the winter passed. Water tray is a must. BUT let the water in the tray run out and then wait a day of 2 then fill it up again. That way you will make sure it will avoid root decay. Also if you can cover it with something clear that will help to keep some humidity of which the plant will appreciate.
I dunno about the sarras but the VFT do like a bit of humidity on the air during winter. You could probably get more info about them by checking where they usually grow in the wild.
Hope that helps
Xavier
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Post by lloyd on Nov 25, 2006 20:00:00 GMT -5
Well I just put my big S. leukophylla in the basement storage area which is cold, feels around 10C but pitch dark. I'll keep a close eye and rescue it if it looks unhappy. I notice my VFT's, S. purp., D. intermedia look fine in the crisper section of the fridge after a month or so.
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Post by insectivore on Nov 25, 2006 20:35:25 GMT -5
Why don't you put your Leucophylla there to? Cya
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Post by Rick Hillier on Nov 25, 2006 22:07:30 GMT -5
I'd make it real easy and dig a hole in a flowerbed near the foundation of your house, line it with plastic and fill it with pine needles. Then, dig the pots into the pine needles until they are a bit below ground level and then cover the whole thing with another 12-15" of pine needles. Make the pine needle "cover" about 12" beyond the outer boundaries of the "pit."
I overwinter all of my sarracenia (all species), dionaea, P. vulgaris and Canadian drosera outside in my bog garden with a simple covering of pine needles as per the above. The garden is not in a position where it would even benefit from the heat of the house, or derive shelter from it (although I'm moving it to a sunnier location next spring) and everything survives just fine. I've lost a couple of plants over the years, but nothing significant.
Hope this helps,
>>> Rick <<<
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Post by lloyd on Nov 25, 2006 23:35:25 GMT -5
My leukophylla wouldn't fit in the fridge unless I took it out of the pot and took all the shelves out. Not a quick recipe for domestic bliss. My garden really has nowhere to dig, it's all planted or thick with roots that makes it almost impossible to excavate. Plus the squirrels, racoons, skunks and foxes are constantly rooting about. Any sign of human activity will be followed by animal excavation overnight. If we plant a bulb it will be gone by morning. The raccons can even open the green compost bins which the city thought was impossible. Once I read that bonemeal kept animals away. Then I had to clean the mess as the foxes and racoons had a bonemeal orgy all around the storage area. I'll try out my basement closet for now. Thanks for the advice, it seems to work for a lot of people.
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Post by insectivore on Nov 25, 2006 23:44:03 GMT -5
I guess that would work! Good louck! Cya
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Post by lloyd on Dec 4, 2006 13:53:16 GMT -5
I just checked my leukophylla in the basement closet. The soil had dried out a bit so I watered it. The temperature was 58F. The older pitchers were yellowing and turning brown. Is this just normal dormancy? It is pitch dark in there so I put it under a compact fluorescent (15W 2-3 feet above) just enough light to simulate bright winter light. Should I keep the light on?
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Post by insectivore on Dec 4, 2006 17:34:39 GMT -5
Mine are in the fridge and I don't think they get much light there... Cya
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Post by lloyd on Dec 4, 2006 18:59:46 GMT -5
Good point. I'll turn the light off. Although do you really know if the light is off when you close the fridge? Have you put a video camera inside to check? ;D
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Post by insectivore on Dec 4, 2006 19:45:12 GMT -5
Lol! It closes don't worry! But you know it is a good question... Cya
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