Re: Venus fly traps

Paul Temple (temple_p@bst.dec.com)
Thu, 27 Oct 94 09:01:24 +0000

+---------------------------+ TM From: Paul Temple
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>Maybe the conditions in a British cool greenhouse (minimal heat in
>Winter, >keeping above say 45F/8C) suit Sarracenia and Dionaea, but I
>never have to make a fuss about this Winter dormancy. The plants just
>stay where they are in the water tray, and come through Winter looking
>pretty much the same as in Summer only less active. Is it because some
>of you are in different climates that you need to bury your VFTs, or
>keep them in the 'fridge?

I don't encourage begineers (or anyone else for that matter) to keep
VFT's in a fridge!!!

They will survive but be set back and start growth late in the next
season, producing plants of a successively smaller size (I'm resisting
the temptation to describe the inevitable result of a plant getting
smaller each year, but the anatomical description isn't truly accurate
for a plant!).

VFT's can be kept at low temperatures, including below freezing (for a
while), but generally do well by just being maintained without change
from summer conditions, with the temperature preferably above 5C,
better still at above 10C.

At 10C it is normal for dormancy to result in loss of all leaves
without impacting future growth. Higher temperatures do let the plant
keep its leaves whilst "dormant".

Regards

Paul