stillmanz said:
Mine's looking very dead, I watered it with distilled water and it looks worse than ever. I'm blaming the soil now.
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Carnivorous Plants
- Thread starter imaguitargod
- Start date
Mine's looking very dead, I watered it with distilled water and it looks worse than ever. I'm blaming the soil now.
Finally settled in. Something dug in the pot last night so I had to escavate them, lol.
stillz - the live moss looks very cool while having VFT growing in it. but does the moss take nuitrients away from the VFT ?
heres my couple & doing much better than before.
heres my couple & doing much better than before.
come to think of it that was a dumb question 
didnt think about it until I read it again just now.
because VFT get their nutrients from their prey they catch. I dont know if they get any from the soil, it was a normal question I guess if you're dealing with normal types of plants but VFTs are not normal.
I suppose you have to water more often because the moss is taking water also.
I wonder if I could transplant my VFT into some live moss if I dig some out from up north or locally ? I mean moss is moss correct, would it work or are there different types of moss & VFT are picky as to what kind they grow in ?
whats needed to keep moss alive, just some water or does it need something else to survive ?
but heres a good question does the moss & VFT fight for same space to grow in ? I mean since the moss is alive does it make it tougher for the VFT to grow & spread throughout the container. does the moss keep growing. since you'd think they're both fighting for the same limited space to grow in.
didnt think about it until I read it again just now.because VFT get their nutrients from their prey they catch. I dont know if they get any from the soil, it was a normal question I guess if you're dealing with normal types of plants but VFTs are not normal.
I suppose you have to water more often because the moss is taking water also.
I wonder if I could transplant my VFT into some live moss if I dig some out from up north or locally ? I mean moss is moss correct, would it work or are there different types of moss & VFT are picky as to what kind they grow in ?
whats needed to keep moss alive, just some water or does it need something else to survive ?
but heres a good question does the moss & VFT fight for same space to grow in ? I mean since the moss is alive does it make it tougher for the VFT to grow & spread throughout the container. does the moss keep growing. since you'd think they're both fighting for the same limited space to grow in.
The live sphagnum is the best. Keeps things very moist. VFT's do get some nutrients out of the soil they are in but main sorce of food is the sun. Moss off the sidewalk IS NOT good moss! Use only sphagnum (learned the hard way).
ok I kinda worded it wrong when I said "moss is moss" I was meaning the moss on the ground in bogs is close enough to be considered the same or good enough ?
I know moss from trees or sidewalk moss is not the same, but swamp bog moss should be alright or you must have "sphagnum moss" is there different types of bog moss or is it considered all sphagnum moss ? cuz I could get some moss from a bog around here or go up north (while bowhunting) & get some better bog moss (they also harvest moss in that area)
I just think live moss looks much cooler than just having the dead stuff.
but I suppose harvesting some live moss from a bog area might bring some other issues like - water, is it safe for the VFT or would it need to be cleaned by soaking in some clean water for a week ?
then the bugs if theres some imbedded in the moss.
I know moss from trees or sidewalk moss is not the same, but swamp bog moss should be alright or you must have "sphagnum moss" is there different types of bog moss or is it considered all sphagnum moss ? cuz I could get some moss from a bog around here or go up north (while bowhunting) & get some better bog moss (they also harvest moss in that area)
I just think live moss looks much cooler than just having the dead stuff.
but I suppose harvesting some live moss from a bog area might bring some other issues like - water, is it safe for the VFT or would it need to be cleaned by soaking in some clean water for a week ?
then the bugs if theres some imbedded in the moss.
ok some more questions for those that are "in the know of things"
if I plan on picking some bog moss/sphagnum moss (who am I kidding, I will when I have the chance)
you grab just the top stuff, does this stuff have roots or will it still grow if I pick the top stuff & wash it really good.
how can I keep some flies & bugs alive & for them to produce offspring during the winter ?
I kinda have this idea of getting a fish tank & throw some rooted weeds/grass in the tank & water those in the hopes the weeds stay living for the insects to feed off, while my VFT container is inside the fish tank to feed off those insects.
gonna work or not or any better ideas as for feeding the VFT this winter ?
oh yea heres my new babys, traps are like 1" long
I saw them at the store & had to buy them, now I can feed grasshopers/crickets or wasps (only gonna grab these in the cool mornings) to them 
what are these called, just curious.
if I plan on picking some bog moss/sphagnum moss (who am I kidding, I will when I have the chance)
you grab just the top stuff, does this stuff have roots or will it still grow if I pick the top stuff & wash it really good.
how can I keep some flies & bugs alive & for them to produce offspring during the winter ?
I kinda have this idea of getting a fish tank & throw some rooted weeds/grass in the tank & water those in the hopes the weeds stay living for the insects to feed off, while my VFT container is inside the fish tank to feed off those insects.
gonna work or not or any better ideas as for feeding the VFT this winter ?
oh yea heres my new babys, traps are like 1" long
I saw them at the store & had to buy them, now I can feed grasshopers/crickets or wasps (only gonna grab these in the cool mornings) to them what are these called, just curious.
Rule of thumb, never feed them anything that can eat it's way out 
I want to say Big Mouth for the type, but they are too long, so my next guess is Typical.
I want to say Big Mouth for the type, but they are too long, so my next guess is Typical.
imaguitargod said:Rule of thumb, never feed them anything that can eat it's way out
yea I guess it may of not been smart putting a grasshopper in 1 trap (already did it, so far its still there)
plus 1 cricket in another plant & a hornnet in another plant (would of had 2 but 1 got out of the trap (knowing this I have a bucket over them tonight so no hornnet flys around inside)
its just that these plants have big traps & I wanted to feed them bigger insects, & these are the only choices (so far)
stillmanz said:
yea I dont think you know our winters, at least where I'm at.
their natural thing would be die
our winters are not like yours!
mate they can handle freezing temps.
check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilmington,_North_Carolina
these things will take freezing temps,I have seen on the net pics of them out in the yard covered in snow. they will handle it because that is were they came from they are not tropical plants they need a winter to grow well.
check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilmington,_North_Carolina
these things will take freezing temps,I have seen on the net pics of them out in the yard covered in snow. they will handle it because that is were they came from they are not tropical plants they need a winter to grow well.
chiliac - I understand VFT can go w/o food for some time, but I'd rather not do that & allow them to get at least some food over the winter so they keep growing & spread out in bigger clumps. my goal is to get a big container full of VFT's
stillz - ok 1st you're comparing NC to MN, NC is a coastal state & is around 1000 miles south of MN, so just a tad different in weather. maybe they can handle the freezing temps of NC when they get the really cold temps (but really how many consecutive days are those freezing temps or snow on the ground ? since average low at coldest month is only 36F/2C.
quote from wiki
"Owing to its northerly latitude and inland location, the Twin Cities experiences the coldest climate of any major metropolitan area in the United States.[24] However due to its southern location in the state and aided further by the urban heat island, the Twin Cities is one of the warmest locations in Minnesota.[25] The average annual temperature at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is 45.4 °F (7.4 °C); 3.5 °F colder than Winona, Minnesota, and 8.8 °F warmer than Roseau, Minnesota. [26] Monthly average daily high temperatures range from 21.9 °F (-5.6 °C) in January to 83.3 °F (28.5 °C) in July; the average daily minimum temperatures for the two months are 4.3 °F (-15.4 °C) and 63.0 °F (17 °C) respectively.[27
Minimum temperatures of 0 °F (-18 °C) or lower are seen on an average of 29.7 days per year, and 76.2 days do not have a maximum temperature exceeding the freezing point. Temperatures above 90 °F (32 °C) occur an average of 15 times per year. High temperatures above 100 °F have been rare in recent years; the last occurring in July, 2006, during an unusually hot period in which the high temperature exceeded 90 °F on 17 of July's 31 days. The lowest temperature ever reported at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport was -34 °F (-36.6 °C) on January 22, 1936; the highest, 108 °F (42 °C), was reported on July 14 of the same year.[28]"
& by no means do I imply that I live in the coldest location (but its still cold!), the canuks have claim to that, & then they send their cold ass weather our way
& I live north of twin cities (so even colder by a couple degrees on average)
I'm not gonna risk leaving my plants outside & hope they live through our winter (I'm still a newbie growing these plants)
stillz - ok 1st you're comparing NC to MN, NC is a coastal state & is around 1000 miles south of MN, so just a tad different in weather. maybe they can handle the freezing temps of NC when they get the really cold temps (but really how many consecutive days are those freezing temps or snow on the ground ? since average low at coldest month is only 36F/2C.
quote from wiki
"Owing to its northerly latitude and inland location, the Twin Cities experiences the coldest climate of any major metropolitan area in the United States.[24] However due to its southern location in the state and aided further by the urban heat island, the Twin Cities is one of the warmest locations in Minnesota.[25] The average annual temperature at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is 45.4 °F (7.4 °C); 3.5 °F colder than Winona, Minnesota, and 8.8 °F warmer than Roseau, Minnesota. [26] Monthly average daily high temperatures range from 21.9 °F (-5.6 °C) in January to 83.3 °F (28.5 °C) in July; the average daily minimum temperatures for the two months are 4.3 °F (-15.4 °C) and 63.0 °F (17 °C) respectively.[27
Minimum temperatures of 0 °F (-18 °C) or lower are seen on an average of 29.7 days per year, and 76.2 days do not have a maximum temperature exceeding the freezing point. Temperatures above 90 °F (32 °C) occur an average of 15 times per year. High temperatures above 100 °F have been rare in recent years; the last occurring in July, 2006, during an unusually hot period in which the high temperature exceeded 90 °F on 17 of July's 31 days. The lowest temperature ever reported at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport was -34 °F (-36.6 °C) on January 22, 1936; the highest, 108 °F (42 °C), was reported on July 14 of the same year.[28]"
& by no means do I imply that I live in the coldest location (but its still cold!), the canuks have claim to that, & then they send their cold ass weather our way
& I live north of twin cities (so even colder by a couple degrees on average)
I'm not gonna risk leaving my plants outside & hope they live through our winter (I'm still a newbie growing these plants)
http://cobraplant.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=8
these guys are in Oregan
check out the pics at the bottom of the page snow and ice all over them.
It may still get too cold were you are but I'm not sure. Interesting experiment nonetheless.
these guys are in Oregan
check out the pics at the bottom of the page snow and ice all over them.
It may still get too cold were you are but I'm not sure. Interesting experiment nonetheless.
as the saying goes " you learn something new everyday "
well now I know they can handle colder temps than what I thought they could (because I brought them inside months ago when it got in the 50's (F)
but you're still comparing coastal states to my location which is sort of in the center of north america.
heres some of their quotes from that oregon link
USDA Zone of Native Habitat: Zone 8
The Venus flytrap occurs naturally in zone 8 where temperatures in winter can sometimes reach as low as 10°F (-12°C) for very brief periods of time. In cultivation, you should always follow proper winter care when growing this plant in zones 8 or colder. See below for more information.
Don’t worry about overnight temperature dips as low as 20°F (-7°). While dormant, your plant can certainly tolerate overnight frosts with minimal winter protection.
However, plants are very susceptible to freeze damage when grown in containers. You will need to protect your plant when the temperature falls below 20°F (-7°C) or whenever there is a combination of freezing temperatures and wind. Both types of winter conditions can certainly cause serious frost burn.
If you live in an area where the temperature routinely goes below 32°F (0°C) for more than a week at a time, such as in zones 7 or less, you will need to winterize your container plants. Container plants can certainly tolerate brief freezes. But with prolonged freezes, your plants are at risk for frost burn.
from these quotes gives me the impression thats its not a forsure thing that they could survive our weather outside
I'm a zone 3 or 4
well now I know they can handle colder temps than what I thought they could (because I brought them inside months ago when it got in the 50's (F)
but you're still comparing coastal states to my location which is sort of in the center of north america.
heres some of their quotes from that oregon link
USDA Zone of Native Habitat: Zone 8
The Venus flytrap occurs naturally in zone 8 where temperatures in winter can sometimes reach as low as 10°F (-12°C) for very brief periods of time. In cultivation, you should always follow proper winter care when growing this plant in zones 8 or colder. See below for more information.
Don’t worry about overnight temperature dips as low as 20°F (-7°). While dormant, your plant can certainly tolerate overnight frosts with minimal winter protection.
However, plants are very susceptible to freeze damage when grown in containers. You will need to protect your plant when the temperature falls below 20°F (-7°C) or whenever there is a combination of freezing temperatures and wind. Both types of winter conditions can certainly cause serious frost burn.
If you live in an area where the temperature routinely goes below 32°F (0°C) for more than a week at a time, such as in zones 7 or less, you will need to winterize your container plants. Container plants can certainly tolerate brief freezes. But with prolonged freezes, your plants are at risk for frost burn.
from these quotes gives me the impression thats its not a forsure thing that they could survive our weather outside
I'm a zone 3 or 4