You are amazing at doing these videos. Truly amazing. I loved every minute of this, it was very informative and not at all boring like most plant care videos seem to be. Thank you!
Winter dormancy is tough in Canada, especially Zone 5. My flytraps did not make it because temperatures can reach -25 °C. I've bought new ones this time from big box stores and hopefully I can grow them successfully this time.
I'm one of the people back east. Lol. I use a layer of burlap then mulch with pine straw. I got this off Rachel O'learys UA-cam channel. She's the one that got me excited about pitcher plants.
I've been doing fridge dormancy for my plants for 12 years and it works GREAT! Usually here in the N.E. U.S. I got them in by the end of Oct., usually mid October. They CAN get a little gray fungus but a little spray of a sulfur based fungicide takes care of that. Thanks for the video Daniela!
Sorry to repost this, but I live in PA. My basement is usually a steady 35 to 45 degrees fahrenheit. When putting my flytraps down there, there is no windows for sun, should I just mimic the light cycle of the sun with grow lights for that time of year? Or is complete darkness ok for them as that would be the same as putting them in the fridge? Also should I leave them potted and sitting in that cold water the whole time?
@@samparady3373 I never leave them sit in water. Right now I have them with 2 barrina full spectrum lights about 2 feet away. The lights turn on at 9am and turn off at 6pm and the temperature remains below 50 degrees for now as it's not cold enough here yet. the temp will be below 40 come winter. They seem to be going into dormancy. I water them once a week to get water flowing through them so no mold grows. This should be fine I hope. Please let me know if you think this is good. I currently have no dying plants. It's just sad to see all the growth go to small little compact plants now.
Omg, I never knew carnivore plants were so complicated, I just got 3 tiny plants thst will live in my kitchen where lights are on all day and AC runs almost 24/7 (south Florida) . Will keep learning as much as I can. Thanks
I live in the semi-desert in the central highlands of Mexico. I actually had some trouble with temperate plants because, evethough night went down to 40-50ºF, during the day, winters being dry and sunny, temps would go up to 77ªF. THey got a bit confused, especially becasuse that's not much hotter than the summer days when it's the actual rainy season. This time, I'll overwinter them inside with more stable temps and lower light conditions. Wish me luck. BTW, awesome S. leucophylla and Darlingtonia!
I'll give it another try. Last year was my first year with carnivorouss plants (VFT & Sarracenia). I was doing pretty well with them during the summer (BIG traps & vigorous pitcher growth). I left them out for winter (here in central IN, zone 6a) but they all died. We did have a few really cold days & I think I underwatered them. Next year (I bougth some more plants :) ) I think I'll move them to a garage with a grow light.
When do you put plants in the garage during those days of low temperatures/brief freezes and warm days in the fall that we have here in KS? Thank you and for all the info you provide; it is very helpful.
When the night time temps are consistently below 20 I would bring them inside. If, for example, you’ll have three nights below 20 I would bring them in then. But if it’s only one night and the daytime temps raise back up over the 40s, you can leave them inside. Also, if you’re worried you may miss the right time and they’ll freeze, bring them in sooner and they’ll be okay with it!
If it drops lower than 15 for more a few days or if it doesn’t warm up during the day, you’ll want to bring them in or mulch them. If it just dips into the low 15-20 range briefly and warms up during the day, they’ll be fine.
I have always at least one or two Sarracenias dying off outdoors in winter (zone 6/7), usually our winters are mild but drops to -15C (even once had -20C) are possible I'm observing dormancy of my plants to be shorter and shorter, this year the aleady came out in late march despite the last frost being in early may, though it did nothing to them I have a couple of tropical sundews which I leave outdoors from april to november and have them indoors in winter that darlingtonia looks amazing by the way
We had a really bizarre weather year; normally our plants break dormancy in early February but we had such a long, cold, cloudy period of weather that our plants didn’t really start growing until May or June this year! It’s amazing how they can be effected by the climate!
So I'm in upstate NY. We do get to -10° around February time frame for a few days. Would my pitchers and VF be okay outside? Also, when should I order a bog kit and would I have to do the same thing to my previous question?
You can keep them outside but only if you mulch very heavily on the top and sides of the pots. I would advise 4-6” of mulch at least. If you order a bog kit now it will arrive mainly dormant which is a lot easier on the plants for shipping. You can then let it adjust out and be dormant for winter and it will come back really happily in spring. If you wait until spring you’ll have much more actively growing plants for sure but shipping can cause a bit more shock.
Are all sundews temperate? What sundews specifically are temperate? Dormancy is a crucial requirement for them? Can some be grown under lights year round?
Sundews grow all over the world in many different conditions so a lot are tropical. The temperate ones are plants like filiformis, trayci, hybrida, intermedia. It’s a long list! But check out the International Carnivorous Plant Society’s website for lots of lists and details!
In another video on growing flytraps indoors you mentioned 12 hours exposure under grow lights but mentioned for winter dormancy it would be different and then mentioned to check a different video for that information. Either this is it or I'm unable to locate it. Can you direct me to it or inform me at what time length of exposure to the lights I should use? I am using a Florowave S40. Thank you.
You’ll want to reduce the hours to the natural day lengths outside if you are trying to trigger dormancy but you will also need to drop the temps. They need nights in at least the 50-60s to trigger that dormancy. So if you can move them to your garage for winter and then put the grow lights on for the same time period as the natural winter sun pattern, that is usually really good!
hello i live in chicago and i was leaving my venus flytraps outside but the soil frozed and it was hard as a rock i got scared and took it inside and now the soil in normal. did i do wrong or any recommendations?
They can take a brief freeze but without a lot of mulching in can die if exposed to too much cold. You can bring them in for winter in your area or put them back outside and mulch them in very heavily.
If my bog is in a windowsill inside do i need to put them outside? My house is usually at 65 temperature wise but the windows arent really insulated. In a trialer in GA.
I have a big plant in a big pot/barrel that doesn't freeze, that is always outside in dirt and was wondering if I got some other big plants if they would be ok in that
I’m in northern Illinois so it gets to -20 or lower for periods of time with good snow cover for at least half the season.I do have a fully screened in porch that I can close up for the most part in winter.would this be safe considering they will still completely freeze eventually.I’m confused how I would still water them in these conditions and them not freeze.
If they’ll be exposed to freezing temps, even on the porch, you’ll have to mulch the pots in very very heavily (4”+ of mulch on tops and sides). When left in pots and mulched in they should retain enough moisture to make it’s through winter without added water. The best option may be bare rooting and putting them in the fridge in your area
@@California_Carnivores so if I am to completely cover it in mulch it getting a bunch of light isn’t necessary at that point then correct?I am thinking about building a box that I can leave on the porch to put the bog pot in during the winter with enough room to to add either mulch or insulate to cover the planter.the planter itself isn’t very small so I’m thinking they may help come winter.
@@midnitesilverrun8631 Yes, at a certain point it’s best to pick cold temperatures over shorter photo period exposures. That’s why the fridge method works so well. You can definitely try building a box!
I was wondering if one should wait for them to shows signs of dormancy before actually putting them in that environment? For ex: I grow mine indoors under grow lights & they don't appear to be showing signs of dormancy just yet (was planning to move them into an unheated mudroom).
If you grow your temperate plants indoors they’re unlikely to show signs of dormancy so you’ll want to go ahead and make the choice for them and put them into dormancy
I recently rescued a couple VFT traps from a chain store. I released them from their death tubes and planted them. They are doing well in my greenhouse cabinet and are putting out new growth. Do they need a winter dormancy or should I leave them be? I am in the midwest, so it is really cold here. I can move them to an unheated room in my house if needed.
You can skip one dormancy but after that, I would give them a dormancy next year. They can live a handful of years without dormancy but then they will start to look terrible and slowly die. So if you want to keep them for a really long time, providing dormancy is best 😊
Can you do a video on fungicide treatment for sundews and other more delicate carnivores. I usually lose at least one sundew every winter because of fungal attack on dormant sundews
Hey I think my Venus fly trap and pitcher plant is dead bc they went without water for 3-4 days in bright sun in may what do I do I put them outside in a cold weather while it was raining and now I put them outside in a bin with rain water I collected water will they revive and it’s may 30 when do you think they will revive.?
Thanks for the video! I live in NJ, snowy in winter. I have sarrecenia in my windowsill of my chilly bedroom. Would it be better to mulch it up and put em in my sunroom?
As long as you see it slowing down and not growing pitchers, it should be going dormant enough to get a benefit from this time. If you feel like it’s still actively growing too much, you may want to mulch it in outside or do the bare root fridge method
Thanks for the video. One question, in your bog kit it includes some Utricularia, as all the other plants need a dormancy what do I do about the Utricularia that don't need a dormant period? Can they survive temps in the mid 30s F.? Thanks!
The terrestrial Utricularia like subulata and libido are tolerant of cold down to 15-20 for brief periods. It may not survive if exposed to extreme cold. It does not require a winter dormancy but if you are able to leave your plants outside, you don’t have to worry about the Utrics! If you need to bare root your plants and put them in the fridge, I would make up a little pot of the utrics and keep it on a sunny windowsill indoors until temperatures are higher.
Hi, i live in zone 4 (coldest temp is -30) i wonder if i could store dem in the attic or basement (stays around 1°c winter round), is that cold enough or could i store dem outside, if soo what do i need to do? Species list: Venus flytrap (typical) Sarracenia x marron Sarracenia purpurea Sarracenia, leucophylla (dojiman) Thanks in advance.
The fridge method may be the easiest method but you could store them in the attic or basement as well. Just check on them once every few weeks to make sure they’re not moldy
I live in PA. My basement is usually a steady 35 to 45 degrees fahrenheit. When putting my flytraps down there, there is no windows for sun, should I just mimic the light cycle of the sun with grow lights for that time of year? Or is complete darkness ok for them as that would be the same as putting them in the fridge? Also should I leave them potted and sitting in that cold water the whole time?
Hello! I love your videos about taking care carnivorous plants❤ It is very informative👍 I just want to know if cp's seedlings need also to go dormant? I just bought a sarracenia seedling from july and now it is approx. 3 inches in tall, do I need to dormant it? I'm living in the philippines (tropical) by the way so I'm looking forward to your next video❤
Hasley Rodrey Juico If you grow temperate plants from seed, you can skip the very first years dormancy but I would make sure they get dormancy after that.
@@California_Carnivores how many years should I skip before I give them dormancy? And what month should the 6 weeks fridge dormancy starts? Thank you very much❤
Hey there team, I'm in the Southern Hemisphere and we're getting close to plants coming out of dormancy. Generally I repot Sarracenias once every couple of years. This is usually fine and I get a good outcome. Though, should I be giving it some sort of fertilizer before the flies come?? Thank you for all your hard work and uploads.
I’m so glad you’re enjoying the videos! We do like to give the first pitchers or phyllodia or even just the bare rhizome a misting of Maxsea fertilizer diluted. We’ll apply this once a month all growing season. (It’s a seaweed based fertilizer). And then as the first few pitchers emerge we also add osmocote slow release fertilizer pellets and a little water or Maxsea into the pitchers to give them a big first meal…if we have time 😅
@@California_Carnivores Thanks for the tip team. Yeah, I haven't had any problem over the last few seasons, but we've had a pretty hard winter this year compared to the others and the might need a bit of a kickstarter. Cheers!!!
I’m in southern MA, the winters get down to the negatives. Can they take this?? Most videos I watch don’t mention if it’s colder than 20 degrees Fahrenheit what to do
They won’t be able to take those temperatures consistently. You’ll need to mulch them in heavily on the top and sides of the pot with 4-6” of mulch or do the bare-root fridge method (I just posted a video about this!)
I have an American pitcher plant and sundew I got from you guys and they're doing great, although I have not yet repotted them. Is this something I should do now, before they really start their dormant period, or should I wait? I'm in Monterey County California, for context. Thanks for the great videos!
Drosera capensis do not go dormant and they’re fairly tough! You can leave them outside and if they get exposed to a freeze, they may die back but will regrow from the roots
Hi Your videos are excellent. I bought a Drosera Capensis white form about 6wks ago from a garden centre. The leaves were black and crappy. I have trimmed all of them. The pot is in water. I can’t see any mucous on the bristles. Fruit flies were walking on it. Is this due to dormancy, or lack of nutrition.
So it could be a few things, if it didn’t have dew when you first brought it home, it can take a month to regenerate that dew and it may just need time. Or, it can just need more light. Sundews need light and water to make dew. Increasing the amount of direct light on the leaves to encourage dew production
@@California_Carnivores Hi Thank you for your reply. There was no dew when I have bought it. A week ago I kept it on a south facing window. Sun light has been intermittent. More cloudy then sunlight. The days are getting longer. I think I am on the right track. Thank you for your help Mano
I live in Germany and left my Sarracenia and VFT outside for their first dormancy. We suddenly got -11°C over Christmas and now they look really bad. The temperatures are already rising again to the plus side and even 11°C in a few days... but the VFT and Sarracenia look terrible. I hope they didnt die in that one cold night.
That is very cold! It is right on the edge of too cold but, don’t give up because these plants are pretty impressive! Many growers in the US leave their collections outside in areas where snow blankets the plants, and the plants are fine. One of the things that helps the plants with these cold temperatures is when the daytime temperatures come above freezing. As long as they warm up during the day, they can survive the nighttime cold. The freezes will kill off any leaves or fresh vegetative growth, but the rhizome nestled into the soil is the heart of the plant and should be okay. You may want to bring them inside for future freezes or heavily mulch them in.
@@California_Carnivores i mulched them in. I think that helped. It looks as if new leafes are growing right now. Im a bit surprised, i thought the sarracenia died but it seems to do new traps right now since the temperatures rised to the plus side.
Im trying a backyard winter dormancy in NYC theres 2 sarracenia purps ,so im not worried about those since the grow in way colder regions. But i have 2 vfts and another sarracenia called Hank. I grow strictly indoors my sarracenias love it but the dont seem to be responding to dormancy... The vfts definitely are. Is it more of a temperature or light situation that triggers dormancy?
It’s really the combination of the two but plants always know what to do by taking their queues from the sun. When the photo periods shorten and the nights get colder; they know it’s time to go dormant. You want them to be exposed to those shorter photo periods so that they know it’s winter. Indoors, it’s a good idea to put them in a sunny windowsill in an unheated room or garage.
@@California_Carnivores yeah theyre getting shorter periods rn but the purpea seem to be unphased by it lol maybe they go dormant later on in the year..
@@gregbey9237 purpurea don’t die back all the way, like a flava would so it can be hard to tell when they are dormant. They will stop growing new leaves and may only lose a few of the older pitchers.
@@California_Carnivores yeah mine is out in the open in nyc right now and just put out a new pitcher im like what are you doing go to sleep just go to bed already lol
@@gregbey9237 😂 they can have a mind of their own! Sometimes they’ll just be a little crazy but I wouldn’t worry too much, especially about a purpurea which is so tolerant of cold weather. It’s just being a little over enthusiastic about the upcoming spring.
So do dormant plants need sun or not? It’s kind of contradicting saying to leave them in sun but if your putting them in the fridge they are getting no light? So which is it?
They do like exposure to the natural photoperiods in winter, but if you can’t get them to naturally go dormant; fridge dormancy will work. Much plant work is not black and white; there is an ideal, and then there is a workaround. You can check out our follow up video all about winter dormancy in cold climates.
Hi! Later this month I'll be getting my Traps and Sarracenia ready for their, and my, first dormancy. Should the Traps be cut back for fridge dormancy or just popped in as is? Thanks in advance! 🙂
Wait…! What about AFTER dormancy??? I need to know what to do with them when it’s time to bring them OUT of dormancy! I’ve cut back all the black traps and put them back in their usual spot and started watering them regularly again (just everything I did before that they seemed to be perfectly happy with). Most of the plant was black apart from one or two green traps that I was surprised to see hadn’t gone black - unfortunately though, they don’t respond anymore when I try to feed them (I only brought them out a couple days ago) so those traps are obviously dead (yet still green and actually look healthy, mouths open, a fairly strong red colour inside the traps etc, but stiff and unresponsive). Is this normal behaviour immediately out of dormancy? If those green traps are indeed dead, would it help / make any difference if I just cut the whole thing back down to just above the soil to free up space and allow light to get in? Like just straight up buzz-cut the whole thing or…? As you may have noticed… plants *in general* are a new thing for me…
Check out our Ultimate Guide to Growing Venus Flytraps! It has lots and lots of information! After dormancy it takes them a little while to start growing and make new traps. Don’t try to feed them or anything yet, just wait for new traps to grow in and then those can catch plenty of bugs. But it may take 2-6 weeks to see lots of new growth
This is my first time putting Venus Flytraps into winter dormancy in the refrigerator. I followed the video directions and I have them in a plastic bag in a dark space in my refrigerator and the venus flaytraps have started growing traps. Do I cut them off, should I take them out of dormancy, or should I just leave them alone? I am wondering if I leave them on, if they will rot in the bag in the dark and kill the root balls. Thanks!
You can let them grow and they should be okay. After six weeks in the fridge you can bring them out and pot them up. I would check the bag every week or so, just to make sure no mold does grow and if you see mold on the traps, cut them off.
I have a garage that has a window facing east. During winter when I take my VFTs there for dormancy, how much sunlight they need? Would 2-4 hours be enough or not enough?
I was looking up native plants to my area which gets very cold and apparently we have the purple pitcher plant and water sundews I think... so That’s what I’m confused about
Thanks I was reading about that the thing is it’s colder in my house never gets over 80F in my house average being 69-73F~ rarely going over 75F and Miami can get really hot even at night most cases what’s the temperature at your greenhouse
@@vsocarras27 The winter night time lows in the greenhouse are never below 40 and the summer highs are not over 90 in the greenhouse. Outside, where we also grow Darlingtonia with extra care; the range is 15-111
@@California_Carnivores thanks I might try outside shaded a little the temperature in Miami are 70f~ at night and 85f~ at day more a less with humidity though it almost never go over 100f obviously I’m going to cool the soil to cool the roots do you think I can grow outside in Miami with me cooling the roots down
@@California_Carnivores thanks by the way love your channel a lot I almost always watch at least 1 video every day by the way I’m 17 years old trying to get more experience with carnivorous plants
It’s when you spread a thick layer of chopped up organic material like bark as a barrier to keep moisture or heat in the soil. In this case, it’s to keep the soil warmer
@@keithc.bevins926 You can use bark mulch; you’ll want a very thick layer on the top and sides of the pot. That should seal in moisture and between that and the rain, you should not need to water during this time.
I'm going to temporarily change my profile pic just for this comment. This is my sun dew. Its been sitting in my east facing kitchen window all summer and as of 2 weeks ago, shot up a stem and now has a beautiful purple flower on top. I live in Montana. Don't have any windows in my garage. Which method would be best for winter dormancy?
It looks like it’s a Cape Sundew which won’t need dormancy, you’re in luck! You can leave it in the sunny windowsill and it may slow down it’s growth but it will be happy!
Hello nice video! Do flytraps and young darlingtonia plants withstand temps below 10F with heavy mulch and pots in the soil? (Living in Korea, very cold in the winter easily gets to 0F) And is it necessary for the plants to always sit in water even when the water is frozen all day?
Darlingtonia are very cold resistant, where they grow naturally they would be buried in snow until May or June. They can definitely be over wintered in pots that are very heavily mulched in (4-6” of mulch on the tops and sides of the pots). The flytraps do not like cold as much. You can mulch them in as well but you may lose some. I would recommend trying half mulched and half in the fridge to see what works best in your area. When mulched in potted, they should have enough moisture to get them through winter without added water.
You are amazing at doing these videos. Truly amazing. I loved every minute of this, it was very informative and not at all boring like most plant care videos seem to be. Thank you!
Thank you so much!
Thanks for all the tips ! That Darlingtonia is absolutely gorgeous, by the way
Winter dormancy is tough in Canada, especially Zone 5. My flytraps did not make it because temperatures can reach -25 °C. I've bought new ones this time from big box stores and hopefully I can grow them successfully this time.
I'm one of the people back east. Lol. I use a layer of burlap then mulch with pine straw. I got this off Rachel O'learys UA-cam channel. She's the one that got me excited about pitcher plants.
Wow what a good video. I have almost no winter here in Hawaii. I will look for more info on this bare root refrigerator thing 🤔
You’re videos have helped me much thank you.
I've been doing fridge dormancy for my plants for 12 years and it works GREAT! Usually here in the N.E. U.S. I got them in by the end of Oct., usually mid October. They CAN get a little gray fungus but a little spray of a sulfur based fungicide takes care of that. Thanks for the video Daniela!
Tommyr That’s great to hear! I like to know how everyone grows their plants in different areas, it’s such a great insight!
Sorry to repost this, but I live in PA. My basement is usually a steady 35 to 45 degrees fahrenheit. When putting my flytraps down there, there is no windows for sun, should I just mimic the light cycle of the sun with grow lights for that time of year? Or is complete darkness ok for them as that would be the same as putting them in the fridge? Also should I leave them potted and sitting in that cold water the whole time?
Following INCO
@@inco-gneito7543 I would put them in a “sunnier” area of the basement without sitting in water
@@samparady3373 I never leave them sit in water. Right now I have them with 2 barrina full spectrum lights about 2 feet away. The lights turn on at 9am and turn off at 6pm and the temperature remains below 50 degrees for now as it's not cold enough here yet. the temp will be below 40 come winter. They seem to be going into dormancy. I water them once a week to get water flowing through them so no mold grows. This should be fine I hope. Please let me know if you think this is good. I currently have no dying plants. It's just sad to see all the growth go to small little compact plants now.
I love this company
Omg, I never knew carnivore plants were so complicated, I just got 3 tiny plants thst will live in my kitchen where lights are on all day and AC runs almost 24/7 (south Florida) . Will keep learning as much as I can. Thanks
Such an amazing, informational video. Thank you! (Also, I love that blue hair on you!)
Thank you!
Great vid! Thank you from Alberta
Thank you ❤
Fantastic video. Thank you!
Excellent video!! I live in the North East where we get snow n very cold temperatures. Now…I have an idea on what to do. Thank you 👍🤡👍
I live in the semi-desert in the central highlands of Mexico. I actually had some trouble with temperate plants because, evethough night went down to 40-50ºF, during the day, winters being dry and sunny, temps would go up to 77ªF. THey got a bit confused, especially becasuse that's not much hotter than the summer days when it's the actual rainy season. This time, I'll overwinter them inside with more stable temps and lower light conditions. Wish me luck.
BTW, awesome S. leucophylla and Darlingtonia!
That’s really interesting! Let me know how it goes overwintering them inside - I’m really curious! Thank you!
@@California_Carnivores, will do!
I'll give it another try. Last year was my first year with carnivorouss plants (VFT & Sarracenia). I was doing pretty well with them during the summer (BIG traps & vigorous pitcher growth). I left them out for winter (here in central IN, zone 6a) but they all died. We did have a few really cold days & I think I underwatered them. Next year (I bougth some more plants :) ) I think I'll move them to a garage with a grow light.
I’m glad you’re going to try again! They’re so fun to grow!
Good Video Thankyou!
I have an above-ground bog Garden I was thinking about getting a little Greenhouse
Thank you queen! This really helped.
I'm so glad! 😃
When do you put plants in the garage during those days of low temperatures/brief freezes and warm days in the fall that we have here in KS? Thank you and for all the info you provide; it is very helpful.
When the night time temps are consistently below 20 I would bring them inside. If, for example, you’ll have three nights below 20 I would bring them in then. But if it’s only one night and the daytime temps raise back up over the 40s, you can leave them inside. Also, if you’re worried you may miss the right time and they’ll freeze, bring them in sooner and they’ll be okay with it!
Thank you; that is very helpful!
Great info!
I live in Portland Oregon. Do I leave my pitchers traps and drosera bog outside for the winter?
If it drops lower than 15 for more a few days or if it doesn’t warm up during the day, you’ll want to bring them in or mulch them. If it just dips into the low 15-20 range briefly and warms up during the day, they’ll be fine.
I have always at least one or two Sarracenias dying off outdoors in winter (zone 6/7), usually our winters are mild but drops to -15C (even once had -20C) are possible
I'm observing dormancy of my plants to be shorter and shorter, this year the aleady came out in late march despite the last frost being in early may, though it did nothing to them
I have a couple of tropical sundews which I leave outdoors from april to november and have them indoors in winter
that darlingtonia looks amazing by the way
We had a really bizarre weather year; normally our plants break dormancy in early February but we had such a long, cold, cloudy period of weather that our plants didn’t really start growing until May or June this year! It’s amazing how they can be effected by the climate!
Thank you! Yay! Sounds like my CA plants can just follow my routine and I won't worry they're miserable or dead, that's awesome news
Can the Sarracenia Leucophylla handle freezing temperatures outdoors? I guess not because it's native habitat rarely has snow.
They can if they’re incredibly well insulated with mulch. Three inches on the top and sides of the pots at least!
So I'm in upstate NY. We do get to -10° around February time frame for a few days. Would my pitchers and VF be okay outside? Also, when should I order a bog kit and would I have to do the same thing to my previous question?
You can keep them outside but only if you mulch very heavily on the top and sides of the pots. I would advise 4-6” of mulch at least. If you order a bog kit now it will arrive mainly dormant which is a lot easier on the plants for shipping. You can then let it adjust out and be dormant for winter and it will come back really happily in spring. If you wait until spring you’ll have much more actively growing plants for sure but shipping can cause a bit more shock.
I would apply the mulch as soon as the nights get into the 30’s
Are all sundews temperate? What sundews specifically are temperate? Dormancy is a crucial requirement for them? Can some be grown under lights year round?
Sundews grow all over the world in many different conditions so a lot are tropical. The temperate ones are plants like filiformis, trayci, hybrida, intermedia. It’s a long list! But check out the International Carnivorous Plant Society’s website for lots of lists and details!
That is one of most amazing pots of Darlingtonia I have ever seen. 😍😍😍
How old is it?
It’s about five years old. 😁
@@California_Carnivores, Amazing. She is one beautiful specimen. 😍🥰
In another video on growing flytraps indoors you mentioned 12 hours exposure under grow lights but mentioned for winter dormancy it would be different and then mentioned to check a different video for that information. Either this is it or I'm unable to locate it. Can you direct me to it or inform me at what time length of exposure to the lights I should use? I am using a Florowave S40. Thank you.
You’ll want to reduce the hours to the natural day lengths outside if you are trying to trigger dormancy but you will also need to drop the temps. They need nights in at least the 50-60s to trigger that dormancy. So if you can move them to your garage for winter and then put the grow lights on for the same time period as the natural winter sun pattern, that is usually really good!
@@California_Carnivores Thank you for the reply and information. I will do that.
hello i live in chicago and i was leaving my venus flytraps outside but the soil frozed and it was hard as a rock i got scared and took it inside and now the soil in normal. did i do wrong or any recommendations?
They can take a brief freeze but without a lot of mulching in can die if exposed to too much cold. You can bring them in for winter in your area or put them back outside and mulch them in very heavily.
If my bog is in a windowsill inside do i need to put them outside? My house is usually at 65 temperature wise but the windows arent really insulated. In a trialer in GA.
It probably won’t trigger dormancy at 65. Depending on your temps outside you can probably put it out there!
I have a big plant in a big pot/barrel that doesn't freeze, that is always outside in dirt and was wondering if I got some other big plants if they would be ok in that
If your other plant is doing well, you should be able to add more to the pot!
I’m in northern Illinois so it gets to -20 or lower for periods of time with good snow cover for at least half the season.I do have a fully screened in porch that I can close up for the most part in winter.would this be safe considering they will still completely freeze eventually.I’m confused how I would still water them in these conditions and them not freeze.
If they’ll be exposed to freezing temps, even on the porch, you’ll have to mulch the pots in very very heavily (4”+ of mulch on tops and sides). When left in pots and mulched in they should retain enough moisture to make it’s through winter without added water. The best option may be bare rooting and putting them in the fridge in your area
@@California_Carnivores so if I am to completely cover it in mulch it getting a bunch of light isn’t necessary at that point then correct?I am thinking about building a box that I can leave on the porch to put the bog pot in during the winter with enough room to to add either mulch or insulate to cover the planter.the planter itself isn’t very small so I’m thinking they may help come winter.
@@midnitesilverrun8631 Yes, at a certain point it’s best to pick cold temperatures over shorter photo period exposures. That’s why the fridge method works so well. You can definitely try building a box!
@@California_Carnivores awesome a winter box it is
I was wondering if one should wait for them to shows signs of dormancy before actually putting them in that environment? For ex: I grow mine indoors under grow lights & they don't appear to be showing signs of dormancy just yet (was planning to move them into an unheated mudroom).
If you grow your temperate plants indoors they’re unlikely to show signs of dormancy so you’ll want to go ahead and make the choice for them and put them into dormancy
Thanks so much! 😊@@California_Carnivores
I recently rescued a couple VFT traps from a chain store. I released them from their death tubes and planted them. They are doing well in my greenhouse cabinet and are putting out new growth. Do they need a winter dormancy or should I leave them be? I am in the midwest, so it is really cold here. I can move them to an unheated room in my house if needed.
You can skip one dormancy but after that, I would give them a dormancy next year. They can live a handful of years without dormancy but then they will start to look terrible and slowly die. So if you want to keep them for a really long time, providing dormancy is best 😊
Can you do a video on fungicide treatment for sundews and other more delicate carnivores. I usually lose at least one sundew every winter because of fungal attack on dormant sundews
We will be adding more videos on pests and diseases and how to treat!
Hey I think my Venus fly trap and pitcher plant is dead bc they went without water for 3-4 days in bright sun in may what do I do I put them outside in a cold weather while it was raining and now I put them outside in a bin with rain water I collected water will they revive and it’s may 30 when do you think they will revive.?
They may be okay, give them 2-4 weeks to start growing new leaves and then you’ll know!
Ok thanks btw I love that cobra type pitcher plant it’s AWSOME
Thanks for the video! I live in NJ, snowy in winter. I have sarrecenia in my windowsill of my chilly bedroom. Would it be better to mulch it up and put em in my sunroom?
As long as you see it slowing down and not growing pitchers, it should be going dormant enough to get a benefit from this time. If you feel like it’s still actively growing too much, you may want to mulch it in outside or do the bare root fridge method
Thanks for the video. One question, in your bog kit it includes some Utricularia, as all the other plants need a dormancy what do I do about the Utricularia that don't need a dormant period? Can they survive temps in the mid 30s F.? Thanks!
The terrestrial Utricularia like subulata and libido are tolerant of cold down to 15-20 for brief periods. It may not survive if exposed to extreme cold. It does not require a winter dormancy but if you are able to leave your plants outside, you don’t have to worry about the Utrics! If you need to bare root your plants and put them in the fridge, I would make up a little pot of the utrics and keep it on a sunny windowsill indoors until temperatures are higher.
@@California_Carnivores Excellent. Thanks for the reply!
Hi, i live in zone 4 (coldest temp is -30) i wonder if i could store dem in the attic or basement (stays around 1°c winter round), is that cold enough or could i store dem outside, if soo what do i need to do?
Species list:
Venus flytrap (typical)
Sarracenia x marron
Sarracenia purpurea
Sarracenia, leucophylla (dojiman)
Thanks in advance.
The fridge method may be the easiest method but you could store them in the attic or basement as well. Just check on them once every few weeks to make sure they’re not moldy
How do I trigger dormancy? I believe my flytrap didn’t get one before I got it and I want to see if that would help it.
They need to be exposed to the shorter photo periods of winter and colder night time temps in the 50-20 range.
San Diego, bare root fridge method then?
rustyolgun outdoors all winter long!
@@California_Carnivores thank you!
I live in PA. My basement is usually a steady 35 to 45 degrees fahrenheit. When putting my flytraps down there, there is no windows for sun, should I just mimic the light cycle of the sun with grow lights for that time of year? Or is complete darkness ok for them as that would be the same as putting them in the fridge? Also should I leave them potted and sitting in that cold water the whole time?
It would be best to get a grow light and mimic the natural day lengths if you want to leave them potted in the basement.
Hello! I love your videos about taking care carnivorous plants❤ It is very informative👍 I just want to know if cp's seedlings need also to go dormant? I just bought a sarracenia seedling from july and now it is approx. 3 inches in tall, do I need to dormant it? I'm living in the philippines (tropical) by the way so I'm looking forward to your next video❤
Hasley Rodrey Juico If you grow temperate plants from seed, you can skip the very first years dormancy but I would make sure they get dormancy after that.
@@California_Carnivores how many years should I skip before I give them dormancy? And what month should the 6 weeks fridge dormancy starts? Thank you very much❤
Hasley Rodrey Juico I would only skip year one or two of dormancy but no more than that. Start dormancy in November!
Hey there team,
I'm in the Southern Hemisphere and we're getting close to plants coming out of dormancy. Generally I repot Sarracenias once every couple of years. This is usually fine and I get a good outcome. Though, should I be giving it some sort of fertilizer before the flies come??
Thank you for all your hard work and uploads.
I’m so glad you’re enjoying the videos! We do like to give the first pitchers or phyllodia or even just the bare rhizome a misting of Maxsea fertilizer diluted. We’ll apply this once a month all growing season. (It’s a seaweed based fertilizer). And then as the first few pitchers emerge we also add osmocote slow release fertilizer pellets and a little water or Maxsea into the pitchers to give them a big first meal…if we have time 😅
@@California_Carnivores Thanks for the tip team. Yeah, I haven't had any problem over the last few seasons, but we've had a pretty hard winter this year compared to the others and the might need a bit of a kickstarter. Cheers!!!
I’m in southern MA, the winters get down to the negatives. Can they take this?? Most videos I watch don’t mention if it’s colder than 20 degrees Fahrenheit what to do
They won’t be able to take those temperatures consistently. You’ll need to mulch them in heavily on the top and sides of the pot with 4-6” of mulch or do the bare-root fridge method (I just posted a video about this!)
I have a question when its the best time of the season to repot a carnivores plant?
thank you.
Winter is a great time to repot many of the carnivorous plants we grow as they are not as actively growing and won’t shock up.
@@California_Carnivores thank you!
I have an American pitcher plant and sundew I got from you guys and they're doing great, although I have not yet repotted them. Is this something I should do now, before they really start their dormant period, or should I wait? I'm in Monterey County California, for context. Thanks for the great videos!
grussem I would wait and repot in January when they are fully dormant.
@@California_Carnivores Thank you!
I have a capensis and live in Fresno. Can I leave it outside or should I bring it in at night if it’s gonna be cold?
Drosera capensis do not go dormant and they’re fairly tough! You can leave them outside and if they get exposed to a freeze, they may die back but will regrow from the roots
@@California_Carnivores ok. Thanks. It doesn’t usually get too cold here. Even freezes don’t last long but if it’s gonna freeze I’ll just bring it in.
Hi
Your videos are excellent. I bought a Drosera Capensis white form about 6wks ago from a garden centre. The leaves were black and crappy. I have trimmed all of them. The pot is in water. I can’t see any mucous on the bristles. Fruit flies were walking on it. Is this due to dormancy, or lack of nutrition.
Hi.
I forgot to add I am from UK, near Liverpool. The plant in inside on a window sill. Temp is between 15 to 18c.
Kind regards
Mano
So it could be a few things, if it didn’t have dew when you first brought it home, it can take a month to regenerate that dew and it may just need time. Or, it can just need more light. Sundews need light and water to make dew. Increasing the amount of direct light on the leaves to encourage dew production
@@California_Carnivores
Hi
Thank you for your reply. There was no dew when I have bought it. A week ago I kept it on a south facing window. Sun light has been intermittent. More cloudy then sunlight. The days are getting longer. I think I am on the right track.
Thank you for your help
Mano
I live in Germany and left my Sarracenia and VFT outside for their first dormancy. We suddenly got -11°C over Christmas and now they look really bad. The temperatures are already rising again to the plus side and even 11°C in a few days... but the VFT and Sarracenia look terrible. I hope they didnt die in that one cold night.
That is very cold! It is right on the edge of too cold but, don’t give up because these plants are pretty impressive! Many growers in the US leave their collections outside in areas where snow blankets the plants, and the plants are fine. One of the things that helps the plants with these cold temperatures is when the daytime temperatures come above freezing. As long as they warm up during the day, they can survive the nighttime cold. The freezes will kill off any leaves or fresh vegetative growth, but the rhizome nestled into the soil is the heart of the plant and should be okay. You may want to bring them inside for future freezes or heavily mulch them in.
@@California_Carnivores i mulched them in. I think that helped. It looks as if new leafes are growing right now. Im a bit surprised, i thought the sarracenia died but it seems to do new traps right now since the temperatures rised to the plus side.
Im trying a backyard winter dormancy in NYC theres 2 sarracenia purps ,so im not worried about those since the grow in way colder regions. But i have 2 vfts and another sarracenia called Hank. I grow strictly indoors my sarracenias love it but the dont seem to be responding to dormancy... The vfts definitely are. Is it more of a temperature or light situation that triggers dormancy?
It’s really the combination of the two but plants always know what to do by taking their queues from the sun. When the photo periods shorten and the nights get colder; they know it’s time to go dormant. You want them to be exposed to those shorter photo periods so that they know it’s winter. Indoors, it’s a good idea to put them in a sunny windowsill in an unheated room or garage.
@@California_Carnivores yeah theyre getting shorter periods rn but the purpea seem to be unphased by it lol maybe they go dormant later on in the year..
@@gregbey9237 purpurea don’t die back all the way, like a flava would so it can be hard to tell when they are dormant. They will stop growing new leaves and may only lose a few of the older pitchers.
@@California_Carnivores yeah mine is out in the open in nyc right now and just put out a new pitcher im like what are you doing go to sleep just go to bed already lol
@@gregbey9237 😂 they can have a mind of their own! Sometimes they’ll just be a little crazy but I wouldn’t worry too much, especially about a purpurea which is so tolerant of cold weather. It’s just being a little over enthusiastic about the upcoming spring.
So do dormant plants need sun or not? It’s kind of contradicting saying to leave them in sun but if your putting them in the fridge they are getting no light? So which is it?
They do like exposure to the natural photoperiods in winter, but if you can’t get them to naturally go dormant; fridge dormancy will work. Much plant work is not black and white; there is an ideal, and then there is a workaround. You can check out our follow up video all about winter dormancy in cold climates.
Hi! Later this month I'll be getting my Traps and Sarracenia ready for their, and my, first dormancy. Should the Traps be cut back for fridge dormancy or just popped in as is? Thanks in advance! 🙂
Cut back any traps that have died back but anything that looks healthy can stay on!
Wait…! What about AFTER dormancy??? I need to know what to do with them when it’s time to bring them OUT of dormancy! I’ve cut back all the black traps and put them back in their usual spot and started watering them regularly again (just everything I did before that they seemed to be perfectly happy with).
Most of the plant was black apart from one or two green traps that I was surprised to see hadn’t gone black - unfortunately though, they don’t respond anymore when I try to feed them (I only brought them out a couple days ago) so those traps are obviously dead (yet still green and actually look healthy, mouths open, a fairly strong red colour inside the traps etc, but stiff and unresponsive).
Is this normal behaviour immediately out of dormancy? If those green traps are indeed dead, would it help / make any difference if I just cut the whole thing back down to just above the soil to free up space and allow light to get in? Like just straight up buzz-cut the whole thing or…?
As you may have noticed… plants *in general* are a new thing for me…
Check out our Ultimate Guide to Growing Venus Flytraps! It has lots and lots of information! After dormancy it takes them a little while to start growing and make new traps. Don’t try to feed them or anything yet, just wait for new traps to grow in and then those can catch plenty of bugs. But it may take 2-6 weeks to see lots of new growth
This is my first time putting Venus Flytraps into winter dormancy in the refrigerator. I followed the video directions and I have them in a plastic bag in a dark space in my refrigerator and the venus flaytraps have started growing traps. Do I cut them off, should I take them out of dormancy, or should I just leave them alone? I am wondering if I leave them on, if they will rot in the bag in the dark and kill the root balls. Thanks!
You can let them grow and they should be okay. After six weeks in the fridge you can bring them out and pot them up. I would check the bag every week or so, just to make sure no mold does grow and if you see mold on the traps, cut them off.
@@California_Carnivores Thank you!! :)
I have a garage that has a window facing east. During winter when I take my VFTs there for dormancy, how much sunlight they need? Would 2-4 hours be enough or not enough?
I would put them right in the window so they can get as much of that sun as possible. It’ll be a low amount of light but it should work.
So Nepenthes do not go dormant?
Nepenthes will slow down their growth in winter if not grown under lights but do not have a winter dormancy.
would it be ok to cut my plants down in a couple weeks ?
Are there some species of carnivorous plants that can be left outside year round and come back each year
Sorry... In a very cold environment
I was looking up native plants to my area which gets very cold and apparently we have the purple pitcher plant and water sundews I think... so That’s what I’m confused about
Try Sarracenia purpurea ssp purpurea! They will still need mulching in very heavily in winter but tolerate a lot of cold when dormant!
Can I grow darlingtonia indoors I live in Miami fl
You can try that but they can be a little fussy to grow in general and indoors is harder as well.
Thanks I was reading about that the thing is it’s colder in my house never gets over 80F in my house average being 69-73F~ rarely going over 75F and Miami can get really hot even at night most cases what’s the temperature at your greenhouse
@@vsocarras27 The winter night time lows in the greenhouse are never below 40 and the summer highs are not over 90 in the greenhouse. Outside, where we also grow Darlingtonia with extra care; the range is 15-111
@@California_Carnivores thanks I might try outside shaded a little the temperature in Miami are 70f~ at night and 85f~ at day more a less with humidity though it almost never go over 100f obviously I’m going to cool the soil to cool the roots do you think I can grow outside in Miami with me cooling the roots down
@@California_Carnivores thanks by the way love your channel a lot I almost always watch at least 1 video every day by the way I’m 17 years old trying to get more experience with carnivorous plants
Will filiformis be fully dormant at this time?
Ezekial Brown they vary a little bit and it can depend on your area. Outs are starting to go dormant but are not fully dormant yet.
What is “mulching”.? Virginia, zone 7a/b here!
It’s when you spread a thick layer of chopped up organic material like bark as a barrier to keep moisture or heat in the soil. In this case, it’s to keep the soil warmer
@@California_Carnivores so no bark mulch. More like leaf mulch? And do I keep watering it? Or take it out of the outside container? Thank you so much!
@@keithc.bevins926 You can use bark mulch; you’ll want a very thick layer on the top and sides of the pot. That should seal in moisture and between that and the rain, you should not need to water during this time.
@@keithc.bevins926 leave it in the container and layer the mulch 4-6” on the top and the sides of the pot
I'm going to temporarily change my profile pic just for this comment. This is my sun dew. Its been sitting in my east facing kitchen window all summer and as of 2 weeks ago, shot up a stem and now has a beautiful purple flower on top. I live in Montana. Don't have any windows in my garage. Which method would be best for winter dormancy?
It looks like it’s a Cape Sundew which won’t need dormancy, you’re in luck! You can leave it in the sunny windowsill and it may slow down it’s growth but it will be happy!
@@California_Carnivores Thank you so much!
Hello nice video! Do flytraps and young darlingtonia plants withstand temps below 10F with heavy mulch and pots in the soil? (Living in Korea, very cold in the winter easily gets to 0F)
And is it necessary for the plants to always sit in water even when the water is frozen all day?
I have the same questions as it gets to -20 or below where I’m at in the U.S.
Darlingtonia are very cold resistant, where they grow naturally they would be buried in snow until May or June. They can definitely be over wintered in pots that are very heavily mulched in (4-6” of mulch on the tops and sides of the pots). The flytraps do not like cold as much. You can mulch them in as well but you may lose some. I would recommend trying half mulched and half in the fridge to see what works best in your area. When mulched in potted, they should have enough moisture to get them through winter without added water.
@@California_Carnivores Thanks😃
I could never keep a fly trap overwinter. They die back and never come back in spring.
Hopefully some of these care tips help!
Dormancy means time to set the bog on FIRE 👌
First
That must have been a gruesome death