Question

Small flower stalks  

Stunted Flytrap   Hi Jeff!

Hope you guys are doing good!

My plants are doing fine, I really enjoy these days, however, I noticed a very strange (to me) growth in Sarracenia flowers.

From the approx. 25 flower stalks of Sarracenia growing on my balcony, some are very very small! You can see on the attached pictures. Psittacina and Minor stalks are only about 5-6 inches tall! Some of my leuco have very long and thin stalks but with small flowers, pitchers also are very slender and long. I wonder why that is? Other Sarracenia grow normally, big and tall with flowers as high as the pitchers.

Also my Red Dragon flytrap is growing long and thin... I have been keeping all the plants outdoor during the winter and they really enjoy full south side sun!

BUT I have to admit that I spray the plants every two weeks with MaxSea fertilizer... I know, it is not necessary, I was thinking it might boost growth even more...

Could it be the reason?

Thanks a lot for your comment, I never saw this before!

Cheers,

JP

Answer
Hi JP,

Sarracenia psittacina and S. minor normally have short flowers, so nothing there is out of the ordinary.  They look just as they should.

Red Dragon Flytraps are super sensitive to soil minerals.  Before we were able to set up our RO system, and we had to use our well water for the first year, the Red Dragons were the first to die from hard water.  Fertilization can have a similar effect.  I would stop any fertilization of your flytraps.  The moss growing around them is an indicator there might be too much.  The trapless leaf is a definite symptom of too much soil nutrients.  I usually see this in people that have re-potted their plants in regular potting soil.  Do lots of top-watering to flush the soil and give it time.  For the rest of the growing season just let it catch bugs normally, or give it bugs, but lay off the Maxsea.

On a side note, I know on lots of the forums Maxsea is often touted as the "Miracle Grow" for cp.  That has not been our experience.  Maxsea is a simple chemical fertilizer, 16-16-16 with seaweed powder added.  That's it.  We've had better luck with fertilizers formulated for Phalaenopsis orchids.  I've also been trying this stuff, and so far the results have been promising:  http://www.amazon.com/Carnivorous-Plants-Fertilizer-HighTech-Fertiliser/dp/B00HV  Having said that, the big rules with cp and fertilizer is, when in doubt, don't, and always keep it super dilute.

Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.growcarnivorousplants.com