VFT Lifecycle
 

It is not easy to find information of complete VFT lifecycle in cultivation. There are fragmented postings of the the plant in various phases. I am starting to grow from seeds. This is a good place to document the development. Also to serve as a reference growing the plant till mature plants are obtained.

Phase 1: Germination
================
Temperature: 29 Celsius, day-night difference about 3 Celsius
Light: Direct sunlight 3.30-5.30pm, indirect sunlight the other time
Water: Rain
Relative humidity: 60-90%
Soil: Dried long fibered sphagnum moss (LFS)
No cold stratification. Seeds are put within 5mm from top of LFS.

The setup is shown here.
https://forum.petpitcher.net/attachme...1&d=1251007231

Germination stages:
Day 16
https://forum.petpitcher.net/attachme...1&d=1251007231

Day 23
https://forum.petpitcher.net/attachme...1&d=1251007231

Day 30
https://forum.petpitcher.net/attachme...1&d=1251007231

Seeds germinated: 46% (11 out of 24)
2 seeds wilted before putting up trap leaves. No obvious reason, likely to be weaker plants.

I believe all viable seeds have germinated. Some statistical analysis here,
Mean: 14.55 days
Standard deviation: 2.73 days

With the information, graphs based on normal distribution can be plotted.

Figure 1: Germination on a particular day after sowing.
https://forum.petpitcher.net/attachme...1&d=1251007231
Example interpretation:
4% of viable seeds germinate on day 10.
15% of viable seeds germinate on day 14.

Figure 2: Cumulative germination on a particular day after sowing.
https://forum.petpitcher.net/attachme...1&d=1251007231
Example interpretation:
By day 17, 80% of viable seeds should have germinated.
By day 20, 98% of viable seeds should have germinated.
Viable seed estimation: If 20 seeds are sown, and 10 seeds germinated by day 17, you may predict total viable seeds 10 / 80% = 13 seeds. The remaining seeds are likely not viable.

The graphs are constructed based on small sample I have. Regardless, it should give a rough idea on germination rate and duration.

Phase 2: Growing
=============
As the seedlings start to put out trap leaves, they are now in growing phase.

Conditions remain the same as germination, except the direct sunlight duration has increased to 3 hours, ie 2-5pm.

Will update as it goes...:smile:

Re: VFT Lifecycle
 

Very useful!!!You got yourself some seeds,eh?Medium can be peat also right?

Re: VFT Lifecycle
 

I hope to get my mature plant produces some seed next 1-2 years. I believe peat would work. Others posted reports using that. The nursery had only LSF during my visit. On second thought, LSF is much better aerated. Most terrestrial plants like its root aerated. Peat will need perlite mix to achieve that.

Re: VFT Lifecycle
 

Usually VFT become mature for 4 - 6 years !

Re: VFT Lifecycle
 

I mean my other big plant, probably after next dormancy. Not this batch of seedlings...:smile:

Re: VFT Lifecycle
 

Phase 2: Growing (3 months)
======================

To date:

Attachment 2519

A summary of gowth progress for the same plant.

1 month
Attachment 2520

2 months
Attachment 2521

3 months
Attachment 2522

Enjoy :smile:

Re: VFT Lifecycle
 

That is nice update!!! And seems like u grow it nicely. 3 months got 1 cm!!!

Re: VFT Lifecycle
 

wow, this is great! thanks for sharing tzestan! :smile: :smile:

Re: VFT Lifecycle
 

MIne got too crowded:unsure:

Re: VFT Lifecycle
 

Congrates that you have got yourself some vigorous forms' seeds, they grow pretty fast and nice too.

Re: VFT Lifecycle
 

Thanks for everyone's positve comments.:smile:

Mine the exact opposite. Except the photo I posted with 3 plants next to each other, the remaining plantlets are spaced out too far...:biggrin:

Re: VFT Lifecycle
 

6 Months
=======

This is how the same 3 most vigorous plants look like at 6 month old.

Attachment 3248

They are growing so fast. Even leaf pulling plant is unable to catch up.
At this rate, I may expect mature plants in 1 year... :)

Re: VFT Lifecycle
 

Mine are too small...tzestan some tips pls!:)

Re: VFT Lifecycle
 

Err... nothing out of ordinary. But I do notice well fed plants grow faster. There is 1 seedling that is barely 1cm in diameter. This one produces only small and deformed traps.

Re: VFT Lifecycle
 

Maybe come out new cultivar!!Do you give full sun?How you water??I am so sorry for the babies because when I water them the perlite cover them up..shoudln't have used perlite but I have a red one!!!Haha!

Re: VFT Lifecycle
 

What did you feed your VFT and how frequent?

Re: VFT Lifecycle
 

I think the catch themselves...well mine do the ants are crawling everywhere but the ants isn't coming out lately..

Re: VFT Lifecycle
 

I let them catch on their own.

Re: VFT Lifecycle
 

9 months
=======

9 month old plants. There are 3 plants in the clump. So cramp now...:)

Attachment 3525

They grow much faster than leaf pulling plant...

Re: VFT Lifecycle
 

wow...congratulations.....my first vft died within one month........now still got fobia towards them, haha

Re: VFT Lifecycle
 

Dear tzestan,

Thank for the sharing.

I will more patient for my VFT.

Re: VFT Lifecycle
 

So did my first VFT...:smile: I bought my second plant 6 months later.

Give it some time. Let us know how it goes.

Re: VFT Lifecycle
 

Nice.. This forum is just what i've been looking for. As far as I am aware there are no carnivorous plants available in Barbados. I myself am looking at germinating various types of CP seeds for my presonal collection. Depending on how easily they propagate I may look at cultivation for resale. I choose seeds because it'll save alot of hassle, import-wise.

What Var. of Dionaea are we looking at?

:smile:

Re: VFT Lifecycle
 

the common variant is vft "typical", followed by vft "shark tooth" and vft "red dragon", this is the case in malaysia, you can find more from US since the plant is originally from there

Re: VFT Lifecycle
 

hey Tan,any updates on them?

Re: VFT Lifecycle
 

Not sure if the question is for me or LJ? ...:)
Anyway, the plants are now awaken from their first dormancy recently. One put out flower stalk... aborted half way though. Guess it is still young. They have not grown till where they were before sleeping. So, will wait a while before showing photos.

Re: VFT Lifecycle
 

yes were talking to u :)

wow what a fast! maturity in 1year!!

show us pics!

Re: VFT Lifecycle
 

wow...this is amazing to see those plants grow so fast..
do you use SPSS to count the means?

Re: VFT Lifecycle
 

This was their size when uprooted a few months back, right at the start of becoming dormant, which was 11 months in age. Growing amazingly faster than leaf pullings.
Attachment 4215

Finally, they have grown for a while and ready for photo after awakening from dormancy. This is at 1 year and 5 months old. Err... too lazy to trim away the dead leaves.
Attachment 4213

The largest tried to flower. It realized it was too young and gave up...:)
Attachment 4214

Will take more photos a few months later when they are at their best...:)

Re: VFT Lifecycle
 

very fast!

maybe that young mother still not ready to have baby but she's trying *biggrin2*

do you give any fertilizers or something?


Thanks
H

Re: VFT Lifecycle
 

i want one...:crying::crying::crying:

Re: VFT Lifecycle
 

i realize that transplant vft seedlings will stun them, do you think so?
and something like a mass of spider web too growing on the media, what should i do? please advice..

Re: VFT Lifecycle
 

transplanting carefully wont stun your VFT badly from what i observe.but if you use long fibered sphagnum moss for it,when your about to repot it and if your careless,you might break a root or two and that might stress the plant

spider web sometimes grow at mine too.not just VFT but sarrs also.but i dont see any bad effects

i spray with pesticide or neem oil to be on the safe side.


Thanks
Harris :)

Re: VFT Lifecycle
 

They are efficient in capturing their own food. You can find carcass of insects in the traps from the photo. I am more worried that they overeat than nutrient deficient.

The smallest I transplanted was ~1.5cm in size. They don't seem to mind at all. Growth continue immediately.
Are you sure the webs belonged to spiders? Or is it fungus? Spiders don't survive long near VFTs. Spiders are among the favourite meal on menu. Fungus usually disappear after a few days... leave the pot a bit on drier side.

Re: VFT Lifecycle
 

you tranplanted 1.5cm VFT!

thats hard!how do you able to do that?!?!?toooooooooooooo small:biggrin:

Re: VFT Lifecycle
 

thats why i write "something like a mass of spider web", i know it like funges and i always have problem with them, the seedlings that live near it experience "stun" if this is the proper word
well, so far i found out that seedlings favourite meals was the small 1-2mm insects that crawling on the sphagnum moss, thats insects corpse are usually found on the small trap that i have