So, my new VFT is not looking so hot!

Vicwilkie86

Vicwilkie86

Plant
Hello again guys,

So, I just received a VFT about a week and half ago. I had posted on this forum when I received the plant. All was well, until this morning when I noticed a few things.

First off, the perlite on the top is turning yellow. Is that a normal occurrence? Also, I noticed that there are a few black stems and now one of the traps are turning black as well. The traps have also not opened since day one of receiving it. As I had read, this could be normal and it may open when it is ready.

Let me tell you how I am caring, or trying to care for this plant. As I like to reiterate, I am new to these plants and have never had success with the ones I have tried in the past. I have the plant in a mixture of canadian sphagnum peat moss and perlite. I have been keeping it outdoors where the weather has not been bad (Highs may go up to 20 Celsius or more and lows can get to about 3 Celsius). Summer is here and my plant gets lots of sun in the mornings until around 1:00 ish in the afternoon when it is more shady in my front area where I keep it.

It has been mostly sunny and warm these days, so I try to keep at least an inch of distilled water in the tray at the bottom as much as I can when I am home from work. Otherwise it gets rain water.

Any advice would be great, as I really want this plant to survive. I have no clue what I am doing, or not doing correctly. Below are 3 photos.

Thanks for all the help guys,

Victor
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Samskwatch

Samskwatch

Carnivorous Plant Addict
Your plant looks normal to me. And, yes, perlite do turn that yellow colour. In my opinion, your plant had not enough time to harden before being put outside. So right now, it is trying to adapt to its new growth condition, which may take some time. Just, don’t get discouraged.
 
Raymond

Raymond

Carnivorous Plant Addict
You should be okay with just morning sun, though your plant will not be as "full" as one grown in maximum sun.
the colours may be still dark but the leaves will be a little skinny, in my experience. If this does happen, as long as the plant is feed properly and doesn't decline (still maintaining its condition) its going to be a beautiful plant :D
I have a few Drosera that only get morning sun, yet they are red and thriving! So what ever happens, your in a great community thats always here to help (and expand your collection :p )

Also dont repot now, but when you do try to keep the soil level right up to the top, just for a little more light to hit the growth-point.
 
Vicwilkie86

Vicwilkie86

Plant
Raymond said:
You should be okay with just morning sun, though your plant will not be as "full" as one grown in maximum sun.
the colours may be still dark but the leaves will be a little skinny, in my experience. If this does happen, as long as the plant is feed properly and doesn't decline (still maintaining its condition) its going to be a beautiful plant :D
I have a few Drosera that only get morning sun, yet they are red and thriving! So what ever happens, your in a great community thats always here to help (and expand your collection :p )

Also dont repot now, but when you do try to keep the soil level right up to the top, just for a little more light to hit the growth-point.
Click to expand...
Can I add soil to it at this point without re potting to give it more access to the sun? Or is that a bad idea?
 
Vicwilkie86

Vicwilkie86

Plant
Samskwatch said:
Your plant looks normal to me. And, yes, perlite do turn that yellow colour. In my opinion, your plant had not enough time to harden before being put outside. So right now, it is trying to adapt to its new growth condition, which may take some time. Just, don’t get discouraged.
Click to expand...
So, what do I do about the trap that is turning black and the other stems that are turning black?? I should not worry about that? I mean I did not throw it out into the sun right away. I left it with less sun for the first few days, to get used to it and now it is in full sun in the mornings.
 
Stanley

Stanley

Carnivorous Plant Addict
I'm pretty new to all this but that looks okay to me. The plant went through a lot of shock through shipping AND repotting so a some dying back should be expected. What I can see in your photos is a new trap going up. New growth is always a good sign, even if the original growth dies back.
 
Vicwilkie86

Vicwilkie86

Plant
SO, now all of the traps are turning black. Luckily the new one growing in is ok for now (Crossing my fingers). Either way, if all the traps turn black completely, do I give up, or do I leave it and see if it has new growth? Do I trim the black traps?
 
H2O

H2O

Administrator
Staff member
You don’t actually have to trim anything that dies back naturally (rot would be the only case where it is needed). Trimming is just for us and wanting our plants to look nice. Until I repot in the spring all my flytraps just do their thing and most of the new leaves cover the old dead ones.
 
Vicwilkie86

Vicwilkie86

Plant
H2O said:
You don’t actually have to trim anything that dies back naturally (rot would be the only case where it is needed). Trimming is just for us and wanting our plants to look nice. Until I repot in the spring all my flytraps just do their thing and most of the new leaves cover the old dead ones.
Click to expand...
So , If they all die back, I should not be worried. I should continue what I am doing and hope for the best??? I really want this guy to survive. It is slowly declining more than this photo shows now. Getting blacker and blacker.
 
Raymond

Raymond

Carnivorous Plant Addict
From what I can see I see it as the old growth is dying back due to the change in conditions but the new growth is going good since there doesn't look like any developing leaves dying.

Dont worry once the new growth comes in and is feed, the growth should explode :)
 
Vicwilkie86

Vicwilkie86

Plant
Raymond said:
From what I can see I see it as the old growth is dying back due to the change in conditions but the new growth is going good since there doesn't look like any developing leaves dying.

Dont worry once the new growth comes in and is feed, the growth should explode :)
Click to expand...
Thanks a lot Raymond. I will keep it going and hope for the best. I know there is definitely new growth, so that is a good thing.
 
housepet

housepet

Carnivore
As long as the new growth is healthy, you should just let it settle into its new media. Just keep an eye on the young shoots. As long as the the moss is clean without salt (forest moss is bad for that), it should recover. If you are really worried, you could drench and drain it a few times just to make sure the media isn't contaminated. Remember, that roots usually take a while to establish themselves while the whole plant adjusts to the media.
 
Vicwilkie86

Vicwilkie86

Plant
housepet said:
As long as the new growth is healthy, you should just let it settle into its new media. Just keep an eye on the young shoots. As long as the the moss is clean without salt (forest moss is bad for that), it should recover. If you are really worried, you could drench and drain it a few times just to make sure the media isn't contaminated. Remember, that roots usually take a while to establish themselves while the whole plant adjusts to the media.
Click to expand...
I have been diligent about using sphagnum peat moss and perlite, and watering with distilled water or rain water, which it gets naturally. I did notice a new growth coming in, on top of another small growth it had hen I received it , so that is a plus. I will leave it be and give it as much sun as I can, and I will hope for good things.

Thanks.
 
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