Expert: Christopher Littrell - 10/23/2008

Question
QUESTION: Hi. You had said since my plants were in small pots (venus fly traps are in 4
inch by 3/12 inch pots, doodle bug is in 7 inch pot, pitcher plant is in 4 /12
inch pot) to try to protect them -using MULCH.  I bought cedar mulch
yesteday and did what you said. I filled a tray with in and put my pots in it.  
Now that they are in the mulch how do I water them? I guess I have to take
them out, put them on a tray with water and then put them back.  I don't
keep them sitting in water b/c my soil stays wet b/c I used too much peat
moss and not enough perilite.  Mostly peat moss with a handful or two of
perilite. Next time I repot plants I will use your ratio (50 peat to 50 perilite)
With that ratio, should my plants sit in water so they don't dry out? How about
in winter?
My next question is-  I have been keeping my plants either in my screened
porch or when temps were very very cold at night I put them in my front foyer
(It's a little warmer there than outside) Two nights ago it was very cold
outside (in bottom 30s) so I put my plants in my foyer. The nexy day my
pitcher plant had visible moisture on it.  Do plants do this to compensate for
winter temps? Is this bad?  
Last night I left my plants outside on my porch.  They are insulated with
mulch and I put them in a garbage bag for extra protcetion. The weather said
it was 32F  in morning.  I noticed again that the pitcher plant had wet on it.  
Some of my venus fly traps too had a little moisture on some of their bottom
leaves.  Does this happen to your plants? Maybe my pots are too small to be
in these cold temps. The pitcher plant's pot is not that big and is paper thin.  
I bought the plant in that pot and I haven't replanted it yet.  I bought a 6 inch
pot for it. I'm going to replant it today. Thank you
     Tracy


ANSWER: Hello Tracy,

The Doodle Bug is in a good sized pot but I would repot the Venus Flytrap and Purple Pitcher Plannt in 4 1/2 to 5 inch pots at least. The Purple Pitcher Plant would eventually need a pot comparable with the Doodle Bug.

You can leave a regular tray of water under the plants. Use a box and place the plants inside with a screen or newspaper holding the mulch out of the tray. Fill the box up to the pot depth with mulch and that should help protect your plants. Mostly the roots need to remain warmer than total freezing. Since you have a mostly peat mix you can use a bit less water in the trays. Just top water the plants and let the water drain into the trays since the mulch will be in the way. Over winter you will be watering them much less since they will simply not use water as much. Give them about half as much water as usual during winter and just monitor the top soil. If it remains moist looking it is fine and should not have water added. You can often go for weeks without worrying about watering dormant plants, but once you see the soil dry some it is time to sprinkle a little water in the pot. Come spring you can continue with regular watering when the plants start growing again. In any case, so long as their soil is always mnoist they will be fine, but Venus Flytraps, many Sundews, and Sarracenias like some water in the tray to ensure they have a handy supply of water close to their roots. The 50/50 peat perlite mix works to provide the right amount of drainage and water retention.

The moisture is probably just condensation from cold temperatures at night and slightly warmer temperatures in the day. This is just the temperature changing and really will not affect your plants. The plastic bag will work well to insulate them too. Don't worry, the Purple Pitcher Plant and Venus Flytraps are tough plants that can handle winter cold well; so long as their roots are kept from totally freezing and drying out they will be fine. You wuld be surprised at how tough these plants actually are when they have the proper water, soil, and sunlight.

Keep up the good care of your plants,

Christopher



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi. Yesterday, I replanted my purple pitcher plant and venus into bigger pots.  
The pitcher plant in now in a 6 1/2 by 5 inch pot and the venus is in a 5 inch
pot.  When I replanted them I noticed that they didn't have many roots. The
venus had 2 really long roots and a few small roots.  Is this b/c they are
maybe young? They are not big plants.  Also one of the roots of the pitcher
plant fell off when I was replanting it.  It looked different from the rest.  It was
thick and light brown.  There's another root like this left that didn't fall off.  I
was going to remove it but left it.  Maybe it was rotten from too much water?
What are healthy roots of pitcher plant and venus fly traps supposed to look
like? Thank you again.  

Answer
Hello Tracy,

This is normal. Sarracenias and Venus Flytraps do not produce many roots, but might produce one or two main tap roots that drill down to as much as 8 inches to a foot to reach the water level. There will be a few thin rootlets branching off, but they will remain few in general. Roots that break off of Sarracenias is common enough. So long as the plant has a thick white and reddish colored rhizome, like a bulb almost, from which leaves spring from and a few white roots radiate downwards it is fine. If the root system is all brown and soft feeling it has been affected by root rot or fungus. Venus Flytrap roots will be a white and sometimes reddish colored bulb like growth from which the leaves grow with thin, dark brown roots radiating downward. Some roots do die off and snap off, this does not harm the plant overall so long as the main root system survives and continues growing. Only when the root system displays soft brown or black sections should you be concerned. If the dead roots look withered and dried out but the rest of the root sytem seems unaffected, it is no problem at all.

Christopher