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NatureScape - The End

The video shows nicely the dimensions of the tank.. And the scaping skills to use it to the max and make it look far bigger than it realy is. In a front photo only it could be any size. ... Excelent work.. :thumbup: And excelent hardscape choices..
 
Nice pictures! :)

Rub/shake the flowers a bit and you might get seeds (they can self pollinate). You can also cut the slower stalk and use it to propagate a clone by just sticking it in the media next to the parent (low success rate, but also very low-effort and has worked for me a couple of times). Dionaea flowers aren't exactly the most spectacular, unless I want to propagate them I always leave the flowers on too though.

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned already, but ideally give the plant a cool dormancy once a year or so, you may want to think about leaving it outdoors for a period next winter. Repeat flowerings with no dormancy period reduce the lifespan of the plant.
 
@three-fingers thanks for the tips. I've often wondered what folk do to give VFT a dormancy period. I don't have a greenhouse so leaving it outdoors risks frost damage or death.
I'm thinking that dormancy periods are usually triggered by changes in temp, light intensity, spectrum and day length. I have mine under an artificial light for around 12-14 hrs a day, so I'm wondering if it would actually benefit from a dormant period anyway?
It occurs to me that it only becomes dormant because there aren't enough prey items in the winter and/or photosynthesis isn't efficient enough to keep the plant alive. In other words the cost benefit of being active in winter doesn't add up.
Maybe it's kind of like Aponogetons in a way. Purists tell you that the bulbs needs a rest, but in actual fact most don't. It's just an adaptation to seasonally fluctuating water levels in the wild.
Anyway, I'm sure I'll find out for myself soon enough :)

And the tank? :p;) Nice flower btw
It's doing fine thanks. I didn't even get any diatoms this time around, that is if you don't count a little on the rocks, despite using fresh AS straight out of the bag.
I did a 100% water change yesterday and added another rock and a couple of pieces of manzi and planted some more Stauro, Ranunculus, Riccadia (thanks @Siege), and a few bits of Marsilea quadrifolia. And one mother of a Buce Theia, which is a cracking plant that Dave from @Aquarium Gardens pulled out for me.

I'll post some update pics later ;)
 
I'm thinking that dormancy periods are usually triggered by changes in light intensity, spectrum and day length. I have mine under an artificial light for around 12-14 hrs a day, so I'm wondering if it would actually benefit from a dormant period anyway?

You might find this intersting.. :)
http://www.sarracenia.com/faq/faq2420.html

Thus experiences differ since cultivation probably also can fool a plants rythm and even the experts like to disagree eachother..
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in general, when the plants approaches dormancy periode, it will tell you than you need to act accordingly if you like it to survive.
http://www.sarracenia.com/faq/faq2380.html

It kinda gets exciting in your case, in nature or window sill cultivation it goes through domancy period between December and februari.
Your's obviously is artificialy fooled or maybe just a bit late and triggered to flower in this periode.. :) Yet not realy found theories about what if the plant tells you it wants dormancy periode durring comming spring. Than you need to create an artificial winter?. :nailbiting: The refrigerator trick?
 
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Yep, some people do put them in their fridge for a dormant period lol, I don't really like that idea though as I would prefer them to have some light and circulation. While lighting triggers do help to signal dormancy, they do seem to have an actual requirement for a cold rest period as well, as without the cold they will start flowering sooner and over a longer period of time, weakening the plant.

I just put mine in a standard 14l bucket (£1 at Tesco, used for water changes) covered partially with a glass panel. I actually left one outdoors with no cover one winter and it froze solid and got covered in snow, but still survived and thrived in the summer. I used to set up a plastic mini-greenhouse in late autumn for my Dionaea and Drosera, but it blew away a couple of years ago and I haven't bothered to get a new one yet. Even in here cold and windy Edinburgh I personally find them to be much more resilient plants than people tend to give them credit for! :)
 
Thanks for the comments and tips both, and links Marcel, It seems there's not much in the way of definitive info out there, one of the reasons I'm cautiously treading my own path with this.
There are 3 individual plants in the pot and they are all chucking out new catchers at quite a high rate, much faster than old ones are dying. So I'm guessing it's not ready to hibernate yet.
@three-fingers...surviving an Edinburgh winter, that's really surprising, I hadn't realised they were so hardy.
 
Thanks @Ed Wiser and @PAYN3Y. Yes mostly, it's mini Christmas moss. The plant near the apex of the DW is Riccardia. and there's some Fissidens in there somewhere as well.
 
Thanks @Ed Wiser and @PAYN3Y. Yes mostly, it's mini Christmas moss. The plant near the apex of the DW is Riccardia. and there's some Fissidens in there somewhere as well.

My Christmas moss grows really well but it has a tendency to break away and come unstuck when it grows. I've had to try and find a technique to trim it without ending up with bits all over the tank as I've found it establishing itself in my Eliocharis carpet. Do all mosses behave this way or are some easier to grip and maintain than others?
 
I think it helps if you use thread to attach it rather than glue. If you have to use glue another technique is to use it liberally and cut the moss in to smaller bits and secure it that way. Jurijs demonstrates 12:23 mins in...



Some folk trim and syphon at the same time...

 
The theia is my favourite buce.
Looks stunning Tim.
 
Update photo, it's still very much a work in progress and a has a lot of growing to do...
@Tim Harrison your tank is absolutely beautiful, from the beginning hardscape, the plant selection and how they flow, it looks busy but not chaotic, cannot wait to see when fully matured. Hats off to you :clap:
 
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