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Carnivorous Plants/Dormant
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Question
I live in New York.The weather is a little warmer than it usually is at this time of the year.I have my Pitcher plants and Venus flytraps on my patio some of the leaves look like they are dead should I cut them off or wait till spring when I transplant them.Also when is the best time to take them in from the cold we still have a few months of winter left and I assume it will get colder
Hello Sammy,
Just keep them from drying out or getting frozen solid. You can use mulch or bring them in and place them in a cold window where they will feel at least 40 degree weather when it gets below freezing. You can cut off dead leaves any time. It is usually best to clip them before dormancy as this will lessen the chances of mold growing on the plants while they are dormant.
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Answers by Expert:
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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