Software
Houzz Logo Print
vftinaz

Help with dormancy!!!

16 years ago

I need help deciding what and how to do the whole dormancy thing. I have a typical vft bought from home depot (i know) right before dormancy is supposed to occour (i know i know!) So I live in phoenix az, and i am unsure if i need to just leave it outside (it does get below freezing on some nights) or just put it in my fridge... Please post back! If i do put it in my fridge, do i need to take it out and give it light?

Comments (7)

  • 16 years ago

    How much below freezing could it get? You could leave it outside with the help of mulching it.

  • 16 years ago

    lol petiolaris I don't think it would need any mulch in AZ.

    I would leave it outside and just hope it gets a dormancy. When temps at night start dropping into the low 50s back off on the amount of water you give it just keeping the soil damp and not wet.

  • 16 years ago

    Okay, Arizona is your domain... but I think that it depnds where he is. Flagstaff is different than Phoenix. Don't some parts get pretty darn cold in the winter?

  • 16 years ago

    Arizona does get freezing cold at the higher elevations, according to my dad who lives in Sedona. But Taz is right that vfts can just be left outside in winter in Phoenix. That's what I do here in SoCal, and our winters are very close to what Phoenix has.

  • 16 years ago

    petiolaris I'm in Arkansas but I have traveled the US and Canada in both winter and summer. I lived in CA for 29 years though. I do have cousins in Phoenix and the only time I would mulch is if there's going to be an extended freeze which rarely happens in Phoenix for more than a couple days. Put them in the shed or garage for those real cold days. Even next to the house under an awning would work well enough if it doesn't last more than a couple days.

  • 16 years ago

    Duh... AR... as opposed to AZ... that's embarrassing!

  • 16 years ago

    I make my way simple. Let nature takes its course. Here in Arizona, when temperature & photoperiod drops. My Sarracenias & VFTs do it naturally. I just make sure that their soil remain moist, open a window let it circulate cool air & keep my little greenhouse covered. This year I am repotting all my sarrs, they been growing on that media for 3 years.

    I used to take my VFTs and Sarrs inside the house & puttng them inside the fridge where you place the vegetables. Then later I experimented just placing them in a cool part of the house. I have experimented letting my sarrs sit in the greenhouse then with my vft 2 years ago just living them inside my little greenhouse. Realizing that the cool air, slightly moist media, & short days keeps them dormant. I would advice to let your VFT enter dormacy naturally, not forcing them or might send them into shock resulting in a dead plant.

    You can put it next to a window, the cool air, less watering but enough to keep the bulb from drying up, and lower light should induce dormacy. Sign of a dormant VFT, it starts producing small compact traps very sluggish in movement. As you can see below of dormant VFT I took last year.

    {{gwi:545262}}
    {{gwi:545265}}
    {{gwi:545268}}
    {{gwi:545271}}

    I hope this help. Good luck.

Sponsored