Expert: Sarracenia Northwest - 6/19/2009

Question
QUESTION: I transplanted these 2 pots in March. The one on the right seems to be growing OK, though I would have thought they would be a lot bigger by now. The one on the left has me perplexed. The pitchers you see are a few from last year, that I left there. They are somewhat green, but I don't think active as insect traps. There is several tall green stems growing with out pitchers. Since the picture they have what appears to be a small flower on them and they are has high as 18 inches, but there is no new insect trapping pitchers growing at all. What's the story. I live in Vancouver WA. I used 50/50 peralite and sphagnum peat moss, and use distilled water. I don't know the name of the plant.

ANSWER: Hi Martin,

Thanks for sending the photo.  That always helps.

There's probably a couple of things going on here.  The first is that our summer has been cool so far.  Our stuff here in Eagle Creek,OR has been slower to emerge this year.  The other is that they may need more sun than your giving them.  You mentioned that the pitchers are somewhat green.  That's a dead give away they may need more light.  Also, is the location you have them somewhat cool or windy?  That can also slow them down some.  You might also keep the water level a little lower on the plants.  You have them pretty deep, and that can cause some problems long-term.  I good rule of thumb we always use is, "Could I grow a tomato plant in this location?"  If not, it's not sunny enough for Sarracenia or flytraps.  Let us know how it goes.

Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.cobraplant.com

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

QUESTION: I have them on the deck railing so they get full sun. When I mentioned they were still green so I didn't cut them off, I meant they were not dead, and brown. The water level is half way up the pots, is that too deep? Why though flower stalks and no pitcher stalks? Will they still come up? One other question while I'm at it. If the plants get no nutrition from the soil; only from insects, why do we need to change the soil?

Answer
Hi Martin,

I prefer not to have the water more than 1/4 of the way up the pots long-term.  Short periods of time are no big deal.  When the water is too deep they peat moss tends to breakdown quickly during hot weather creating a bad environment for the plant roots.  

This is also why you change the soil.  It breaks down over time reducing root oxygenation.  They plants do get some nutrition from the peat, and the tannins in the peat have an effect on the plants too.  Even regular potted plants need this, since the soil structure changes.  Just adding more fertilizer won't always help.

Sarracenia sending up a flower before leaves is very common.  Some species such as S. flava and S. leucophylla, this is always he case.


Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.cobraplant.com