Hi, I’m Jacob with Sarracenia Northwest,
and this is your carnivorous plant care guide for June 2023. For most of the country, summer is already
here. In the Pacific Northwest, we’re experiencing
typical spring weather at the start of June. Day temperature is in the lower 70s, the sky
is partly sunny, and there is less rain in the forecast. The outdoor perennials are perking up. Many of the early season plants are really
taking off and producing their best pitchers this month. These include Sarracenia flava, oreophila
and their hybrids. Many varieties are already developing some
wonderful colors. These include flava atropurpurea, rubricorpora,
and ornata. If you want to add one of these fine plants
to your collection, visit our website at growcarnivorousplants.com to see these and other Sarracenia in stock. Some of these plants, such as Extreme Green,
get up to 3 feet tall! The late season plants generally have shorter
and thinner pitchers in spring. These include Sarracenia leucophylla, alata,
and minor. They like hot weather, so they produce their
best pitchers in late summer, a few months from now. Sarracenia flowers are blooming, so now is
a great time to hand pollinate them if you want to grow your own plants from seed. If you want to see a video of how to hand
pollinate Sarracenia flowers, check the description below for the link. The other option is to let bees do the job
for you, which is what we did for a batch of open-pollinated plants. These are Sarracenia purpurea and rosea that
we grew from seed. Check the website for new seedlings in stock. Now that the weather is warmer, Flytraps are
producing more traps, primed and ready to catch summertime insects. Here’s our Red Dragon in a pumice rock. It didn’t look like much during winter when
it was dormant, but it sure is looking great, now that summer is just around the corner. Hardy sundews are growing lots of leaves and
catching insects. Darlingtonia is also waking up from dormancy,
and they will have their first open pitchers by the end of the month. Pitchers from last season will gradually turn
brown and dry up. In time, the plant will be flush with new
growth.To care for your outdoor perennials, make sure they’re getting lots of direct
sunlight. Some Sarracenia, such as the red forms of
Sarracenia flava, require 10 or more hours of direct sunlight to maintain their rich
red colors. Most, however, are quite happy with at least
6 hours of direct sun. The same is true for Venus flytraps. With warm weather approaching, water will
evaporate more quickly, so pay attention to water levels. Keep the soil wet at all times by setting
your plants in trays of water. If you have a pond, that will work, too. Just make sure to use low mineral water. Summer is also mosquito season, so make sure
to use mosquito dunks to keep these critters at bay. Watch our video on mosquito dunks for more
information. You can find the link in the description below. In the tropical greenhouse, we partially opened
up a wall that separated the Nepenthes side from the sundew side. This will create a more even flow of air when
the exhaust fans are on and reduce hot spots in the greenhouse. Combine this with the 40% shade cloth and
misting fan, the temperature in here will be no higher than outside temperature. Our tropical plants are growing nicely this
spring. Some of our Nepenthes are producing very large
pitchers. We have a few that are large enough to capture
mice. And one of our plants actually captured a
mouse a couple of years ago. Overall, our Nepenthes are putting on a spectacular
show this spring. We are also releasing established cuttings
of some of our mother plants. Some of these plants we’re releasing for
the first time, so check the website to see what’s currently in stock. The tropical sundews and butterworts are appreciating
the mild sunny weather that spring has to offer. Sundews are growing fast with lots of dew. Butterworts that had gone dormant this past
winter are producing larger leaves, and they’ll develop some nice colors in time. With all of your tropical plants, make sure
they’re getting the appropriate sunlight. Nepenthes like a few hours of direct sunlight,
but watch for leaf burn. There isn’t a blanket rule about how much
sunlight to give Nepenthes. Some Nepenthes prefer lots of sun. These include Falcon, sanguinea, and albomarginata. Other Nepenthes prefer less sun, and these
include plants like ampullaria, wrigleyana, and ventricosa. So part of growing Nepenthes is paying attention
to how they’re growing and moving them to an appropriate location if necessary. The same is true with sundews and butterworts. Some like a lot of sun. Others, only a little. So pay attention to how your plants are growing
as we get closer to summer. Regardless of the plant, make sure the soil
is sufficiently moist. With Nepenthes and butterworts, water from
the top and allow the water to drain through completely. With sundews, let them sit in a small amount
of water. Always make sure that the soil never dries
out. If you’re in the Portland area, come visit
the nursery. We have an open house coming up later in June. We will also be open for three weekends in
July, and one weekend in September. Reservations are required and space is limited. Visit the Events page to sign up. And while you’re on the website, check out
our latest offerings of outdoor perennials and tropical plants. Thank you so much for watching. I look forward to seeing you in another video.
