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By Intheswamp
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#423488
I agree with Supercazzola's point. Crazy times we're living in right now. :(
By Huntsmanshorn
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#423519
Sundews69 wrote: Tue Nov 08, 2022 3:59 am I have another question regarding my typical cape. It has this weird pink thing dangling from the stem.
20221107_210437.jpg
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What is it? And btw, the plant is etiolated from when I had it in very low light. It is in better lighting now
It's a root. They do that sometimes when the stem starts to get too long and the plant is having a little trouble getting water and nutrients up to the growth point.
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By Sundews69
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#423522
That makes a lot of sense! Thanks!
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By MikeB
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#423559
Sundews69 wrote: Sun Nov 06, 2022 10:25 pm Question #1
Is 45-55/60 degrees and natural daylight cycle in a south facing window enough for VFTs, temperate dews, and sarrs to go and stay dormant?
That temperature range is similar to winter in Mobile, Alabama (do a Google search on "climate mobile alabama", then click on "Graphs"). It should work for Sarracenia alata, leucophylla, psittacina, rosea, and rubra var. gulfensis, all of which are native to that area. S. minor should do okay, since it grows halfway down the Florida peninsula. Some S. flava would be okay with it, while the more northern plants and all S. purpurea plants would probably find this to be a bit warm.

For flytraps, I'd say that temperature range is probably okay. Wilmington, North Carolina is a bit cooler than that in the winter. However, flytraps have been naturalized to the area near Panama City, Florida, and their winter temps are just like Mobile's.

For temperate sundews, I'd say that depends on where they're from. Plants from the Gulf coast region should have no problem with it. However, plants from New England would find those temps to be very warm.
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By Sundews69
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#423560
Sounds like it should work pretty well then! Thanks! Oreophila would be okay with that too, right? I only have purpurea spp. purpurea for purps so they just stay outside year round. Is it a problem that they were getting 25-30F for a while and then brought into this slightly warmer climate for actual dormancy? Now that I now it's good, I can finally start expanding my sarr collection!
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By MikeB
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#423561
Sundews69 wrote: Fri Nov 11, 2022 3:43 am Sounds like it should work pretty well then! Thanks!
Do the cold windowsill technique: from dusk till dawn, close the curtains for that window. That will trap a pocket of cold air between the glass and fabric. During the day, you'll probably have to open the curtain to prevent the sunshine from heating up the pocket.

I came up with this idea after a business trip to upstate New York in late December. My hotel room had thick, heavy curtains that went all the way to the floor. When I opened the curtains to look outside, I noticed that the air behind them was much colder than in the room. Also, there was a thick layer of hoar frost on the window handle (the aluminum frame conducted the cold inside, and the room's humidity froze on the handle). I thought that would make a great location for carnivorous plant dormancy for people who live up north.
Sundews69 wrote: Oreophila would be okay with that too, right?
I would say that S. oreophila should be kept colder than this. Its native range is further away from the Gulf and at a higher altitude . The plant hardiness map shows that area as zones 7a and 7b.
Sundews69 wrote: I only have purpurea spp. purpurea for purps so they just stay outside year round. Is it a problem that they were getting 25-30F for a while and then brought into this slightly warmer climate for actual dormancy?
Do you know the ancestry of those purps? The northern ones are very cold-hardy (they grow almost up to Hudson Bay and halfway across southern Canada). They would have no problem spending the winter outdoors in Wisconsin. The southern ones (Maryland, Delaware, northern Virginia) can handle snow and ice but probably wouldn't like being below 0°F for long stretches.
By Sundews69
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#423562
MikeB wrote: Fri Nov 11, 2022 4:53 am Do the windowsill technique: from dusk till dawn, close the curtains for that window. That will trap a pocket of cold air between the glass and fabric. During the day, you'll probably have to open the curtain to prevent the sunshine from heating up the pocket.

I came up with this idea after a business trip to upstate New York in late December. My hotel room had thick, heavy curtains that went all the way to the floor. When I opened the curtains to look outside, I noticed that the air behind them was much colder than in the room. Also, there was a thick layer of hoar frost on the window handle (the aluminum frame conducted the cold inside, and the room's humidity froze on the handle). I thought that would make a great location for carnivorous plant dormancy for people who live up north.
That window is in my basement and doesn't have curtains, unfortunately. The window does get much colder right up to the glass, but idk what I can fit there.
MikeB wrote: I would say that S. oreophila should be kept colder than this. Its native range is further away from the Gulf and at a higheritude . The plant hardiness map shows that area as zones 7a and 7b.
I can try putting them in the fridge then
MikeB wrote: Do you know the ancestry of those purps? The northern ones are very cold-hardy (they grow almost up to Hudson Bay and halfway across southern Canada). They would have no problem spending the winter outdoors in Wisconsin. The southern ones (Maryland, Delaware, northern Virginia) can handle snow and ice but probably wouldn't like being below 0°F for long stretches.
The purps I have are from a local bog and are already outdoors year-round. I was asking about the other plants (VFTs, dews, sarrs). Sorry for not clarifying that. Thanks for your help!
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By Intheswamp
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#423574
Sundews69 wrote: Fri Nov 11, 2022 6:09 am
MikeB wrote: Fri Nov 11, 2022 4:53 am Do the windowsill technique: from dusk till dawn, close the curtains for that window. That will trap a pocket of cold air between the glass and fabric. During the day, you'll probably have to open the curtain to prevent the sunshine from heating up the pocket.<snip...>
That window is in my basement and doesn't have curtains, unfortunately. The window does get much colder right up to the glass, but idk what I can fit there.
Could you simply cut out a piece of corrugated cardboard that would fit the window opening and use it to create the cool area that Mike is suggesting? A simple curtain rod and hangers aren't that difficult to install, either. That sounds like a nice area for what you're needing to do. ;) Of course, if it's a really nice basement with large screen television, home theater chairs, pinball machines, pool table, fridge, etc., you might not want to slum it with my kind of adaptations. :lol:
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By Sundews69
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#423577
Yeah, I can try the box, but anything else won't work because we are finishing our basement and I don't know what will come of my dormancy window.
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By Intheswamp
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#423578
I can't remember...do you have a garage where you could put the plants?
By Sundews69
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#423579
I do, but the first year I put my temperate plants there it was still too cold and everything non WI native died. I also just found my only temperate dew, x hybrida, was eaten by a mouse last night. Wonderful. The soil is fine and wasn't dug up, but there is no sign of the hibernacula.
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By Intheswamp
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#423583
Is there any electricity in, or close to, the garage? A simple 40w incandescent bulb could generate plenty of heat if placed in a large enclosure. Even a smaller bulb in an enclosure would probably work to keep your plants safe. You could power a 40w (or smaller) bulb with a long extension cord if needed. "Appliance bulbs" are still sold in incandescent versions. Even a small 1156 12-volt automotive battery would probably work if you could power it with an AC powered adapter. Naturally you would need to situate the bulb so as not to be a fire hazard, but that is definitely doable. Heating a small enclosed area up to the temperature you need shouldn't be difficult...if you have electricity available. You could build a box out of rigid-foam insulation and give your plants a palace to winter in. :D Just some thoughts.

Oh, and Victor makes some nice food-trays for mice. ;)
By Sundews69
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#423585
Yeah but then I need to buy a light and fixture. I'm to lazy lol so I'd rather just chuck 'em in the fridge. Thanks for your help
By Sundews69
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#425207
So nothing changed with the coccicaulis. Anyone know what's happening? And is the pink aerial root on my capensis bad?

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