Preparing Sarracenias for dormancy?

[carnivoure12]

Hey Guys,

I am a bit worried about how to prepare your plants for dormancy. Winter here in Toronto is just around the corner. Do I leave them Inside in a cool place? What are the signs of them going into dormancy.

Please help.

[dvg]

With the shorter days and the cooler nights, your outdoor temperate plants should be primed and ready for dormancy. I bring my outdoor temperate cp's into the garage sometime in October, because the night time temps are dropping too low by then. The garage is heated, but the t-stat is kept at 7C to accommodate the plants. If you can find a cool place for your plants for three to four months, that's a good dormancy.

It's also very important not to let your plant's containers to dry out. It might mean being careful to ensure the water dish is always full, versus losing some plants because they accidentally 'dried and died' out.

If you are able to provide cooler temps with a shortened day length of 8 to 10 hours, even if you have to put them in a north facing window, that should be enough for a proper dormancy. Maybe ones of the members will offer to 'board' your plants in their bog for the winter.

[carnivoure12]

Would putting them in a bix and coveribg them in news papar be a good idea? Or My window, though my house is heated in the winter, though my room isn't. Or does the space under a kitchen sink work? its cool but is that too dark?

[dvg]

Sept 10, 2008 17:00:14 GMT -5 carnivoure12 said:

Would putting them in a bix and coveribg them in news papar be a good idea? Or My window, though my house is heated in the winter, though my room isn't. Or does the space under a kitchen sink work? its cool but is that too dark?

Of the options listed above, the window in your room sounds best, although a north facing window would be the very best. And if you can keep your room on the coolish side of 10C if possible, your plants would really appreciate it.

[carnivoure12]

Thanks dvg, I would rank my room about 12-13 C The rest of the house is 15, but since my room isn't heated that would be the temp. Thank you very much can this apply to VFT's, and are the signs for dormancy dieing leafs?

Sorry for bothering you so much newbie

[dvg]

Yes, the same applies to vft's and those temps should be good enough. And it is a good thing to ask questions. The book 'The Savage Garden' by Peter D'amato is a very helpful reference guide to CP's and their cultural needs. You can order it on Amazon or have your local bookstore bring it in for you. Well worth the investment, if you wish to grow these sometimes tricky plants. Good luck with your plant's dormancy.

[lloyd]

I kept my temperate stuff in the basement at ~ 12C all winter in complete darkness. The annoying part was that I had to water at least once a week or they would have dried out. Also because they were used to 12C they weren't too happy when we had our cold spring and it went down to 2-3C for a few weeks in April and May.

[Flytrap]

It may not get as cold over here than over in central Canada... average winter temps around -2C

All my plants are kept outdoors, without any cover , but sometimes buried under snow. Although they should be in a bit drier (less water) locale... I don't bother. So sometimes the plants are completely submerged under rainwater.

I used to bring in a few warmer region sarracenia (minor and psittacina), into the basement... but I found that rot and mould occurs when I did that.

So far, the outdoor exposure hasn't resulted in much loss. Sarracenias are a lot tougher than most give them credit for. But note, sarracenia that were grown indoors all year round, I find them weaker and less robust ... and more susceptible to disease... so I no longer keep them on my windowsill indoors anymore. Everything out in the full sun and full winter.

Hope this helps.

[carnivoure12]

Well I am planning on keeping them in my balcony all spring summer and fall, but i'm going to have to bring them inside for their dormancy, since here the cold winter averages -20 C

I want my new sarracenias (which were supposed to arrive yesterday, but I'll have to wait until monday) To make it through dormanyc, especially the Flava which I'va had my eye on for quite a while.

So heres my plan, I will keep the sarrs and Darlings outside until the days shorten and temps here average a 10 C then I will bring them inside for their SUCCESFULL dormancy (hopefully)

[Sawchuk]

Last year i failed dormancy outdoor's, due to disease and rot which occured during the final weeks of dormancy when temps began to fluctuate again i believe

i live in the prairie's of alberta which can easily get 40 below. i had moderate protection. which probobly contributed in there death.

im now deciding which method i should choose this year to winter these few plants i have 2 VFT's and 2 Sarrs.
1) I could put them in the fridge but im worried about rot or mold.
2) they could sit enclosed in a basement window above all other tropical plants which need some warmth which could cause prob's.
3) Build a Insulated box, bury half in dirt ground in garage.
which im thinkin i wanna do if I can manage to get this 2 work.

which option sounds best for my situation??
i also hear this winter is going to be the coldest in year's in this region.

how important is it that the plants get the 10 hours of light??

any feed back is again appreciated.


So David what if i was 2 put a live green flytrap in a icecream bucket, fill up with water and deerfreeze this winter?? any chance of survival??

[carnivoure12]

I'm thinking of ptting them in a box, and filling it with shreded newspaper, but I won't close the box, The paper will provide nice insulation, while the cold outside well help them.

sawchuk, your box idea looks good, I live in an apartment, so i can't bury anything.

Frogs have been know to comeback to life after 3 months of being frozen solid. This might work for your plant if you wrap it in some sphagnum as to not have direct contact with the ice.

[Sawchuk]

if anything im worried about mold or rot once again air circulation is important
i cant imagine the apartment thing, im WAY 2 loud for an appartment id be runout in a week lol i scooped a lil rundown house for 700 Month here with big yard which is wokring great for my hobbies.

the frog things unbelieveable id hafe 2 see it.

im planning on taking cuttings form my sarr pur this year and using them as shooter's. lastyear i did but no one was brave enough 2 do it. im also looking for ways to persurve the life of the cutting after its removed, without making it toxic. lol no more exsperiments for me.

iv actually been thinking of talking to my local nursury bout what i could do for dormancy in the prairie's. and possibly slipping my plants with there's if any??

[carnivoure12]

Believe it! They get frozen solid in winter, they go into "suspended animation" A special Mucus that prevents them from getting frostbite, once warth comes the melt and their hearts start pumping once again, sounds like a CP's Dormancy. Anyway, it was on discovery and Animal Planet

[Rug]

Yeah its actually a special form of glucose that the frog produces that is in essscence a form of anti-freeze. This rapidly fills all cells within the frog when it starts to get cold and prevents the cells from ice damage (crystals of ice that form in cells is what ruptures cells and cause whats known as frost bite) The funny thing is that if you rapidly freeze the frog (like chryogenic freezing) the frog is unable to produce this glucose and the frog dies every time. So much for being Chryogenicly frozen so I can come back to life in the year 10,343 like my original plan! Dang back to the drawing board!

[lloyd]

Don't worry about light. I had my plants in complete darkness all last winter with no problems.