Q/A #17 - Sarracenia Seedlings Past the Point of No Return?

QUESTION:
I have some Sarracenia seedlings and I still need to separate them into their own pots, which I'm going to do soon. But the tips of them are turning brown. Are they at the point of no return? 

I was going to separate them into their owns pots, put them in a tray of water and put them in my grow tent which is mid to high 70s in the day and mid 60s at night at 80-90% humidity constantly and with a grow light of course. Right now they're on my dresser with similar temp ranges but the humidity goes pretty low at times but I do have a humidifier I put on for my neps a few times a day. (I'm in Dallas, TX.)

(Submitted in December 2021.)

RESPONSE BY JEFF DALLAS:
You didn't say how you were growing your seedlings and what type of light you were giving them. If your seedlings have been in a window with natural light, they are simply going dormant because it's winter. They're simply doing what they would be doing in the wild. There's nothing wrong with them. Even at our nursery, our Sarracenia seedlings stop growing and turn brown at the tips during the winter. They resume growth in Spring.

You mentioned about placing your plants under grow lights after separating them. Sarracenia seedlings can be kept growing for the first year or two under lights, but I do not recommend a grow tent. I see mold forming on the leaves just below the browned areas, and too much humidity will cause the mold to go rampant and possibly kill them. If you want to put them under lights, just do it on a shelf with normal room humidity. Sarracenia do not need high humidity.

Separating them into their own pots is a good idea because it will give individual plants room to grow. With them clustered together like this, they are also more likely to get fungal issues. So, when you separate them from each other, spray them with neem oil to kill off the mold.  To prevent mold from forming, spray them with a sulfur fungicide. You can find neem and sulfur fungicide in ready-to-use bottles at your local garden center.

In Spring, after the risk of frost has passed, set your seedlings outdoors in partial sun. Avoid full shade. As they grow larger, you can move them to a full sun location. 

• Submitted in December 2021. The original question and response have been edited for publication.
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