FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

How do I prepare my indoor plants for dormancy? I’m mainly thinking about VFT and sarracenia seedlings that I’ve been keeping under grow lights, although I still have some other plants about which I need to find out whether or not they go dormant.

Myself I try to clean up any dead or almost dead leaves, traps, etc. This is only for plants that are indoors or in my greenhouse. Most folks will leave all the dead stuff on until spring if they are outside since every little bit serves as insulation for the winter months. There really is not much else to do as the plants are self sufficient and pretty much take care of themselves in prepping for dormancy. You will want to water them way less than yo do during the growing season. Remember, they are sleeping and you do not want to disturb them so be sure they are placed where they will not be bothered until Spring rolls around again.

I guess what I’m wondering is how to tell them that they are going to be dormant. If they are getting the same light levels, it’s my understanding that they will skip dormancy. BUT…like the post title says…I really don’t have a clue.

You will just need to provide them with a cool dark place for the winter. They figure it out, you do not need to do anything special that I am aware of. Depending on how many hours of light they get per day you may want to shorten that time by about 30 minutes every few days but other than that nothing too complicated. You can skip dormancy for one to two seasons depending on the plant but more than that and they will die off.

Dormancy (and spring awakening) is related to the length of daytime sun/light.

I keep my Wisconsin VFTs in a cool basement under grow lights that are approximately timed to sunrise and sunset.

Read more from the expert!: https://www.flytrapcare.com/venus-fly-trap-dormancy/

@schmeg, your post and link helped me a lot. I am going to use your idea and put them in the basement with lights on timers (just need to get the right timers).
Now what I’m wondering is: do the things I read in the flytrap dormancy article apply to other CPs as well? Like, can I do the exact same thing with sarrs, sundews and pings, or are there any adjustments that I would need to make for them?

Hedonista wrote: ↑Sat Sep 07, 2024 1:51 pm Now what I’m wondering is: do the things I read in the flytrap dormancy article apply to other CPs as well? Like, can I do the exact same thing with sarrs, sundews and pings, or are there any adjustments that I would need to make for them?

If they're all temperate-climate plants, then yes: same reduced photoperiod and temperatures.

I put ALL my CP's in garage with no light. VFT's, Sarrs and the few sundews I have that require dormancy. It worked out fine for me. It just seemed too much trouble for me to have lights in my garage, grow tents and greenhouse. Following ChefDean's advice, below is a pic of my plants in dormancy.

andynorth wrote: ↑Sat Sep 07, 2024 5:09 pm Following ChefDean's advice, below is a pic of my plants in dormancy.

Funny guy, eh?

Argh, I don’t like when y’all give conflicting advice. I think because Matt & Leah say to leave the lights on for the temperature range my plants will be in, I’m gonna do that and cross my fingers.

Now to figure out what to do about my tropical pings.

Hedonista wrote: ↑Sat Sep 07, 2024 5:18 pm

andynorth wrote: ↑Sat Sep 07, 2024 5:09 pm Following ChefDean's advice, below is a pic of my plants in dormancy.

I think because Matt & Leah say to leave the lights on for the temperature range my plants will be in, I’m gonna do that and cross my fingers.

I think everyone has there own ways and yes, Matt and Leigh definitely know what they are talking about. I guess for me I try to go with what works for me. I just do not have the space in my garage to set up and divide off separate lights for my VFT's. That said, it does not matter any longer as I am putting up a greenhouse outside and everything will reside there for the dormancy period. I purchased a bunch of VFT's last year in the middle of dormancy. Although they did not look so well, I potted them up, placed them in the dark garage with all the others and they came out strong with some even sending up flowers.

Since I live in eastern North Carolina, my plants sit outside and experience natural dormancy: the sunlight gets dim, the temperature gradually cools off (hopefully no cold snaps in November like last year), and the winter temps flutter up and down a bit.

MikeB wrote: ↑Sat Sep 07, 2024 5:33 pm Since I live in eastern North Carolina, my plants sit outside and experience natural dormancy: the sunlight gets dim, the temperature gradually cools off (hopefully no cold snaps in November like last year), and the winter temps flutter up and down a bit.

I wish I could do the same. I live in northern Minnesota, zone 4a. I can’t even do dormancy in my garage since it is detached and unheated, and the thermostat in there spends a lot of time around 0F.

I move my vfts and other dormancy requiring plants to a cooler in my garage. I have no suitable cool places in my house (too warm). My garage can get well below freezing in the winter time.

The cooler has a heat matt in the bottom and led light strips along the top. I use a TUYA smart thermostat to turn on the heat mat when the cooler is below 35f; off when 40f. Lights are set to come on-off sunrise and sunset. Other TUYA devices required are smart outlets.

This has worked well last two years.
TUYA devices are pretty cheap. I get them from AliExpress.

wcrosman wrote: ↑Sat Sep 07, 2024 5:43 pm I move my vfts and other dormancy requiring plants to a cooler in my garage. I have no suitable cool places in my house (too warm). My garage can get well below freezing in the winter time.

The cooler has a heat matt in the bottom and led light strips along the top.

Approximately how big of a cooler? And I assume you mean the light strips are grow lights?

I did a quick search on Amazon for "thermostat outlet" and found lots of them with an electrical outlet and a temperature probe on a cable for under $30.