I bought a Gold Strike and a DCXL from you 4 years ago. Just wanted to let you know there still going strong and dividing into more plants. Just wanted to say thank you after all these years later. So glad i was able to get those 2 cultivars way back then especially the Gold Strikes. It seems hard to get your hands on them these days. Everything iv learned was from the flytrapcare forums since 2013. Thanks again your plants always look amazing.
That's awesome news!! Yes, Gold Strike isn't available these days as I mine a few years ago. If you have a spare division, I'd love to either purchase one from you or trade for it! I'd love to grow Gold Strike again. Thanks for letting us know that you're plants are still going strong! The FlytrapCare forums sure are a great community and a friendly place to learn how to expertly care for these amazing plants!
Glad to see you making new videos! I've been doing fridge dormancy for 13 years and it works great. No losses at all. Mine go in in mid October and I start getting them out in early February for re-potting. They go under shop lights until sometime in mid to late April. Thanks for the videos!
Hey Tommyr! Thanks for commenting here! Yes, you're one of the people I know from the FlytrapCare forums who has done fridge dormancy year after year and proven it to be successful. It certainly works well for people without an option to winter the plants without the risk of them freezing. I think I stated that in the video? The only drawback being that the plants won't grow in the fridge whereas they do grow even when dormant if given good light.
@@FlytrapStore Yup that's me. I'm also on Reddit as Tommytimbertoes (old grade school magazine comic strip character one of my friends calls me). I find they don't grow much if at all anyway during dormancy. Thanks for the new videos you 2!
@@Tommyr They certainly don't do much above ground, but Venus flytraps are actually pretty busy below ground during the winter. I'm sure they don't get set back too much by being put in the fridge though!
@@isabel-df1oy They go in the fridge in mid October and come out around February 1st for re-potting. Then they go under florescent lights until April. Then they get hardened off to outdoor Sun.
Hai Matt, thanks for the videos, really learn a lot from you. I live in Indonesia whereas we don't experience winter here since we live in equator tropical climate. But the flytraps does shown signs of dormancy. To compensate that, I prefer to do the fridge method. Been doing it for two years and the result are amazing. The period for each flytrap were different though, usually I look at the size of their rhizome to decide how long they will be in the fridge. Usually they will stay around 60 days until 120 days, but 90 days on average. If the plants are mature enough, they will start to grow flower around week 3 after they came out from the fridge. Thank you.
You're very welcome for the videos! Thanks for watching!! Thank you also for all of the information about how you do dormancy in your tropical climate. I'm sure that will be helpful to some people!
Flytrap grower going through the first dormancy here. I could’ve swore that flytraps will shed all their leaves and then start sprouting again in Spring. Glad to know that I’ll still be able to see them in the pots. I heard that as long as temperature stays above 20 degrees Fahrenheit they should be fine. Can’t wait for next year’s Spring to see them in their prime again. I bought mine in April and apparently they were dormant at the time and I didn’t even realize it.
Good luck with your first dormancy! It can feel daunting, but realistically there isn't much that needs to change. Just keep the plant in good light and ensure the soil stays damp, though not too wet for too long, and Flytraps should do well through winter. Ideally, they wouldn't experience frost or freezing. They can tolerate temperatures below freezing for brief periods and, in sufficiently large pots, can take temps down into the 20s or even the teens if the pots are huge or they're in the ground in bog gardens. But most growers use smaller pots (2-4 inches) and flytraps can perish in pots that small if allowed to repeatedly freeze and thaw. For that reason, we recommend moving flytraps indoors to a sunny windowsill temporarily when there's a chance of frost or freeze and then move them back outdoors once the cold has relented.
What an amazing channel.The first one about Venus fly traps and not want to sell you anything but onley giving you advice.I bought a venus fly trap one week ago.Thanks!
Just ordered some seeds from you. Looking forward to getting started with them. Thanks for this video, just the type of info I need. Should I put them through a dormant period their first year or wait until the second year? I'll be growing inside under lights. Thanks!
Thanks for your business! I'd suggest starting the baby flytraps under lights this time of year and letting them grow through winter on a 16-hour photoperiod under the artificial lighting. When spring arrives, repot them and move them outdoors in a spot with dappled light or put them in full sun but use a 40% shade cloth to cover them and keep the sun intensity at a level that won't burn the baby flytraps. Good luck and good growing!
Hi thanks for good video about dormancy. I grow vft in South Korea where has the similar temperature as South Carolina. I hope to have my plants outdoors during winter because indoor temp is above 70f even in January. There are some growers in Korea who keep vft outdoor even degree goes down to -4f and most of them survive and be more healthy next year. I just wanna know if you have similar experience like this. And if yes, can i keep them outdoor if i use much bigger pot for vft. Thanks
Yes, Venus flytrap in large pots can withstand freezing temperatures, particularly if they are sheltered in some way from the wind. If they are frozen and the wind picks up, they can die from dehydration.
I love how you have these guys potted up in big resin urns! I think I'm going to do that. I have three big box rescues that did really well this summer, but the plastic pot is less than half the size of those. I'm in south-central Michigan with no experience with dormancy or over-wintering. I'm glad to hear it's more of a photo-period than temp reaction. They don't disappear like tulips or daffodils or hostas. Mine are in a blend of peat, perlite and silica sand that I bought online. Are yours totally spaghnum?
I went online listen what to do and not. I have three containers growing, one with seeds and Venus flytraps are small after three months. I have one that keeps showing flower stems three time this past two weeks. I use a lot of water and on the trays, I have a good light working system. I am only making plants in my home in a living room. I like my first terrarium, it's a blast to make one with all real plants and a waterfall. I use only live moss, there are easy to keep green. It sure cost a lot with plants and all sets. Thanks!
This was so helpful. I packed up my 2 VFTs in December. They were placed horizontally in a closed plastic tub with moist sphagnum, peat moss and pearlite and they had a nice winter nap in the refrigerator. (I live in the north country) I unpacked them in Mid March and they looked fine, they even multiplied. When I repotted them, after adjusting for a week during which some tops blackened and died, they looked green and vivid with some new growth but they didn't stand up. A month later they are still bent over. They're green, the traps are open and in all other ways they seem fine but theyre not upright, as if the stems are not strong enough to stand. Can you give me some advice? Thanks.
It would be very helpful to see some photos, so please join the FlytrapCare forum and post a photo or two of your plant there: www.flytrapcare.com/phpBB3/ I suspect that it might not be getting enough light and that's why the leaves won't stand up. But a photo or two would definitely allow me to confirm that.
Thanks for the video! I have a mature King Henry and it’s got a baby plant sprouting up with tiny traps. Would you recommend dormancy for the baby? Or let it grow through the winter?
We always recommend allowing Venus flytraps to have a proper dormancy, regardless of size. When I've skipped dormancy for plants in years past, they always sulk and stall growth the following year and the ones that had a proper dormancy catch up and surpass the ones that didn't get a rest period.
Yes, I always thoroughly moisten the soil whenever I water them. For the large pots that I don't have in trays, that means watering until water flows out of the bottom.
Do you know when to take your Venus flytrap outside? It's already been several days since the first day of spring so I wanna know when to take my Venus flytrap out
As long as the temperatures are above freezing and there is no chance of frost, feel free to move your flytraps outside. Many people grow them outside all year as Venus flytraps can stand being frozen as long as it's not extremely cold. But it is best for them to avoid being frozen or experiencing frost because it can damage their foliage.
I got a few carnivorous plants this year, and they’re doing great! I’ve got them under a grow light and plan to keep them as indoor plants because I’ve got heavy winters here in Canada and the weather fluctuates a lot year round, so it’s too risky as far as I’m concerned to grow them outdoors. I’m thinking of removing them from the grow light and placing them at a windowsill to stimulate dormancy and keep them cool over winter.. do you think this will be sufficient?
Yes, a windowsill dormancy should work well. You could also leave them under lights and just shorten the photoperiod to 10-12 hours and that would probably suffice as well. Then move them back outdoors in the spring once the chance of freezing has passed. Good growing!
@@MattMillerFlytrapStore Thank you for the reply, I appreciate it! I've got 5 carnivorous plants (2 flytraps, 2 nepenthes, and 1 sarracenia) right now, so I'll try some on the window sill and some with a shortened timer and see how they do! Thanks a bunch, and I'm ever so grateful for the content you create - keep it up!
Doing a fridge dormancy definitely works for some people. It's best to keep them in full sun all year, if possible, but if you're in a climate where it freezes hard and you don't have any way to protect them from freezing while keeping them in full sun, Venus flytrap can do OK with a fridge dormancy. For more information see here: www.flytrapcare.com/venus-fly-trap-fridge-dormancy-tutorial/
Do you mean to use it as a fertilizer for the soil the Venus flytrap is potted in? If so, it might work in VERY small doses. But it just as might be likely to burn the Venus flytrap and possibly kill it. We typically recommend to avoid fertilizing Venus flytraps. If you want to boost their growth, the best way to do so is by feeding them. Rehydrated freeze-dried bloodworms work great. A tutorial can be found here: www.flytrapcare.com/feed-a-venus-fly-trap/
Do you cut off the blackend venus fly traps? I have a bunch that have turned brown/black but some green at the base. Do I cut these off? Will the brown/black ones come back??
Yes, after the traps dry up entirely, we generally pull them off to clear a path so that the sunlight can reach the green leaves to maximize photosynthesis through dormancy. The black/brown traps won't come back, but if they're still full of fluid and not completely dry, the plant will reabsorb most of the nutrients remaining in the leaf before it dries up entirely. Thus, we don't recommend cutting off browning leaves, but rather leaving them until they're completely dry and they come off with a gentle tug.
I'm a grower from Montreal, Quebec Canada, and my hardiness zone is 5 and temperatures here can reach to -20 °C. Can I give them dormancy outside by covering the pot in a burlap sack, bury them in pine straw mulch and cover them with a frost cloth? Also, I know that Sarracenia purpurea is native to my region, so can I let them go dormant without protection, since they are able to survive winter temperatures here?
Yes, as long as the pot is quite large (huge actually) or it is an in-ground bog garden, flytraps can be wintered outdoors by doing what you describe. The S. purpurea should be OK outside as well but it really depends on the genetics of the individual plant that you're growing, since S. purpurea is native much further south as well. I'd also insulate them and use large pots too, just to be safe!
hello ty for info, In one of your statements they dont like frequent freezes and keep them in bigger pots generally, does that mean dont let them get snowed on and how big minimum are the pots for winter. ty
Flytraps can take snow, frost and even freezing if the pots are sufficiently large. However, it is better for them if they never experience those things. If you want to keep them outside and temps are going to be above 20F or so, I'd guess a 10-inch insulated pot would probably be big enough to allow them to survive. If it's going to be lower than 20F, there will likely be some losses. I grew them one winter outdoors for the entire winter and the low temp was 9°F. All of the plants survived, even down to the smallest baby flytraps. However, they were in a half wine barrel pot so it was extremely large!
It has been proven in recent years that flytraps can continually grow without a dormancy period. It's far from ideal for them but if they're constantly fed and kept in good growing conditions, they'll keep growing indefinitely. The primary growth point (crown) might die but it will turn into new smaller plants that will continue to grow if well cared for and fed often. Some people in tropical countries also force dormancy by artificially reducing light levels and then putting them in the fridge for 10 weeks. That works very well too.
Hi! I purchased a Venus fly trap from Walmart a few weeks ago. I have it potted and carnivorous soil in a glass container to prevent leaching. I live in Ohio and do not have access to a greenhouse. We have periods of heavy frost in December January and February. Would it be OK to keep my fly trap in the garage until these periods of heavy frost happen and then bring it in the fridge or would you recommend I just leaveIt’s inside of the fridge for the entire dormancy? Thanks for your help! Sent from my iPhone
Hi Elyce! Congratulations on your new Venus flytrap. Clear glass containers don't usually make a good choice for pots because they let the sun go through and heat the soil up too much. But if the container is not clear glass, it could work OK. As for dormancy in Ohio, you can bring the flytrap into the garage when the frost and freezing is happening and then move it back outdoors once it warms up. That will work great.
Hello! Got my first Venus flytrap and it’s doing so well! I live in Pennsylvania so it’s starting to get a little colder at night. I’m waiting for the temps to hit the 30s before I bring it in. I have a supplemental grow light for my orchids and only have a west facing window. I keep the light on until the afternoon when the sun comes in during sunset. In the winter, it’ll be less sun for sure. In the dead of winter, what’s the recommended light schedule? I’m just going to leave it in a room near the window in hopes it stays chilled enough. Also, should I keep it less wet? Maybe just moist rather than sitting in water?
Flytraps do best in natural sunlight. They will go dormant naturally with the shortening days. The temperature isn't terribly critical during dormancy, as they'll go dormant just fine even if the days are still fairly warm. If the temps are cool, definitely keep them less wet. The soil should always be damp but not too wet for too long. I'd definitely recommend not leaving flytraps sitting in water in cooler weather, as it can lead to rot.
I'm very new to caring for VFT. I was wondering if you would prune black traps during dormancy or if it's best to leave them be? Thanks for the videos 😊
Once a trap turns completely black, it is fine to prune it off. But if there is any green left on it or if it feels firm to the touch, I'd recommend leaving it alone because the plant can recuperate nutrients from the leaf as it dries up.
We typically repot our flytraps once a year. However, depending on many factors, sometimes any given flytrap can be repotted as much as 3 or 4 times a year.
We divide our plants every year in the late winter or springtime. And you can find the soil and moss for sale here: www.flytrapcare.com/store/growing-media-and-pots
Hey Paul - no those aren't terra cotta but rather insulating polyurethane foam pots painted to look like terra cotta. I've never used terra cotta and people have said that it can leech minerals into the soil that can eventually poison Venus flytraps. I believe if it is glazed properly, the risk is low. And even if it isn't glazed, I'm not sure that it would be deadly or have a really negative effect, though I can't confirm this. I've always avoided it simply because it is easy to find good alternatives. I prefer something that insulates better than terra cotta and doesn't dry out so quiclky. Thus the reason I'm using the insulating pots in the video.
I live in a tropical country where there is no winter, recently my vft starts to grow slowly and the new traps are small, should i do fridge dormancy? or should I just leave it outside?
I've read about people doing both - a fridge dormancy or just leaving it outside. I believe if you leave it outside, it should be fed regularly to keep it continually growing and dividing. The main growth point will likely die after a time, but the divisions resulting from the death of the main growth point will start new plants that will continue growing. Alternatively, you can artificially decrease it's photo period gradually down to 10 hours a day and then put it in the fridge for 6 weeks or so to provide an artificial dormancy.
Unfortunately I've not been able to find them anywhere these days. These pots were purchased back in 2010 or so. If you can find them now, please let me know as well!!
Things come in stock regularly but sell very quickly. People typically buy many of our plants within hours of them being put in stock. There are dozens of people checking the site regularly and grabbing most things that aren't often in stock as soon as they are listed. Thus, we are having trouble keeping stuff in stock. However, if you sign up for product alert notifications for anything you're interested in, we do put things in stock regularly and you will receive an email when the products you're interested in go in stock. Good growing!
We likely won't be able to offer them again until much, much later this year. We usually sell the 25 packs in fall and winter when business is slow because they take a lot of time to pack up.
I don't know that it can be extrapolated to any situation, but it has been proven that Venus flytraps can live under artificial lighting on a fixed 16-hour photoperiod for multiple years so long as they are fed regularly. In the tropics, I'm not sure how they'd do year-round without a seasonal cool period with shortened days.
Flytraps can be fed anytime the traps are functional. In the winter they are much slower to respond or are, at times, entirely unresponsive. And the risk of trap rot is much higher during cool and cold weather because the trap often can't finish digestion before bacteria sets in and rots the trap. So we usually advise against feeding in the winter but it can be done.
What should you do if where you live it gets really cold during the winter nights. I’m talking around -5 Fahrenheit with the windchill, is it safe to leave outside year round? Or should other protective measures be taken?
Good question! We typically recommend moving the plants indoors in the very cold climates during the winter months. Many growers use the fridge method for storing small collections: www.flytrapcare.com/venus-fly-trap-fridge-dormancy-tutorial/ Alternatively, you can place them in a sunny south-facing windowsill or in a garage that has a window as long as it stays above freezing. They can stand freezing too, but it is better if they don't freeze.
@@FlytrapStore thank you very much for responding! But I have just one final question for you if you don’t mind. My garage stays around 55 degrees in the winter, is that good enough?
@@d.s.3408 Yep, that is perfect! As long as there's a good window to put them in, they'll do well in the garage. If you have no window, you might need a grow light that you can put on a 12 hour photo-period to keep them healthy with sufficient lighting.
Do you think I can let my vft outside ? I'm from Czech republic and in winter it always snows, but the temperature doesn't really go below like -5°C, perhaps I can let it chill outside during the warmer days of winter ( above 0°C) and just bring it in the fridge when it's freezing?
Yes, you should be able to leave your VFT outside almost year round in your climate. If it is going to frost or freeze, I'd recommend covering it or bringing it indoors for the night. But otherwise, it should do well outside all year.
@@FlytrapStore if leaving them outside during the winter, is it bad for them if its raining a lot and the substrate becomes damp? Im always worried about root rot which I got once when overwintering on a windowsill. I wonder why they don't seem to get it as much outside. Or people arent really worried when leaving them outside.
@@HyeonsikLi when plants are outside the UV rays of the sun kill, the wind blows away, and the rain washes away many of the bad bacteria and mold spores that lead to crown rot. That's why growing outside is easier than indoor growing. It is best to not leave them sitting in water when it is cool out but they will tolerate it fine as long as they don't have the bad bacteria already starting to take hold.
Probably not. There is a good tutorial written by a Canadian grower about how to store flytraps in the fridge for dormancy during winter that you can find here: www.flytrapcare.com/venus-fly-trap-fridge-dormancy-tutorial/
Yes. Many people have been selectively breeding flytraps for decades to produce plants with larger traps. It seems that the biological limit to a Venus flytrap trap size is right around 2 inches (5cm), though Jeremiah Harris recently recorded an Alien cultivar trap at a length of over 6cm!
As long as the traps are functional, Venus flytraps can eat year-round. Typically when it's colder out, the traps don't close quickly or well, and sometimes they won't close at all. Also, it takes longer for digestion to finish, so often when Venus flytraps are fed in the cold months, the trap will turn black and rot because it can't finish digestion before decomposition starts to occur.
It depends. If you match the hours the light is on with the sunrise and sunset, then it will go through dormancy or at least get a "rest" period when the days get short. But indoor growing is challenging for many reasons -- one of which is the fact that dormancy is a little more challenging to provide. We always recommend against indoor growing and always encourage people to grow outdoors if at all possible. Venus flytrap aren't house plants and indoor growing is riddled with problems for even the most experienced growers.
@@FlytrapStore thank you very much for getting back to me so soon. I bought it about a month ago and it’s been growing really fast Under the light which is why I thought it would be ok,but if it’s difficult for even the most experienced then I won’t take my chances,but what should I do when they become dormant? I live in Boston where the winters are really cold.
@@paradise1873 These articles should help you out: www.flytrapcare.com/venus-fly-trap-dormancy/ A good alternative for people in very cold climates is the fridge dormancy method: www.flytrapcare.com/venus-fly-trap-fridge-dormancy-tutorial/ Also, over wintering under artificial lights is a good option. Just be sure to keep the photo period around 10-12 hours per day and move them out ASAP in the spring. A sunny south-facing windowsill will work too. Good luck!
I believe that Sarrs will go dormant with photoperiod shifts just like flytraps, though I've never kept them artificially warm during the winter months. They stay in the greenhouses with our flytraps and they go and stay dormant even when temperatures during the day can get up into the 80s and 90s.
@@ryan-xr1st I can't say for sure on that question! I know people have grown baby Sarracenia under lights for 2 years straight to rush them to adulthood, but I'm not aware of anyone continuously growing Sarracenia under lights without ever granting a dormancy period. I'd expect that they would eventually fatigue and die, just like the main growth point of a flytrap will, but that it might divide from there and the new divisions would continue growing. I'm not 100% sure though and have not read about anyone trying to grow Sarracenia continuously without dormancy for more than a couple of years.
Sounds like it might be dead but we'd need a photo to say for sure. Feel free to send us an email at sales@flytrapcare.com with a good photo and we can take a look for you and give you feedback.
@@leongbrandon Reportedly, earthworms cause traps to blacken and die. The flytrap might be able to get some nutrients from them before losing the trap, but it is better to feed them insects, I believe.
I bought a Gold Strike and a DCXL from you 4 years ago. Just wanted to let you know there still going strong and dividing into more plants. Just wanted to say thank you after all these years later. So glad i was able to get those 2 cultivars way back then especially the Gold Strikes. It seems hard to get your hands on them these days. Everything iv learned was from the flytrapcare forums since 2013. Thanks again your plants always look amazing.
That's awesome news!! Yes, Gold Strike isn't available these days as I mine a few years ago. If you have a spare division, I'd love to either purchase one from you or trade for it! I'd love to grow Gold Strike again.
Thanks for letting us know that you're plants are still going strong! The FlytrapCare forums sure are a great community and a friendly place to learn how to expertly care for these amazing plants!
Glad to see you making new videos! I've been doing fridge dormancy for 13 years and it works great. No losses at all. Mine go in in mid October and I start getting them out in early February for re-potting. They go under shop lights until sometime in mid to late April. Thanks for the videos!
Hey Tommyr! Thanks for commenting here! Yes, you're one of the people I know from the FlytrapCare forums who has done fridge dormancy year after year and proven it to be successful. It certainly works well for people without an option to winter the plants without the risk of them freezing. I think I stated that in the video? The only drawback being that the plants won't grow in the fridge whereas they do grow even when dormant if given good light.
@@FlytrapStore Yup that's me. I'm also on Reddit as Tommytimbertoes (old grade school magazine comic strip character one of my friends calls me). I find they don't grow much if at all anyway during dormancy. Thanks for the new videos you 2!
@@Tommyr They certainly don't do much above ground, but Venus flytraps are actually pretty busy below ground during the winter. I'm sure they don't get set back too much by being put in the fridge though!
how often did you put them in the fridge and when do u remove them?
@@isabel-df1oy They go in the fridge in mid October and come out around February 1st for re-potting. Then they go under florescent lights until April. Then they get hardened off to outdoor Sun.
Hai Matt, thanks for the videos, really learn a lot from you. I live in Indonesia whereas we don't experience winter here since we live in equator tropical climate. But the flytraps does shown signs of dormancy. To compensate that, I prefer to do the fridge method. Been doing it for two years and the result are amazing. The period for each flytrap were different though, usually I look at the size of their rhizome to decide how long they will be in the fridge. Usually they will stay around 60 days until 120 days, but 90 days on average. If the plants are mature enough, they will start to grow flower around week 3 after they came out from the fridge. Thank you.
You're very welcome for the videos! Thanks for watching!!
Thank you also for all of the information about how you do dormancy in your tropical climate. I'm sure that will be helpful to some people!
Flytrap grower going through the first dormancy here. I could’ve swore that flytraps will shed all their leaves and then start sprouting again in Spring. Glad to know that I’ll still be able to see them in the pots. I heard that as long as temperature stays above 20 degrees Fahrenheit they should be fine. Can’t wait for next year’s Spring to see them in their prime again. I bought mine in April and apparently they were dormant at the time and I didn’t even realize it.
Good luck with your first dormancy! It can feel daunting, but realistically there isn't much that needs to change. Just keep the plant in good light and ensure the soil stays damp, though not too wet for too long, and Flytraps should do well through winter.
Ideally, they wouldn't experience frost or freezing. They can tolerate temperatures below freezing for brief periods and, in sufficiently large pots, can take temps down into the 20s or even the teens if the pots are huge or they're in the ground in bog gardens.
But most growers use smaller pots (2-4 inches) and flytraps can perish in pots that small if allowed to repeatedly freeze and thaw. For that reason, we recommend moving flytraps indoors to a sunny windowsill temporarily when there's a chance of frost or freeze and then move them back outdoors once the cold has relented.
What an amazing channel.The first one about Venus fly traps and not want to sell you anything but onley giving you advice.I bought a venus fly trap one week ago.Thanks!
Thanks so much for the kind feedback!
Very helpful. Thanks for sharing your expertise!
You're very welcome! Thanks for the kind feedback!!
Just ordered some seeds from you. Looking forward to getting started with them. Thanks for this video, just the type of info I need. Should I put them through a dormant period their first year or wait until the second year? I'll be growing inside under lights. Thanks!
Thanks for your business! I'd suggest starting the baby flytraps under lights this time of year and letting them grow through winter on a 16-hour photoperiod under the artificial lighting. When spring arrives, repot them and move them outdoors in a spot with dappled light or put them in full sun but use a 40% shade cloth to cover them and keep the sun intensity at a level that won't burn the baby flytraps. Good luck and good growing!
Hi thanks for good video about dormancy. I grow vft in South Korea where has the similar temperature as South Carolina. I hope to have my plants outdoors during winter because indoor temp is above 70f even in January.
There are some growers in Korea who keep vft outdoor even degree goes down to -4f and most of them survive and be more healthy next year.
I just wanna know if you have similar experience like this. And if yes, can i keep them outdoor if i use much bigger pot for vft. Thanks
Yes, Venus flytrap in large pots can withstand freezing temperatures, particularly if they are sheltered in some way from the wind. If they are frozen and the wind picks up, they can die from dehydration.
@@MattMillerFlytrapStore great! Thanks ! I will try outdoor dormancy this winter with large pot in wind shelter
thanks friend!
I love how you have these guys potted up in big resin urns! I think I'm going to do that. I have three big box rescues that did really well this summer, but the plastic pot is less than half the size of those. I'm in south-central Michigan with no experience with dormancy or over-wintering. I'm glad to hear it's more of a photo-period than temp reaction. They don't disappear like tulips or daffodils or hostas. Mine are in a blend of peat, perlite and silica sand that I bought online. Are yours totally spaghnum?
I believe in this video the pots have some peat/perlite/sand in the bottom few inches and the top is all long fiber sphagnum.
I went online listen what to do and not. I have three containers growing, one with seeds and Venus flytraps are small after three months. I have one that keeps showing flower stems three time this past two weeks. I use a lot of water and on the trays, I have a good light working system. I am only making plants in my home in a living room. I like my first terrarium, it's a blast to make one with all real plants and a waterfall. I use only live moss, there are easy to keep green. It sure cost a lot with plants and all sets. Thanks!
This was so helpful. I packed up my 2 VFTs in December. They were placed horizontally in a closed plastic tub with moist sphagnum, peat moss and pearlite and they had a nice winter nap in the refrigerator. (I live in the north country) I unpacked them in Mid March and they looked fine, they even multiplied. When I repotted them, after adjusting for a week during which some tops blackened and died, they looked green and vivid with some new growth but they didn't stand up. A month later they are still bent over. They're green, the traps are open and in all other ways they seem fine but theyre not upright, as if the stems are not strong enough to stand. Can you give me some advice? Thanks.
It would be very helpful to see some photos, so please join the FlytrapCare forum and post a photo or two of your plant there:
www.flytrapcare.com/phpBB3/
I suspect that it might not be getting enough light and that's why the leaves won't stand up. But a photo or two would definitely allow me to confirm that.
Thanks for the video! I have a mature King Henry and it’s got a baby plant sprouting up with tiny traps. Would you recommend dormancy for the baby? Or let it grow through the winter?
We always recommend allowing Venus flytraps to have a proper dormancy, regardless of size. When I've skipped dormancy for plants in years past, they always sulk and stall growth the following year and the ones that had a proper dormancy catch up and surpass the ones that didn't get a rest period.
when you top water them in dormancy how much water do you give them ? until its comes out of the Bottom ?
Yes, I always thoroughly moisten the soil whenever I water them. For the large pots that I don't have in trays, that means watering until water flows out of the bottom.
@@MattMillerFlytrapStore got it thanks :)
Do you know when to take your Venus flytrap outside? It's already been several days since the first day of spring so I wanna know when to take my Venus flytrap out
As long as the temperatures are above freezing and there is no chance of frost, feel free to move your flytraps outside. Many people grow them outside all year as Venus flytraps can stand being frozen as long as it's not extremely cold. But it is best for them to avoid being frozen or experiencing frost because it can damage their foliage.
The. Camera went dormant got me 💀😹
I was always taught to grow VFT in plastic pots, aren't you worried about the ceramic pots leeching minerals into the soil?
We don't use any ceramic pots. All of our pots are plastic or polyurethane foam, both of which are inert.
I got a few carnivorous plants this year, and they’re doing great! I’ve got them under a grow light and plan to keep them as indoor plants because I’ve got heavy winters here in Canada and the weather fluctuates a lot year round, so it’s too risky as far as I’m concerned to grow them outdoors. I’m thinking of removing them from the grow light and placing them at a windowsill to stimulate dormancy and keep them cool over winter.. do you think this will be sufficient?
Yes, a windowsill dormancy should work well. You could also leave them under lights and just shorten the photoperiod to 10-12 hours and that would probably suffice as well. Then move them back outdoors in the spring once the chance of freezing has passed. Good growing!
@@MattMillerFlytrapStore Thank you for the reply, I appreciate it! I've got 5 carnivorous plants (2 flytraps, 2 nepenthes, and 1 sarracenia) right now, so I'll try some on the window sill and some with a shortened timer and see how they do! Thanks a bunch, and I'm ever so grateful for the content you create - keep it up!
for dormancy do i just put them in the fridge? in my house all of the rooms have a radiator and the heating is kept on through the winter
Doing a fridge dormancy definitely works for some people. It's best to keep them in full sun all year, if possible, but if you're in a climate where it freezes hard and you don't have any way to protect them from freezing while keeping them in full sun, Venus flytrap can do OK with a fridge dormancy. For more information see here:
www.flytrapcare.com/venus-fly-trap-fridge-dormancy-tutorial/
thank you! my vft has been in the fridge for around 3 months now and isnt dead and doing well
when will it be time to take it out?
Where do I get a chronos?
Can I use red wiggler compost tea for the Venus Flytrap?
Do you mean to use it as a fertilizer for the soil the Venus flytrap is potted in? If so, it might work in VERY small doses. But it just as might be likely to burn the Venus flytrap and possibly kill it. We typically recommend to avoid fertilizing Venus flytraps. If you want to boost their growth, the best way to do so is by feeding them. Rehydrated freeze-dried bloodworms work great. A tutorial can be found here:
www.flytrapcare.com/feed-a-venus-fly-trap/
Do you cut off the blackend venus fly traps? I have a bunch that have turned brown/black but some green at the base. Do I cut these off? Will the brown/black ones come back??
Yes, after the traps dry up entirely, we generally pull them off to clear a path so that the sunlight can reach the green leaves to maximize photosynthesis through dormancy. The black/brown traps won't come back, but if they're still full of fluid and not completely dry, the plant will reabsorb most of the nutrients remaining in the leaf before it dries up entirely. Thus, we don't recommend cutting off browning leaves, but rather leaving them until they're completely dry and they come off with a gentle tug.
@@MattMillerFlytrapStore Thank you so much! I appreciate you!
I'm a grower from Montreal, Quebec Canada, and my hardiness zone is 5 and temperatures here can reach to -20 °C. Can I give them dormancy outside by covering the pot in a burlap sack, bury them in pine straw mulch and cover them with a frost cloth? Also, I know that Sarracenia purpurea is native to my region, so can I let them go dormant without protection, since they are able to survive winter temperatures here?
Yes, as long as the pot is quite large (huge actually) or it is an in-ground bog garden, flytraps can be wintered outdoors by doing what you describe. The S. purpurea should be OK outside as well but it really depends on the genetics of the individual plant that you're growing, since S. purpurea is native much further south as well. I'd also insulate them and use large pots too, just to be safe!
Thank you very much!
hello ty for info, In one of your statements they dont like frequent freezes and keep them in bigger pots generally, does that mean dont let them get snowed on and how big minimum are the pots for winter. ty
Flytraps can take snow, frost and even freezing if the pots are sufficiently large. However, it is better for them if they never experience those things. If you want to keep them outside and temps are going to be above 20F or so, I'd guess a 10-inch insulated pot would probably be big enough to allow them to survive. If it's going to be lower than 20F, there will likely be some losses. I grew them one winter outdoors for the entire winter and the low temp was 9°F. All of the plants survived, even down to the smallest baby flytraps. However, they were in a half wine barrel pot so it was extremely large!
@@MattMillerFlytrapStore ty for your input
@@harrellt1405 the snow actually works insulating. It protects the plant from cold wind and very low temperatures.
Here in the philippines we don't have winter, do we have to force vtf go dormant? Or is it okay for them no to get through dormancy?
It has been proven in recent years that flytraps can continually grow without a dormancy period. It's far from ideal for them but if they're constantly fed and kept in good growing conditions, they'll keep growing indefinitely. The primary growth point (crown) might die but it will turn into new smaller plants that will continue to grow if well cared for and fed often.
Some people in tropical countries also force dormancy by artificially reducing light levels and then putting them in the fridge for 10 weeks. That works very well too.
@@FlytrapStore thank you
Hi! I purchased a Venus fly trap from Walmart a few weeks ago. I have it potted and carnivorous soil in a glass container to prevent leaching. I live in Ohio and do not have access to a greenhouse. We have periods of heavy frost in December January and February. Would it be OK to keep my fly trap in the garage until these periods of heavy frost happen and then bring it in the fridge or would you recommend I just leaveIt’s inside of the fridge for the entire dormancy? Thanks for your help!
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Hi Elyce! Congratulations on your new Venus flytrap. Clear glass containers don't usually make a good choice for pots because they let the sun go through and heat the soil up too much. But if the container is not clear glass, it could work OK.
As for dormancy in Ohio, you can bring the flytrap into the garage when the frost and freezing is happening and then move it back outdoors once it warms up. That will work great.
Hello! Got my first Venus flytrap and it’s doing so well! I live in Pennsylvania so it’s starting to get a little colder at night. I’m waiting for the temps to hit the 30s before I bring it in. I have a supplemental grow light for my orchids and only have a west facing window. I keep the light on until the afternoon when the sun comes in during sunset. In the winter, it’ll be less sun for sure. In the dead of winter, what’s the recommended light schedule? I’m just going to leave it in a room near the window in hopes it stays chilled enough. Also, should I keep it less wet? Maybe just moist rather than sitting in water?
Flytraps do best in natural sunlight. They will go dormant naturally with the shortening days. The temperature isn't terribly critical during dormancy, as they'll go dormant just fine even if the days are still fairly warm. If the temps are cool, definitely keep them less wet. The soil should always be damp but not too wet for too long. I'd definitely recommend not leaving flytraps sitting in water in cooler weather, as it can lead to rot.
@@MattMillerFlytrapStore thank you!
I'm very new to caring for VFT. I was wondering if you would prune black traps during dormancy or if it's best to leave them be? Thanks for the videos 😊
Once a trap turns completely black, it is fine to prune it off. But if there is any green left on it or if it feels firm to the touch, I'd recommend leaving it alone because the plant can recuperate nutrients from the leaf as it dries up.
@@FlytrapStore thanks for the info and getting back to me!
Watching one of your other videos of "How to Know When To Repot Venus flytraps and What to Expect" do you repot these in the video every 9 months?
We typically repot our flytraps once a year. However, depending on many factors, sometimes any given flytrap can be repotted as much as 3 or 4 times a year.
@@FlytrapStore Thank you for that
How often do you split the plants where could I purchase the soil and the moss
We divide our plants every year in the late winter or springtime. And you can find the soil and moss for sale here:
www.flytrapcare.com/store/growing-media-and-pots
Are those terracotta pots? Some say it’s best to use plastic pots?
Hey Paul - no those aren't terra cotta but rather insulating polyurethane foam pots painted to look like terra cotta. I've never used terra cotta and people have said that it can leech minerals into the soil that can eventually poison Venus flytraps. I believe if it is glazed properly, the risk is low. And even if it isn't glazed, I'm not sure that it would be deadly or have a really negative effect, though I can't confirm this. I've always avoided it simply because it is easy to find good alternatives. I prefer something that insulates better than terra cotta and doesn't dry out so quiclky. Thus the reason I'm using the insulating pots in the video.
I live in a tropical country where there is no winter, recently my vft starts to grow slowly and the new traps are small, should i do fridge dormancy? or should I just leave it outside?
I've read about people doing both - a fridge dormancy or just leaving it outside. I believe if you leave it outside, it should be fed regularly to keep it continually growing and dividing. The main growth point will likely die after a time, but the divisions resulting from the death of the main growth point will start new plants that will continue growing. Alternatively, you can artificially decrease it's photo period gradually down to 10 hours a day and then put it in the fridge for 6 weeks or so to provide an artificial dormancy.
Where can I buy these pots??
Unfortunately I've not been able to find them anywhere these days. These pots were purchased back in 2010 or so. If you can find them now, please let me know as well!!
Just about everything is out of stock in your store. When are you going to have anything in stock?
Things come in stock regularly but sell very quickly. People typically buy many of our plants within hours of them being put in stock. There are dozens of people checking the site regularly and grabbing most things that aren't often in stock as soon as they are listed. Thus, we are having trouble keeping stuff in stock. However, if you sign up for product alert notifications for anything you're interested in, we do put things in stock regularly and you will receive an email when the products you're interested in go in stock.
Good growing!
When do your 25 pack of baby flytraps go back in stock?
We likely won't be able to offer them again until much, much later this year. We usually sell the 25 packs in fall and winter when business is slow because they take a lot of time to pack up.
Can you let them stay in a greenhouse? I have citrus trees i keep in the winter i live in Kentucky.
A greenhouse that is kept above freezing during the winter is an ideal spot for Venus flytraps
Great video! new sub
So, Venus Flytrap can still live without dormancy, and not dying? I live in a tropical weather country. We have no seasons, except hot and rainy days.
I don't know that it can be extrapolated to any situation, but it has been proven that Venus flytraps can live under artificial lighting on a fixed 16-hour photoperiod for multiple years so long as they are fed regularly. In the tropics, I'm not sure how they'd do year-round without a seasonal cool period with shortened days.
Am i able to feed my venus fly trap during dormancy? Also, how many mouths should I be feeding at one time?
Flytraps can be fed anytime the traps are functional. In the winter they are much slower to respond or are, at times, entirely unresponsive. And the risk of trap rot is much higher during cool and cold weather because the trap often can't finish digestion before bacteria sets in and rots the trap. So we usually advise against feeding in the winter but it can be done.
What should you do if where you live it gets really cold during the winter nights. I’m talking around -5 Fahrenheit with the windchill, is it safe to leave outside year round? Or should other protective measures be taken?
Good question! We typically recommend moving the plants indoors in the very cold climates during the winter months. Many growers use the fridge method for storing small collections:
www.flytrapcare.com/venus-fly-trap-fridge-dormancy-tutorial/
Alternatively, you can place them in a sunny south-facing windowsill or in a garage that has a window as long as it stays above freezing. They can stand freezing too, but it is better if they don't freeze.
@@FlytrapStore thank you very much for responding! But I have just one final question for you if you don’t mind. My garage stays around 55 degrees in the winter, is that good enough?
@@d.s.3408 Yep, that is perfect! As long as there's a good window to put them in, they'll do well in the garage. If you have no window, you might need a grow light that you can put on a 12 hour photo-period to keep them healthy with sufficient lighting.
Do you think I can let my vft outside ? I'm from Czech republic and in winter it always snows, but the temperature doesn't really go below like -5°C, perhaps I can let it chill outside during the warmer days of winter ( above 0°C) and just bring it in the fridge when it's freezing?
Yes, you should be able to leave your VFT outside almost year round in your climate. If it is going to frost or freeze, I'd recommend covering it or bringing it indoors for the night. But otherwise, it should do well outside all year.
@@FlytrapStore if leaving them outside during the winter, is it bad for them if its raining a lot and the substrate becomes damp?
Im always worried about root rot which I got once when overwintering on a windowsill.
I wonder why they don't seem to get it as much outside. Or people arent really worried when leaving them outside.
@@HyeonsikLi when plants are outside the UV rays of the sun kill, the wind blows away, and the rain washes away many of the bad bacteria and mold spores that lead to crown rot. That's why growing outside is easier than indoor growing.
It is best to not leave them sitting in water when it is cool out but they will tolerate it fine as long as they don't have the bad bacteria already starting to take hold.
@@MattMillerFlytrapStore ah thank you. That makes sense.
I live in Canada so would I be able to leave my traps outside during the winter? (We get a lot of snow and it gets really cold)
Probably not. There is a good tutorial written by a Canadian grower about how to store flytraps in the fridge for dormancy during winter that you can find here:
www.flytrapcare.com/venus-fly-trap-fridge-dormancy-tutorial/
Could we breed them to have larger traps
Yes. Many people have been selectively breeding flytraps for decades to produce plants with larger traps. It seems that the biological limit to a Venus flytrap trap size is right around 2 inches (5cm), though Jeremiah Harris recently recorded an Alien cultivar trap at a length of over 6cm!
When should i stop feeding them?
As long as the traps are functional, Venus flytraps can eat year-round. Typically when it's colder out, the traps don't close quickly or well, and sometimes they won't close at all. Also, it takes longer for digestion to finish, so often when Venus flytraps are fed in the cold months, the trap will turn black and rot because it can't finish digestion before decomposition starts to occur.
If I’m growing one indoors with a light,will it go threw a dormant stage as well?
It depends. If you match the hours the light is on with the sunrise and sunset, then it will go through dormancy or at least get a "rest" period when the days get short. But indoor growing is challenging for many reasons -- one of which is the fact that dormancy is a little more challenging to provide. We always recommend against indoor growing and always encourage people to grow outdoors if at all possible. Venus flytrap aren't house plants and indoor growing is riddled with problems for even the most experienced growers.
@@FlytrapStore thank you very much for getting back to me so soon. I bought it about a month ago and it’s been growing really fast Under the light which is why I thought it would be ok,but if it’s difficult for even the most experienced then I won’t take my chances,but what should I do when they become dormant? I live in Boston where the winters are really cold.
@@paradise1873 These articles should help you out:
www.flytrapcare.com/venus-fly-trap-dormancy/
A good alternative for people in very cold climates is the fridge dormancy method:
www.flytrapcare.com/venus-fly-trap-fridge-dormancy-tutorial/
Also, over wintering under artificial lights is a good option. Just be sure to keep the photo period around 10-12 hours per day and move them out ASAP in the spring. A sunny south-facing windowsill will work too.
Good luck!
@@FlytrapStore thank you soo much for being so helpful. 😊
I have the B52 traps a pair can I report them now in the same pot before dormancy 6/6/4 plastic pot please help thank you
Yes, any time is an OK time to repot if the plants are in need of fresh soil.
Thank you
@@MattMillerFlytrapStore I have them in long spag moss I would like to change to your soil is that possible?
@@pauljohnsonjr8504 yes, that's certainly possible. We recently switched all our plants from LFSM to our peat mix.
can sarracenias go dormant with just photoperiod like venus flytrap or does it need a temperature shift?
I believe that Sarrs will go dormant with photoperiod shifts just like flytraps, though I've never kept them artificially warm during the winter months. They stay in the greenhouses with our flytraps and they go and stay dormant even when temperatures during the day can get up into the 80s and 90s.
@@MattMillerFlytrapStore Thanks! And can they also skip dormancy like Venus fly trap or is it required for sarracenias?
@@ryan-xr1st I can't say for sure on that question! I know people have grown baby Sarracenia under lights for 2 years straight to rush them to adulthood, but I'm not aware of anyone continuously growing Sarracenia under lights without ever granting a dormancy period. I'd expect that they would eventually fatigue and die, just like the main growth point of a flytrap will, but that it might divide from there and the new divisions would continue growing. I'm not 100% sure though and have not read about anyone trying to grow Sarracenia continuously without dormancy for more than a couple of years.
HI, i live in myanmar which is outside of the US and i wanted to ordered some plants from you can you ship them to us?
Hello Kyaw - unfortunately we can only ship within the US. Good growing!
@@MattMillerFlytrapStore how about seed do you ship cp seeds internationally?
@@kyawthuta9058 No, not any longer. We only ship within the US.
@@MattMillerFlytrapStore ok
I'm in the UK, so can't order any of your wonderful plants :(
I let my Venus Flytraps experience frost before bringing them indoors in my unheated sunroom usually in November.
I don’t know if mine is dead? I put it in a ziploc bag in a cool place and it is all black, I just don’t know when to take it out of dormancy.
Sounds like it might be dead but we'd need a photo to say for sure. Feel free to send us an email at sales@flytrapcare.com with a good photo and we can take a look for you and give you feedback.
Do you ship to Hawaii?
Yep, we sure do! In most cases plants will arrive in 2-3 days when shipped via USPS Priority Mail.
@@FlytrapStore Mahalo for your reply!
@@FlytrapStore Is it okay to feed VFT earthworms (cut into size of traps) that i find in my yard?
Mahalo Again 🤙
@@leongbrandon Reportedly, earthworms cause traps to blacken and die. The flytrap might be able to get some nutrients from them before losing the trap, but it is better to feed them insects, I believe.
how do you water them
I simply pour water over the top of the pots until it flows out the bottom.
i dormanted a venus flytrap in the fridge one and the roots and bulb grew..