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Carnivorous Plants/sarracenia seedlings

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Expert: - 11/20/2010


Question
Hi i have been growing different sarracenia seedlings and they first sprouted in August and they have developed about everyone has devolved two pitchers and they are growing well and i live in Carrollton,Ga and they are growing under a 36 watt light bulb and i was wondering should i leave it where it is at for now until spring or should i slowly acclimated them to outside or a south facing window?

Answer
Hello Ean,

Sarracenia seedlings can be grown indoors under artificial lights or in a good bright sunny window, or both, for the first year or two so they can attain some size and resistance before you acclimate them to outdoor weather. You will not need to provide artificial dormancy for them at this time. They can grow undisturbed until they are a few inches tall, then after the first or second year, set them up to feel seasonal changes outside so they can go dormant.

Christopher

Carnivorous Plants

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Christopher Littrell

Expertise

I am capable of answering questions about the most common carnivorous plants found in cultivation. I have no personal experience with Byblis, Drosophyllum, Aldrovanda, and Heliamphora. I have not cultivated gemmae forming pygmy sundews nor tuberous sundews. For information regarding those aforementioned species, I would suggest contacting other experts. I can answer questions regarding most species of Nepenthes, tropical and temperate Drosera, Mexican Pinguicula, Sarracenias, and Dionaea. I have some limited experience with growing Utricularia, Cephalotus, and Darlingtonia.

Experience

I have grown carnivorous plants off and on for about 27 years. I have made the same mistakes and suffered the same mishaps that many growers make as they attempt to separate the myths from the realities of growing these plants. Currently, I am successfully growing a variety of tropical sundews, a Nepenthes, several Venus Flytraps of varying ages, and Sarracenias. I have been successful in stratifying Sarracenia seeds and providing artificial dormancy requirements for my temperate plants when needed.

Education/Credentials
I hold a Master's degree in Educational Psychology. Over my lifetime, I have constantly read books involving the growing conditions of carnivorous plants. I hope to incorporate the educational aspects involved in psychology with teaching other people how to cultivate carnivorous plants.

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