FlyTrapCare Forums

Hi guys, I bought my first VFT at OBI (which is a European version of Home Depo) about a week ago. I know, I probably should have bought it from a nursery. Anyway, I repotted the plant into a slightly wider plastic pot & used a mixture of pure peat moss and perlite. The plant is currently sitting on my windowsill and I occasionally let it sit in a saucer filled with rainwater.

The thing is, I am still very confused about dormancy. I've come to the conclusion that I DO need to put it through dormancy, even though it is a new plant. However, today I spoke with a Czech VFT grower (I'm Czech), who told me that I should not put it through dormancy as it is a new plant that was bought at the end of the growing season and that I should just leave it on my windowsill, make sure to keep it away from the radiator and keep the soil moist, but not soggy. She also told me to not use a grow light (which is confusing, since the plant won't be getting any sun, except for occasional winter sun). Her main problem was the fact that I had bought the plant at Home Depo and that these plants are just too weak overall (no exposure to the sun, insects, etc) and that it'd be very unlikely to survive dormancy.

My original plan was to wait until November and then I was going to put in the hallway on a windowsill (I live in an apartment, so I mean the hallway of the apartment building), where the temperature is around 8-10C (46-50F) during winter. I of course cannot put it outside since we have very harsh winters.

What do you guys think would be the best approach? Should I skip dormancy this year? Should I use a grow light to do that even though I've been told not to? Or should I put it through dormancy?
Thank you so much.

You're OK to skip a dormancy here and there, especially under these circumstances. It will likely still experience a "mini-dormancy" due to the shorter days, so don't be alarmed if it stops growing, the traps don't close, etc. As long as it's green, it's alive, just keep the media moist during this time, not wet.
You got this.

Thank you! Last question - do you think I should use a grow light?

I don't use grow lights, but a windowsill is usually not enough light for them. If you have one, it wouldn't hurt.

https://www.flytrapcare.com/venus-fly-trap-dormancy/

^^ Here's a good guide to the basics of dormancy, with links to more detailed info.

I think light is really important to a VFT during dormancy. In the U.S. Carolinas, birthplace of flytraps, the sun doesn't turn off in winter. Read up on the recommended amount of light for dormancy, and consider setting up a grow light on a timer.

A medium season of shorter days and slightly cooler temps can help your new plant get through winter, while continuing to thrive.

I grow outdoors and bring in my plants and place them by a sunny window during the winter. They go fully dormant because of the shorter photoperiod. If you do not want your plant to go dormant you will need strong, bright indoor plant lights. What does your plant look like right now? Sometimes vft found at Home Depot-like stores are healthy enough.

This is what it looks like now https://ibb.co/Bzn1yVh The traps were all green when I bought it, now they're turning slightly red, but poor plant is still sun deprived.
So it will go dormant even if the indoor temperature stays pretty warm? And strong light prevents it from going dormant? I am so confused