Question
Hi, thanks for the quick and informative answer to my previous question, I think I am going take your advice and leave them outside for the winter.

However, I have a new dilemma. I recently order a couple of VTF cultivars, and from the looks of it, they are very young and freshly out of propagation. They are very small (entire plant being about 1 inch or less in diameter). My question is even though they have about a month or so of sunny weather left, I am afraid they will not be robust enough to stand the cold, especially in their small pots. Any words or wisdom?

Thanks

Answer
Hi Paul,

This is the point in the year where temperate plants begin preparing themselves for dormancy by reducing leaf size, increasing sugars, etc...  Since you have them outside now they will be fine.  Most of our winter in the Northwest is just cold rain, and those conditions will be of no consequence for your flytraps.  It's only when we have some harsh cold snaps with temperatures in the low 20's or colder that you should give the plants extra protection.  Depending upon how many plants you have, that would simply mean bringing them into an unheated garage, shed, etc.  This would be just until the cold snap was over.  After that, back out into the rain.  You can also group all the plants together and put a tarp over them during the cold spell.  That works equally well.  We have hundreds of Venus flytraps in 3" pots that are in a simple cold frame greenhouse.  Whatever the outside temperature is, it's the same in the cold frame.  It simply shields from wind and rapid temperature change and drying.

One other factor to be aware of with flytraps for the winter is how you have them in water trays.  I've found many people in the Northwest loose their flytraps in the winter because they allow them to be submerged in trays during the winter.  Make sure their water trays are not too deep.  You still want them out in the elements, but just not under water.  You can also transplant your plants to bigger pots now, and that helps alleviate many problems associated with small pots.  Just leave a little old soil around their roots.

Good Growing!

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