FlyTrapCare Forums

Hi everyone!

I went to a reptile expo about a week ago and came across a vendor selling carnivorous plants! Of course I purchased some, which I've posted elsewhere in the forum... but I also got some seeds and well I'm not familiar with most of these (still a newbie) but any advice/tips I should be aware of with these would be appreciated.

What's your question? How to germinate them? How to care for them after? What that variety is?
Throw us a bone.

ChefDean wrote: ↑Tue Oct 24, 2023 4:47 pm What's your question? How to germinate them? How to care for them after? What that variety is?
Throw us a bone.

Germinating hasn't really been an issue so far, its usually at the seedling stage.. keeping it alive where I fall short, so caring for them after. I meant more towards what variety it is, and if there was anything I should make note in regard to that particular variety outside the usual care for Sarracenia. They come in a mixed packet, so I can't particularly separate them either...

Try to Google images of those crosses. Since they're seeds, they'll not be exactly like any pic that comes up, but should give you an idea what to expect.
As to seedlings, start stratification to where you can sow the seeds and get them outside as early in the spring as possible. This gives them more time to soak up the sun and catch small bugs so they grow as much as possible before dormancy.

Soo.. can I understand this as, I still have some time to start the stratification now and get the seedlings going and eating before winter rolls in 2 months ish?

I would say no. I think you would need at least 6 weeks for stratification and then another 1 or two for germination. Either plan on planting them and let nature do the stratification for germination next spring, or refrigerator stratify them, and grow them indoors.

On another note, if you would like to trade some seeds for flytrap or flava seeds, let me know.

Anzenix wrote: ↑Tue Oct 24, 2023 6:32 pm Soo.. can I understand this as, I still have some time to start the stratification now and get the seedlings going and eating before winter rolls in 2 months ish?

What Panman said, as well as it seems you missed where I said...

ChefDean wrote:... sow the seeds and get them outside as early in the spring as possible.

ChefDean wrote: ↑Tue Oct 24, 2023 6:59 pm

Anzenix wrote: ↑Tue Oct 24, 2023 6:32 pm Soo.. can I understand this as, I still have some time to start the stratification now and get the seedlings going and eating before winter rolls in 2 months ish?

What Panman said, as well as it seems you missed where I said...

ChefDean wrote:... sow the seeds and get them outside as early in the spring as possible.

Oh geez, I did miss that... awkward. I guess I got too excited at the idea of being able to do it now lol but yeah was planning on waiting for early into spring to begin with

Anzenix wrote: ↑Tue Oct 24, 2023 5:11 pm I meant more towards what variety it is,

They're all Sarracenia leucophylla (white trumpets) with 'Wilkerson's Red Rocket' as the male parent. Should produce some nice plants.

I start seeds off at Xmas (it gives me something to do instead of eating mince pies and watching telly) in a pot of my usual substrate mix, keep them damp, and put them in my porch where they generally stay frost-free for three months. Germination generally occurs for me in April, then I get them outside in full sun, standing in water and watch them go!
They need a minimum of 6 weeks cold stratification (not frozen, although light freezes dont seem to hurt too much) but once germinated you shouldn't have a problem, they are generally bulletproof unless you have forced them in some way, and then change their conditions. If you are losing them at the seedling stage, something is wrong, what is your 'normal' growing method after they have germinated?

Cheers
Steve

steve booth wrote: ↑Wed Oct 25, 2023 8:04 am I start seeds off at Xmas (it gives me something to do instead of eating mince pies and watching telly) in a pot of my usual substrate mix, keep them damp, and put them in my porch where they generally stay frost-free for three months. Germination generally occurs for me in April, then I get them outside in full sun, standing in water and watch them go!
They need a minimum of 6 weeks cold stratification (not frozen, although light freezes dont seem to hurt too much) but once germinated you shouldn't have a problem, they are generally bulletproof unless you have forced them in some way, and then change their conditions. If you are losing them at the seedling stage, something is wrong, what is your 'normal' growing method after they have germinated?

Cheers
Steve

You know, my bad. I should probably explain a little better, sometimes I don't know where my head is at. I've done stratification in relation to tree seeds (I'm into Bonsai as well) but have not tried anything with carnivorous plant seeds. I feel like my issue revolves around my timing. I'm not making good decisions on when to take them outside and only the real hardy ones tend to survive.

This coming Winter/Spring will be my first attempt at working with carnivorous plant seeds, so I was kind of going based of my tree seed experience but I was trying to get ahead of it to make sure as many seedlings survive as possible lol

Anzenix wrote: ↑Wed Oct 25, 2023 5:30 pm I was trying to get ahead of it to make sure as many seedlings survive as possible lol

If you have a bunch of seedlings packed together in a pot, watch out for fungal attacks. They tend to come on hard and fast, and they can wipe out an entire pot of seedlings in a week or less.

@MikeB,
Well I was looking to get several different pots and spread them out to try to isolate as much as possible and not have everything get wiped out if something did occur. Unfortunately, I've had more issues with aphids than anything else. I have a couple different non-carnivorous plants, such as a Japanese Wisteria, and that one gets Aphids like crazy but after the third time of getting rid of them, its been awhile since I've gotten any.