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breezyb_gw

Pots For Venus FlyTraps

21 years ago

I've read that Venus FlyTraps should be potted in plastic pots. Is there a real reason for this?

I only ask because since they'll be wintering outside, plastic pots don't seem to me to be either frost or wind protective.

Comments (8)

  • 21 years ago

    Well in typical set ups ... with the small 4" pot sitting in water. The plastic will slow down the loss of water.

    And as far as wintering outside. If you get any snowfall... I would think you would want the pot of any size buried in the ground for insulation.. and by doing so.. if you get any freezing... clay can crack on you.

    I have my collection in large shallow clay pots ... 16"-18" wide... sitting in a tray of water... 3" deep. In the winter i bring my into the garage.. so freezing isn't a problem.

    How do you intend to winter yours?

  • 21 years ago

    I haven't thought that far ahead - lol!! Suggestions?

    I have a wraparound deck with west/south/east exposures & a walkout basement with southern exposure.

  • 21 years ago

    Hi Breezy -

    Trust me, VFTs will grow better and larger if planted in a 6 or 8 inch pot.

    They grow from a small bulb and have roots that come off the bulb. The roots can be 5 inches long. Personally, I have found that if it gets rainy for a few days the VFTs in smaller pots sometimes rot while the ones in larger pots are fine. Also, the ones in the bigger pots seem to overwinter better ( I do an outside buried dormancy ).

    Good luck with it.

    Bill

    Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:553169}}

  • 21 years ago

    Ive got mine in 6" pots which gives good root space, Ive been told by cobraplant that they will survive winter outdoors, and I do trust what these guys tell me.
    If the winter is very harsh you can either mulsh the plant and cover with a tarp, or dig it in the ground, mulsh and cover.

    Cheers

    Sheldon

  • 21 years ago

    I do plan to pot mine up in a larger pot. I was just wondering if I could use something nicer looking - i.e. ceramic or terra cotta - rather than plastic.

  • 21 years ago

    As long as there are drain holes, you should be fine with any plastic pots/

    What you could do is buy some sealer for the inside of a clay pot. They sell it at Michaels Craft Stores.... probably other places also.. just haven't looked for it. It might just be a spray polyurethane.. but I don;t know. It would help with the evaporation... but couldn't be used for dormancy outside with freezing.

    Never the less if you plan on burying the pot in the ground to make a minibog, you will have to go with plastic. Also I would think the larger the better for buffering the cold a bit.

    Go to http://www.sarracenia.com/

    They have a ton of info.

  • 21 years ago

    Well there is alot of debate with CP's and clay/terracota.
    An easy solution I use, get a plastic pot that fits nice inside the clay/terra pot and then pot the CP in the plastic pot and pop it in the terra pot for looks.
    Should also give extra insulation to the plants.

    Cheers

    Sheldon

  • 21 years ago

    The best pot you can find that is beautiful would be ceramic pots. Just make sure that they are of a clear color.

    I preffer white because it is the coolest since it rejects heat instead of absorbing it.

    If you leave in a place that is higher than Florida or at the top of Florida like Tallahasee, you can use glass as well. But it is good to stay away from dark colors.

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