Setting up a display cooler for highlanders SavageGarden

I've decided to set up a display cooler/refrigerator for growing my highland Nepenthes, Helis, and other plants. I've found a number of guides for chest freezers, but, with a chest freezer you don't get to look at your plants! So the plan is to convert an old display cooler (like the things they sell sodas in by the check stands in supermarkets, basically refrigerators with a glass door) so I can enjoy my plants.

A lot of the equipment, timers, etc will work the same as with a chest freezer. But I'm a bit concerned about wiring and mounting lights, a fan etc. Does anyone here have any experience doing this? Alternatively, does anyone have some ideas on how to do it?

I'm not above bubba'ing the setup, but I'd like to make it as nice as possible. May even add some wood paneling to the exterior, but the interior is what's important. I plan on publishing a guide for us with step by step pictures once it's done, but, any and all input is appreciated. Thanks!

Submitted November 24, 2017 at 03:16AM by BlazeBroker http://ift.tt/2zxGwgZ SavageGarden

Venus Flytrap Dormancy Question SavageGarden

Ok, so I read the tutorial about indoor flytrap dormancy. I have a garage that stays within the proper temperature parameters during winter (I'm hardiness zone 7), but I only have one west-facing window which faces a fairly shaded side of my yard, so the window doesn't get a lot of direct sunlight. Can I still use this window for dormancy and just move it outside in spring, or should I resort to a refrigerator method since I have nowhere to plant it for winter?

Submitted November 11, 2017 at 05:54AM by coffeepot-pilot http://ift.tt/2i2J7Ve SavageGarden

Can we talk dormancy strategies other than unheated garage and refrigerator? SavageGarden

I live in zone 6b/7a. I don't have a garage. I also rent, so my plants are in pots, not planted in the ground. Neither do I have a basement. Doing refrigerator dormancy is problematic (I have enough plants that it is a pain in the ass, also not sure if my roommate can manage to not crush any plants I would be keeping in the fridge for 3 months).

Does anyone in a situation similar to mine have any clever workarounds they use for dormancy? I am wondering if I could use 1 or 2 styrofoam coolers and pack them with hay/mulch and put them up against the side of my house or up against our sliding glass door. I am thinking that will be warmer than just sitting out in the middle of the yard. I could perhaps even throw a handwarmer pack into the coolers for the really deep freezes which happen from time to time. Or, will a cheap ($50 or less) coldframe from Amazon work?

I should also add that the plants I am keeping outside this winter are: S. 'Judith Hindle', S. 'Dana's Delight', S. rubra, S. purpurea. And a handful of VFT typicals and a couple VFT cultivars (Red Dragon and Gremlin).

Please share your dormancy tips and tricks here. I have been nervous about handling dormancy since March, all suggestions and advice is appreciated.

Submitted September 30, 2017 at 12:13AM by progressiveoverload http://ift.tt/2yMybSz SavageGarden

advice for VFT dormancy in a dorm? SavageGarden

I'm a college student with a flytrap bought ~1.5 years ago. Last winter, it was still very new and small (and I didn't know dormancy was a thing) so I didn't do anything different with it through the winter. This year, my VFT has significantly grown in size (and I have grown in knowledge) and I'm looking for some advice on how to put my plant through dormancy successfully. This is my first time doing anything like this and my history with plants suggests more of a brown thumb, so I'm a little scared I'll screw it up. I pretty much have to go with the refrigerator method because of said college student and really only having a dorm room. Any advice is welcome, but here are some specific questions: * What kind of fungicide should I use? * Should I split my plant before or after dormancy? * Does a growing flower stalk (about 1" right now) make a difference on the process? * When people talk about No Damp, that a dehumidifier, right? (I've also heard people call it a fungicide.) * Speaking of No Damp, isn't it counterintuitive to have a wet paper towel/moss and a dehumidifier at the same time? what's up with that? * Is there an optimal temperature to use? * What are plausible options to gradually lower the light and temperature without angering my roommates? (also, the dorms only go so cold...) * How do I get sufficient light to the plant if it's in my fridge?

Submitted November 14, 2016 at 03:34AM by ntris_ http://ift.tt/2fPKGGe SavageGarden

refrigerator for winter dormancy SavageGarden

I need to find a used refrigerator to use for winter dormancy. I have about nine 20 cm diameter pots to store. A used full sized home refrigerator seems to be expensive to buy, difficult to move, and expensive to operate. The mini refrigerators (2 - 4.5 cu ft) seem to be too small, but otherwise acceptable. I'd like to avoid uprooting the plants if possible. How are those of you doing winter dormancies handling this ?

Submitted September 08, 2016 at 04:39PM by oss542 http://ift.tt/2cEfANO SavageGarden

Killing aphids without pesticides, assistance requested! SavageGarden

Recently one of my pots of VFTs acquired some aphids, which quickly multiplied and started attacking the forming leaves of the plant. While I recognize that aphids don't usually kill plants - just weaken them, I was not warm to the idea of my plants being eaten on my watch.

My first option would be to drown them by filling a container with distilled water and letting the plant go to the bottom for an hour or so - which would either force the aphids off of drown them to death. I'm reasonably certain this wouldn't harm the plant, as it'd only be underwater for an hour.

Option number two is to freeze the aphids to death in a refrigerator. Bugs can't survive cold (or regulate their body temperature), and aphids are so small I'd expect they would die within an hour or two when exposed to freezing temperatures. VFTs can survive cold snaps of short duration, although I'm more hesitant with this method as it seems a bit more extreme than dunking the plant in distilled water.

Thoughts? Any other methods I haven't mentioned that have worked?

I'm cautious to use pesticides as I'm worried they may damage my plants.

Submitted August 16, 2016 at 06:42AM by LamiaMiia http://ift.tt/2bAjqLa SavageGarden

Small update on 'Would love some help with my VFT! Not really living but not dead either'. SavageGarden

Hello fellow plant lovers. I could use your help.

I think I almost killed my VFT. It's the first hibernation I did, and the website which I checked at first misinformed me a little bit. Now I know the VFT is supposed to lose its leaves. But mine lost almost all of them. The thing which concerns me most is that it doesn't have traps anymore.

 

Picture one

Picture two

Picture three

 

Some background

• I saw this one in the store around october and I immediately fell in love with the VFT. I bought it, looked up how to take care of it. I watered it everyday (rainwater) and took good care of it. It grew well and was very pretty. Sadly I don't have pictures of the before. :( Saw the thing about hibernation and put the dates in my calendar.
  
• I made my plant do a refrigerator dormancy. Plastic bag over plant. Didn't cut leaves. Should have done that though. The plant kept growing well and the leaves didn't get very short as far as I know. Now I barely have any leaves left and growth is very slow.
  
• I checked the water regulary. Only gave it new water if the saucer was dry.
  
• A week ago I repotted the plant in a slightly bigger pot. Took off the dead leaves. The roots were partly dead, which was to be expected. But the living ones didn't look super healthy. The roots weren't as white as they are supposed to be (as far as I know).
  
• Have been introducing them to light but still rather cool temperatures. Since two days they are in the living room, so raised temperature and sunlight + I give them more water.

 

I'm trying to be patient because it might still be hibernating. But if anyone can tell me what I can do better this moment, or what's going on, I would be very grateful! The steady growth in the refrigerator, the stopping of growth only some weeks ago, the very thin and small leaves and the lack of traps is what concerns me.

 

----------- UPDATE -----------

The sun has been shining nicely the last couple of days, and my VFT has had sun from around 2/3 pm 'till 6pm. It is standing on a windowsill (facing west). When the days get longer I'll move it back to its original spot from before the dormancy (which is another windowsill, but facing east). If it is still alive by then anyway. The trap on the biggest leaf isn't going to make it, and is making weird twists and turns. It almost looks like it's turning away from the light source. The green leaf itself has gotten a little bit wider.

 

And uuuh. It has grown a flower stalk, apparently. It wasn't a new leaf. I've read that I should probably cut the stalk to save the plant, but there still isn't much to save. T_T I'm really trying to take care of this thing though. I love plants. Should I try to propagate the stalk when it's a bit taller? I've never done this before (or any propagation for that matter) but happy to try. What do you guys think?

Thanks in advance.

Submitted March 15, 2016 at 08:54PM by Silverglade http://ift.tt/1RkeCRT SavageGarden

Would love some help with my VFT! Not really living but not dead either. SavageGarden

Hello fellow plant lovers. I could use your help.

I think I almost killed my VFT. It's the first hibernation I did, and the website which I checked at first misinformed me a little bit. Now I know the VFT is supposed to lose its leaves. But mine lost almost all of them. The thing which concerns me most is that it doesn't have traps anymore.

 

Picture one

Picture two

Picture three

 

Some background

• I saw this one in the store around october and I immediately fell in love with the VFT. I bought it, looked up how to take care of it. I watered it everyday (rainwater) and took good care of it. It grew well and was very pretty. Sadly I don't have pictures of the before. :( Saw the thing about hibernation and put the dates in my calendar.
  
• I made my plant do a refrigerator dormancy. Plastic bag over plant. Didn't cut leaves. Should have done that though. The plant kept growing well and the leaves didn't get very short as far as I know. Now I barely have any leaves left and growth is very slow.
  
• I checked the water regulary. Only gave it new water if the saucer was dry.
  
• A week ago I repotted the plant in a slightly bigger pot. Took off the dead leaves. The roots were partly dead, which was to be expected. But the living ones didn't look super healthy. The roots weren't as white as they are supposed to be (as far as I know).
  
• Have been introducing them to light but still rather cool temperatures. Since two days they are in the living room, so raised temperature and sunlight + I give them more water.

 

I'm trying to be patient because it might still be hibernating. But if anyone can tell me what I can do better this moment, or what's going on, I would be very grateful! The steady growth in the refrigerator, the stopping of growth only some weeks ago, the very thin and small leaves and the lack of traps is what concerns me.

Submitted March 12, 2016 at 05:01AM by Silverglade http://ift.tt/1pCn2xW SavageGarden

New to Venus Fly Trap Care- ?'s SavageGarden

Hi everyone. I just got a Venus Fly Trap kit last week- seeds, a silly plastic pot with cover (greenhouse?) peat disc and gravel. The instructions said that I should put the seeds in the refrigerator for about 6 weeks to help them germinate. I want to make sure I am doing this right so I will grow nice healthy plants. Any tips or advice for a noobie?

I think I read to only give it distilled water and indirect sunlight. Would it grow alright in an office setting under florescent light?

Submitted February 22, 2016 at 07:37PM by jkimball1980 http://ift.tt/1Ri7UyC SavageGarden

When is a good time to start bringing VFTs and Sarracenia out of dormancy? SavageGarden

I've kept my VFTs in the refrigerator for the last few months and the Sarracenia in my unheated garage, I'm wondering when I could/should start trying to wake them up? Is it just checking for my last frost date or can I start them up indoors to get a jump on the season?

I don't want to do it too early and have them burn out before the growing season is over, if that's even a realistic outcome or if it takes multiple seasons to burn out, still new to me.

I'm in Ohio, it's 60 degrees today, 32 degrees tomorrow. Spring may take awhile to actually show up or it might be next week, never really know. Thanks

Submitted February 03, 2016 at 09:01PM by whats_yours http://ift.tt/1nN1bDt SavageGarden

Messed up a little bit with VFT refrigerator dormancy, could use some advice. SavageGarden

So this is the first year I've lived in an apartment and had to use the refrigerator method for my VFTs dormancy and I made two lazy mistakes that screwed me up a little bit. I have them in a tupperware in sphagnum with copper based antifungal spay which looks fine and I keep them in a mini fridge at 43 degrees. My first mistake was that right after I dug them up I wanted to ease them into dormancy by sticking them in a window for a couple weeks. One day I went to check on them, realized that the Tupperware created a greenhouse effect so it was super warm inside, so I took the lid off and forgot about it for a day and a half which dried everything out and killed/crisped up the leaves of the ones not buried in spagnum, which I figured wasn't a big deal cause I was gonna probably trim them off anyway and the rhizomes still looked perfectly healthy. Fast forward a couple weeks, I've been checking on them every few days and things look good, notice the sphagnum is a little dry so I spray it down a little bit and then pop it back in the fridge and go home for Christmas for a week. I get back and check on them and it looks like I overdid the moisture, no mold but the stuff that had been dried up is now nasty mushy rotten shit and it's spreading to some of the rhizomes. I immediately trimmed off all the black stuff, gave it a serious wash in water and used a toothbrush to scrub off all the soggy material and let the sphagnum dry out a good bit before putting everything back. Is there anything else I can dobro prevent further die off? Luckily as far as I can tell the only ones effected were the larger typical plants I had, most of the cultivars were in the deeper layers and look good, but it's still a bummer.

Submitted December 30, 2015 at 10:30AM by Fattybitchtits http://ift.tt/1NV953q SavageGarden

Recovery after dormancy SavageGarden

I live in Chicagoland and had my pitcher plant and vft (both from Lowes) on my work bench in my unheated attached garage for 3 months. Temps are generally 20 degrees higher than outside temps so it only drops below freezing when outside temps were below 10. The plants have been on the window sill (where the thrived last year) for 4-6 week and are showing no signs of life. Is it time to pull the plug on these? Would dormancy in an indoor refrigerator have been better? If it's time to move on should I stick to plants which don't need dormancy?

Thanks in advance

Submitted May 10, 2015 at 08:44AM by bortko76 http://ift.tt/1cCtbUN SavageGarden

Water SavageGarden

I got a TDS tester and i started testing my water and here are my readings. Tap water: 51ppm Filtered Tap Water: 48ppm Refrigerator filter water: 68ppm

I know the ppm has to be below 50ppm so can I use the filtered tap water or is it to close to the maximum?

Submitted April 09, 2015 at 04:10AM by iizbor3d http://ift.tt/1y62WPS SavageGarden

For those with success with Heliamphora, what is your set-up? SavageGarden

I've been looking into heliamphora and reading about their requirements for high heat, high humidity, low temperature, and wondering how someone grows these. I seem to remember seeing them in big refrigerators at California Carnivores. I would assume they'd be indoors in a terrarium with some sort of chiller, but I'm wondering what you guys do to grow these plants.

Submitted December 17, 2014 at 12:36PM by IGerhart http://ift.tt/1sDmU1Q SavageGarden

SF Bay Area growers, how are you overwintering? SavageGarden

I see that there are a lot of people from the bay Area on here and I wanted to reach out for some advice. I'm new to the CP scene and have read a lot about dormancy during the winter and how plants that are not allowed to go through a winter dormancy usually die prematurely. How do you Bay Area growers deal with this? Do you just leave your plants outside? Do you do the refrigerator trick?

I'm in Berkeley, so winter days are 55-70 F and nights are 45-60 F.

Submitted September 30, 2014 at 02:42AM by MyVeganBicycle http://www.reddit.com/r/SavageGarden/comments/2htqay/sf_bay_area_growers_how_are_you_overwintering/ SavageGarden