Post by ellen687 on Dec 22, 2005 10:54:24 GMT -5
My VFTs from Rona or HD and seedlings grown from seed from E-Bay supplier died from black rot (I guess so), starting from leaves and stems, not crown.
Here what I did:
Gradially opened plastic dome to adapt VFT to lower humidity, then replanted them in covered aquarium with gap left, with layer or river rock, sphagnum peat and silica sand on the bottom, all washed. Water level touched bottom of the peat and may be ends of VFT roots.
Last wash and watering were done by distilled water, no fertilizing.
During first week one VFT started to blacken from stem, I removed stem, then another started to black.
In a month peat started smell bad, fungus grats appeared, and I replanted both VFTs if long-fibered sphagnum (also from HD), out of the quarium, in the individual pots on the windowsill, in clear plastic bag opened partially outside, then gradually fully, then removed the bag.
Feeded by occassional spiders (very few, no overfeeding, no unnecessary triggering traps). Watering by tray method, sometimes washing from the top. Some leaves blackened and were removed, one plant was doing worse than another.
VFT Seedlings germinated in damp peat in clear plastic cup, covered by plastic wrap. When first traps appeared, moved them into individual 1.5" seedling pots/cells, in pure peat, along with sarracenia seedlings from the same batch. All pots were covered by plastic seedlings dome with holes at the top for ventilation. Gradually dome was removed, when seedling were outside.
For the summer (end of May-start of June) moved all outside, part shade, no rain protection (Toronto), saucers with water 1" or less. In a few months growth was worse and worse, all VFTs died, some just desappeared, others darkened or blackened and died.
Sarracenias, adult and seedlings, side by side, same conditions (other than sphagnum from the middle of the summer for big Sarrs, peat smelled bad), growing well, except one (strongest) that died too - rot.
Does VFT require conditions different from Sarrs, like rain protection?
I know, it's permanent question from newbies about died VFTs, can we make list of pifalls for the common good (in addition to requirement of watering by rain water and keeping media acid and constantly damp)? Just a thought.
Here what I did:
Gradially opened plastic dome to adapt VFT to lower humidity, then replanted them in covered aquarium with gap left, with layer or river rock, sphagnum peat and silica sand on the bottom, all washed. Water level touched bottom of the peat and may be ends of VFT roots.
Last wash and watering were done by distilled water, no fertilizing.
During first week one VFT started to blacken from stem, I removed stem, then another started to black.
In a month peat started smell bad, fungus grats appeared, and I replanted both VFTs if long-fibered sphagnum (also from HD), out of the quarium, in the individual pots on the windowsill, in clear plastic bag opened partially outside, then gradually fully, then removed the bag.
Feeded by occassional spiders (very few, no overfeeding, no unnecessary triggering traps). Watering by tray method, sometimes washing from the top. Some leaves blackened and were removed, one plant was doing worse than another.
VFT Seedlings germinated in damp peat in clear plastic cup, covered by plastic wrap. When first traps appeared, moved them into individual 1.5" seedling pots/cells, in pure peat, along with sarracenia seedlings from the same batch. All pots were covered by plastic seedlings dome with holes at the top for ventilation. Gradually dome was removed, when seedling were outside.
For the summer (end of May-start of June) moved all outside, part shade, no rain protection (Toronto), saucers with water 1" or less. In a few months growth was worse and worse, all VFTs died, some just desappeared, others darkened or blackened and died.
Sarracenias, adult and seedlings, side by side, same conditions (other than sphagnum from the middle of the summer for big Sarrs, peat smelled bad), growing well, except one (strongest) that died too - rot.
Does VFT require conditions different from Sarrs, like rain protection?
I know, it's permanent question from newbies about died VFTs, can we make list of pifalls for the common good (in addition to requirement of watering by rain water and keeping media acid and constantly damp)? Just a thought.
