FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Panman wrote: ↑Wed Feb 28, 2024 1:13 pm That all depends on where you live. In Georgia, the sun absolutely fries my capes if I put them outside. For me, they preferred the east window. But like I said the Georgia sun is very intense, even through a window.

It's the same thing here in CA. The hot sun combined with extremely low humidity makes it impossible to grow capes in full sun. I grow mine either under shade cloth, or at a sunny window.

I grew three capes in full sun here in south Alabama last summer following Chef's "tough love" ideology. The plants grew, looked ok, didn't die, etc.,. When I moved them inside last autumn and put them under the lights they did start looking better...kinda hard to put my finger on it, but maybe a "cleaner" more "vibrant" look to them. I will say this...when I first put them out there on the old deck with the rest of the gang of killers they looked pretty sad the first month or so. I'll probably try to find a slightly better, less blisteringly hot spot for them this summer.

Panman wrote: ↑Wed Feb 28, 2024 1:13 pm

StephenB200+ wrote: ↑Wed Feb 28, 2024 11:56 am Maybe as soon as you can, get them outdoors. My Capes thrive when they’re outdoors, they grow, flower and divide non stop.

That all depends on where you live. In Georgia, the sun absolutely fries my capes if I put them outside. For me, they preferred the east window. But like I said the Georgia sun is very intense, even through a window.

I didn’t think of that, good point. Where I live (in the Berkshires) we rarely get above 85 in the summer and the mountains cut down on the hours of direct sunlight

Panman wrote:

StephenB200+ wrote: ↑Wed Feb 28, 2024 11:56 am Maybe as soon as you can, get them outdoors. My Capes thrive when they’re outdoors, they grow, flower and divide non stop.

That all depends on where you live. In Georgia, the sun absolutely fries my capes if I put them outside. For me, they preferred the east window. But like I said the Georgia sun is very intense, even through a window.

lol, same here in the south end of Texas, the only good thing is that I can grow tropical and subtropical plants because I am right on the water and it does aid in humidity with my tropical trees. I am able to grow my philodendron species and my ficus Benjamina outdoors because of the good humidity. The light is nuts. I have lost color around mid summer with most of my CPs they don’t like the super intense light. I’ve had better luck with partial sun/shade I have a capensis on a partially sunny open balcony upstairs, I have pothos growing outdoors in 1.5 gallon pots. I have never understood why heat beats my plants up though. it would not even change a thing if I gave some of my plants ridiculously larger pots, they still needed water every day in the summer. Sundews love it where I am at because we have a non stop supply of mosquitoes. And I think that light and heat don’t mix too well with my fly traps or my sundews. They prefer a good amount of light much more than heat, and that’s a no brainer.


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Yeah, I think most light-loving plants enjoy really bright conditions...but not the heat that often accompanies the bright condition. Capes enjoy clear ocean-side and mount-side skies...in their native territory. The temps in the summer there range from 80-90F with some higher spikes...Capetown itself maxes out around the 80F mark and capes fare ok. But, put the same plant out in the summer sun here in south Alabama and they turn into a fainting southern belle (or a grumbling old biddy) due to the heat.

Intheswamp wrote:Yeah, I think most light-loving plants enjoy really bright conditions...but not the heat that often accompanies the bright condition. Capes enjoy clear ocean-side and mount-side skies...in their native territory. The temps in the summer there range from 80-90F with some higher spikes...Capetown itself maxes out around the 80F mark and capes fare ok. But, put the same plant out in the summer sun here in south Alabama and they turn into a fainting southern belle (or a grumbling old biddy) due to the heat.

Lmao, that’s how my philodendron reacts to the summer heat here and if gets a little too much light of course.

And thank you for the reassurance! Much appreciated. It is 73° right now, but the high for today is 86° we have zero cloud coverage, but we did get a ton of fog last night. The humidity is 89%, all of that makes it miserable during mid day, even thought it is just the shy beginning of spring. Summer time is full of mosquitoes and the heat and humidity is unbearable to be able to put up with. I think my cape will be happy for today’s weather. (lol it’s a plant so I don’t think it really cares about the forecast in the spring.)


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Interestingly, we've had fog warnings the last couple of mornings...rains are coming today and for a few days more. Temperatures have been really nice, though, a predicted high today of 70F and then the mid-70s the rest of the week. Not to hot, but much warmer than we've been having...I'm glad to come out of this past winter!!!