> I have not allowed my Dionea to enter dormancy yet, primarily because
> it was recovering from an initial poor potting. It has shown its
> appreciation, and now I would like to have it enter dormancy.
>
> I have seen figures as long as 4 months for a dormancy period, and the
> extremes of placing outside in the snow to leaving in a 50F room.
>
> What should be the maximum temperature for dormancy, and the minimum
> time of dormancy?
I think that when you see different accounts giving widely different
suggestions, it just means that the conditions don't actually matter
too much, and there is no single 'right' way.
My VFTs get treatment near the top end of your temperature range.
About 45F / 7C for several months (warmer than this most days).
This is just the normal conditions in a slightly heated greenhouse
in the UK. The plants don't go totally dormant - they keep some
leaves, but don't grow. They seem to do OK in these conditions,
but no doubt cooler would be acceptable too.
I come to think that too much fuss is made of this 'dormancy'
business, but then I haven't experienced the problems of living
somewhere that the Winter is too warm. Just what happens if the
plants don't get their dormancy?
-- Clarke Brunt (clarke@brunt.demon.co.uk)