Anyway, the aforementioned *one* plant I have is (surprise, surprise) a
venus flytrap (Dionaea something?). For several weeks after purchasing and
acclimatizing it, none of the traps functioned. Finally, new growth
appeared, the existing traps slowly blackened and died away. The first few
traps to appear were small (perhaps 0.25 to 0.5 inches across), and closed
very slowly when activated. In time, though, new stems produced larger
traps, and they closed much quicker. All part of getting used to the new
soil, water (distilled, natch), light?
I grow them in pure peat (though I plan on changing to live sphagnum
this spring...a good move?), in a pot-in-a-bowl (i.e., I keep water in the
bowl to maintain peat moistness). I've noticed other growths in the
peat...several tiny green moss-like plants, as well as some dark green (also
tiny) "puckered" objects (hard to describe). I also seem to have an
incredible infestation of some insect in the soil...armies of tiny
fast-moving silvery things...they don't fly and they don't seem to be
harming the plant, but the soil is literally seething with them.
I've had the plant for about one year now. Just over the winter, I put
the pot-and-bowl unit into the refrigerator (temp=42! F). (left it in for
about 2.5 months) I took it out just this past weekend and it has already
started putting forth new growth. Can I expect flowering (I'm showing my
complete ignorance here...they flower like most plants, right?) this year,
and are these plants able to pollinate themselves (I forget the botanical
term for this)?
If anyone sees anything wrong with my growing practices, or can help
with any of the mysteries plaguing me, I'd appreciate a response [preferably
designed to be interpreted by a humble novice such as myself].
Thank you (in part for reading this far).
-- Ernest M. Crvich Primordial egg retains Blacksburg, VA Consciousness unborn general@vtvm1.cc.vt.edu Pre-personal perfection crvich@csugrad.cs.vt.edu Bliss's screen yet untorn