Carnivorous Plants/Chemical burn

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Expert: - 4/24/2010


Question
So i was spraying some aphid spray that i have been told works by many CP growers
the first week i used it the aphids died..as per the directions i reapplied 7 days later..UNFORTUNATELY there was crazy wind..and when i tried to follow the directions and spray form 18 inches away..the the spray went everywhere else..so i inched closer and sprayed and the plants looked kind of different almost imidately ..i came back today (like 2 days later) and i noticed burn
What should i do? should i cut the plants off..if i do will new ones come up or am i too late for that...should i leave them?
[IMG]http://i700.photobucket.com/albums/ww9/mattmega4/0423001529.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i700.photobucket.com/albums/ww9/mattmega4/0423001528.jpg[/IMG]

Answer
Hello Matt,

I am unsure of the pesitcide you used, however; the kinds used most frequently tend to be pyrethrin based and Neem oil based. Best bet is to move the plants and pesticide to a location where there is no wind, or to shield them when spraying so that wind will not be a factor.

You can clip off all the damaged growth and hope that the roots can send up new foliage. I am unable to open the links you provided, so I do not know the species nor the extent of the damage.

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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