Expert: Christopher Littrell - 12/6/2007

Question
QUESTION: Remember how I got my plants in the fall well I havent put them into dormancy yet. They were growing as if it were summer when I got them. So what should I do with the plants now? They are on a south facing window right now in their like 4 inch pots. Some of the leaves are blackened. Maybe leafburn? Ok bye

ANSWER: Hello Ryan,

Your North American plants will be ready for dormancy if you have kept them on the window sill all fall with either no supplemental lighting or with a shortened photoperiod of florescent lighting staged down by one hour per week of November until they are getting 8 hours a day by now.

Blackening older leaves is common in plants getting ready for dormancy as are slowed growth patterns. If the plants are feeling cool air from the window, about 40-50 degrees, they will be dormant and will be fine there over winter. If the window does not provide them with enough chilling, you will need to place them where they can feel the cold.

Some people place their plants in the refrigerator over winter, some place them outside if possible, some use an ice chest with ice water bottles around the pots. In any case, check up on the plants to watch for fungus, replace ice bottles, and provide a little water to keep their soil barely moist every so often. I use an ice chest and open it during the day, replacing the ice bottles every day to twice a day as needed to keep the plants cold and give them some light and air to cut back on fungus. It requires more maintenance with all the ice bottles and opening and closing of the ice chest, but it has kept my plants alive and healthy in leu of natural winter conditions outside.

Just clip off all dead leaves and clip back the Sarracenia leaves half way down. Those leaves will start browning and will be replaced next year by newer, larger growth. If you have a Purple Pitcher Plant you will not need to cut back its leaves as they grow slow and are more resistant to freezing weather.

If fungus attacks just spray the plants with neem oil or sulfur powder every couple of weeks as needed.

Keep up the good care of your plants,

Christopher

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

QUESTION: Thanks

The plants were vft's. Some of the leaves are still growing pergect with red inside them.

ANSWER: Hello Ryan,

That is normal to see some blackening leaves as the plant gets ready for dormancy. They will continue getting rid of some leaves as they slowly add a few low lying shorter stalks (petioles) with normal looking traps on them. These traps might close in cold weather, but the plant keeps these newer leaves all winter unless the weather gets below freezing and damages the leaves. Try to keep your Flytraps between 40-50 degrees for best results and they will spring back bigger then before and with new plantlets forming under the parents in February to March. During winter you should see a near complete halting of growth when the plants go dormant.

Christopher

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

QUESTION: Now all the leaves are shriveling! Will it die? I've given it water too.

Answer
Hello Ryan,

If all of the leaves are shriveling, including the new ones, something is definitely wrong. If the plant has experienced a drastic change in its environment, remember, slow change, over several days at least, is necessary in all aspects of plant care. Did the humidity or temperature change very quickly for the plants?

Let me know what has changed so I can figure out what the possible problem is.

Christopher