feeding vfts

From: Andrew Marshall (andrewm@eskimo.com)
Date: Tue Dec 09 1997 - 19:19:40 PST


Date: Tue, 9 Dec 1997 19:19:40 -0800 (PST)
From: Andrew Marshall <andrewm@eskimo.com>
To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com
Message-Id: <aabcdefg4677$foo@default>
Subject: feeding vfts

Hi Jennifer,
        Welcome to the crazy world of plants that eat insects.
        In answer to your questions...
> 1. I live in Manhattan and can't seem to find much food for my venus fly
> traps. Is it okay to feed them little crickets?
        When they are not dormant, it is OK to OCCASIONALLY feed them A
small cricket or two. Be aware that over doing it is bad for the plant,
and may even kill it eventually.
>
> 2. Should my vfts be fed at this time of the year? I don't quite
> understand when, specifically, they should be dormant or for how long.
        At this time of year, all sensible vfts are sound alseep. If
yours is still growing, (I have an Akai Ryu strain of VFT that is blooming
now, outside, in temps around 45'f by day and 30 by night) you can subject
it to lower temps, around 45'f, and shorter day lengths. Ease carefully
back on the water as well until the soil is moist, rather then wet. Let
it remain in this state from October until some time in the spring,
usually around april for me, when it resumes its growth.
        Is yours outside or inside now?
        Good growing
        Andrew



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