Question
VFT
Hello,
I purchased a few plants from you less than a week ago, S. flava and S. leucophylla and a VFT, and the looked great when they got here. Both Sarracenias had 2-3 small, snakelike leaves extending from the rhizome, and both plants looked very healthy. I went out to check on them today, though, and i noticed that the tops of the leaves had turned brown and wilted.
Now, I had thought to myself when i ordered the plants, "oh, the weather's been so perfect for these plants lately, a good balance between rainy days and sunny days. They're sure to jump right into the loop when they get here!
Well, i guess i was'nt as right as i thought i was. My question is, is it normal for this to happen during an environmental shock like this? I mean, i know it is... but the conditions seem so ideal, is it really that much of a shock? I have them each setting in their own individual clear plastic water trays on a white table on the west side of my house. They get full sun from noon till sunset because our yard is on the west side of our house and there is nothing to block sunshine. So, the conditions are good... I'm using rainwater, as always, so that's not an issue. This is, though, my first time growing Sarracenias, so perhaps there is an issue i don't know about?
My other question concerning the Sarracenias is, did you already treat them for aphids before you sent them? Because I was looking for some advice reading some of other peoples' questions you've answered and it seems like it might be an aphid problem. I am planning on treating them with a light solution of Neem oil to solve any "infestation" that may be present. (also, i could use some advice on how to use the oil... what water/oil ratio to use, all that stuff)
Also... (haha sorry, this is kind of a lot) my VFT seemed to be a little bit out of health when it got here... and by a little bit i mean just a little bit. i'll include a pic so you can see what i mean. But there is some sort of... there are little discolored circles visible on the leaves. From what i have read about other carnivorous plants, such as nepenthes, i would think these may be caused by fungus..? I am not sure though. You can see what i am talking about by looking at the leaf on the left that appears to be closed. I may treat it with Neem oil too, since as far as i know a light dose shouldnt hurt. Another thing i noticed, though, is that the trap that you see open in the pic (the one that is standing up taller and open) caught a bug within about a day or so of arriving. Thing is... it has not sealed shut yet. Is this anything I should worry about, since i know they don't close if they have not caught anything? I assume it did catch something... it had not rained or anything, and i dont know what else could have triggered it. But... any advice would be much appreciated.
Thanks so much, I really appreciate the help :)
Jasen
(Oh, and i live in northern Michigan, zone four.)
AnswerHi Jasen,
Your plants are doing just fine. The leaf in question regarding your flytrap is likely from the previous season. It's perfectly normal for older leaves (leaves closer to the base of the plant) to slowly blacken after a while. The shipping process may hasten it, but that sort of thing is normal and unavoidable. As long as you're growing your plants according to our recommendations and you're seeing new growth (which is currently happening based on your photograph), your plant is doing just fine.
We treated the pitcher plants and flytraps with a systemic insecticide several weeks ago. It may have worn off, so just treat accordingly if you see any damage from aphids. It's early in the growing season, so your plant will produce healthy leaves later on. Clip off the damaged leaves after your plant produce healthy looking leaves. You can use Neem oil, but you may need to apply a bit more frequently, about once a week for several weeks. Use a prepared solution, and there are many on the market. Safer?makes an excellent prepared solution. Always follow the directions provided by the manufacturer.
For more information about growing carnivorous plants, watch our video podcasts for info about how plants look like at this time of the year:
http://www.cobraplant.com/podcast
Good growing!
Jacob Farin
