Expert: Sarracenia Northwest - 4/8/2010

Question
QUESTION: I just ordered your DVD vol 1..the answer might be in that (havent checked the PO BOX yet)..just in case it isnt
My pitchers all started the same..healthy..then like 3 of them started like bending..duno why
You can see those two pitchers that are bent at the tip to the right...theres 1 that i guess is hidden in this picture that is deformed in the middle..and i looked at it closer yesterday..and its like that area is shrunken in
http://i700.photobucket.com/albums/ww9/mattmega4/Carnivorous/DSC04693.jpg[/IMG]
I guess i'm going to go ahead and leave it...seeing as it isnt harming the plant right now..right?
What causes this..anything I can do in the future to minimize this
(BTW the aphids are there because i bought a tub of aphids for the rest of the garden (seen in for the background) and i sprinkled a few into each of my CP pots)

ANSWER: Hi Matt,

Oh Matt!  Bad Move!  Aphids will attack carnivorous plants just like other plants.  They are going after your Sarracenia.  That is what's causing the bent, deformed pitchers.  I see the Ladybugs there eating them, but you need to remove them.  Spray the new foliage with cold water to remove the aphids.  Normally I'd recommend an insecticide, but I don't want you to kill the Ladybugs.  Double check them for a few days and manually remove any you can't get off with water.  Aphids will also cause deformed leaves on Drosera, Flytraps and Pinguicula.

Good Growing!

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

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

QUESTION: WOW i cannot believe i wrote that, what happened what i was talking about aphids with my roommate and was typing this at the same time so the word aphid was on the mind! I did not buy a tub of aphids hahaha..i bought a tub of lady bugs! Can you even buy a tub of aphids?

So anyway..i bought the lady bugs as a just in case move..not because i actually saw any aphids..but you're saying the reason why a few pf my sarrs is because there actually were a few aphids? Interesting..do you recommend using lady bugs as i did to solve the problem or a cold water spray like you did or a chemical?

Sorry for the typo!

Answer
Hi Matt,

After I answered your question I was wondering the same thing.  What you're seeing on your plants can be caused by aphids.  If you have a bad infestation the new pitchers will be badly deformed.  If they are just getting started it will look like your plants, but they reproduce quickly, so more are always on the way.  Ladybugs will help, but they are always on the move, so they may not be there when you need them.

Early on in an infestation just physically cleaning them off, such as with water spray, works.  If you get a bunch, it may be time for chemical warfare.

If you don't see any aphids at all, it could be some physical damage that occurred during repotting or just some slight deformation in new growth.  It's not much to worry about.

Good Growing!

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