What does acclimating mean? Acclimating simply means you are going to ease the carnivorous plant from one growing condition to another over the course of time, a week or two & sometimes more. Whenever you change the environment a plant is growing in it needs to acclimate. This can simply be when you move a plant from inside to outside or visae versa. You may want something that generally grows or has been growing in high humidity to grow in lower humidity. Anything that changes the carnivorous plants environment should be eased into.

Acclimating plants into environments that are natural to it will be easy. If you want it to grow outside of its natural conditions you should move slower, change less over a longer time span. New growing conditions are being found for carnivorous plants everyday, even well known ones. Watch for stress and backpeddle when needed.

You need to acclimate your carnivorous plants when moving them outside into the sun for the summer. If you expose them to too much sun all at once they will burn. Carnivorous plants produce different leaves for different situations. The plant will start producing shorter, thicker leaves in brighter light. If you move to fast the leaves can burn and shrivel before new acclimated leaves have grown enough to sustain life.

Start by placing the carnivorous plant in a shaded area with indirect light. After a few days place the plant where it gets more light. Ease it into full sun by placing it in the open for a short period, increasing the time each day. Generally starting with an hour and adding an hour each day will work. Continue until it is growing where you want it. This can generally be accomplished within 10 or 12 days. Watch the plant, if the leaf tips are dying and or red spots are showing on the leaves you are going to fast. Watch for any signs of stress. If stress is noticed go back a step and let the plant grow a couple of new leaves. Keep in mind some plants do not like full sun, others require it. Stay within the plants natural ranges.

You also need to prepare your carnivorous plants for less sun when you bring them in for the winter. In less light the leaves will grow longer, thinner and less colorful. If the new growth is "stringy" and the plant looses all of its coloring the light is insufficient. The old leaves are not as proficient at processing light as the new leaves will be. In bright light the leaves are designed to block out some of the light.

Let it grow several new leaves before deciding if it is ok in the new growing area. The old leaves that are accustom to having lots of light are not proficient at using it. They block out excess light to prevent damage in bright conditions. If you suddenly reduce the light these leaves will not be able to collect enough light to sustain life. You want to move the plant as leaves grow, the new leaves will adapt to the situation at hand.

Do this basically the same way you acclimate them into light, but in reverse. Start by placing them in a place that gets less light than where they were. If they were in full sun all day then move them to someplace that gets shade in the afternoon. Keep moving them until they are growing in shade all day. Once several new leaves have grown in the shade you can start taking them inside. Start with half a day outside in the shade and the other half inside where you want it to grow. Do this for three or four days and then leave inside. If stringy growth develops you will have to move it to someplace that gets more light or use/increase artificial lighting to help.

Temperature isn't a big issue most of the time, so long as you keep them in their natural ranges. If you are growing them in a 90F greenhouse and you want to move them outside in the spring to temps of 50 - 60F acclamation is in order. Like all acclamation, ease them into it. Take them out of the greenhouse and place outside for an hour or two during the warmest part of the day. Take them out a little earlier each day until it stays out all day. Once 60 is the nightly low and they have spent a few full days outside you can start leaving them out. If nights cool off again bring them back in, you don't want to make them think winter is coming.

PH is something most plant growers don't check. Honestly, I have only noticed a small difference in mature carnivorous plants grown in higher PH vs optimal PH. Seedlings and young plants do require a ph somewhat close to what they naturally grow in, generally 4 - 5. If you do decide to start monitoring and manipulating the PH do so in steps. Avoid large sudden changes, like everything else.

If you are going to monitor PH you need know and understand alkalinity. Do a search for water alkalinity so you know its effect on PH. Chances are your water will be low, which means ph is easily changed. That in turn means the soil will have a greater impact, which is good.

Humidity is probably the most time consuming aspect to acclimate. As with light, the leaves form different depending on the humidity. Again, the idea is to ease them into it. Your situation is going to dictate what needs to be done. Read the examples below and apply what best fits your situation.

Just purchased a CP in a container

If the plant came with acclamation instructions then you should follow them. That way should a problem occur they won't have an out. Otherwise . . .

The humidity in an enclosed container is probably 100% +. The first thing I do is to get that lowered right off. You want to create a very small area where fresh air can get in. Most of the time this can be accomplished by cracking the lid some. You want a small amount of air to be allowed in. Let it set for a day or two like this. Next, remove the lid for a few minutes once or twice a day. Increase this time each day over 2 weeks, eventually leaving it off.

If it would not be possible to get back on you can do it a bit different. One way is to use spacers to raise and hold the lid. Another is to remove the dome and put the plant in something that has a clear lid to maintain humidity.

If you are moving to fast you should notice wilting and or leaf yellowing. Should this occur increase humidity for a day or two. Once it looks healthy again start where you left off.

Moving from Greenhouse/Terrarium to open air.

Some carnivorous plants handle low humidity better than others. Some can be grown out in the open much like a house plant, others can not. Keep in mind the plants natural requirements.

Simply bring the plant out into the open air, increasing the exposed time over a week or two. Start with a few minutes to an hour depending on how great the difference. If wilting occurs you are moving to fast. For me, if the change is less than 10% I just move them.

If you have them in something that allows control of the humidity, simply lower it gradually. A drop of 5% or so every couple days generally works. If you see signs of stress increase humidity slightly and maintain for a few days, then start lowering it again possibly waiting longer between drops.

Acclimate cuttings

I remove the cuttings from the propagation chambers after several leaves and at least one root has formed per plantlet. When I move the plantlets to soil I leave the humidity high (85-90%) for the first week or two. This helps them settle in and gives the roots a head start. I generally treat with a fungicide.

You can pot them up (cover with a dome/bag) or use a propagation tray as described below. Treat as a CP just purchased in a container or see Acclimate Carnivorous Plants Out of Tissue Culture, depending on the route you choose.

Acclimate Carnivorous Plants From Tissue Culture

See the tissue culture section for steps previous to acclimating. The plants will need to harden off before they are able grow normally. For numerous plants I have found the following to be the easiest.

I use seed humidity trays but any container with a clear lid will work. I like to have at least 3" of soil. I use a 50/50 medium perlite/peat mix. I treat with a fungicide before and after placing the plants.

Drosera Capensis have been added. I keep the humidity high for the first week. This aids root development and helps prevent shock. I put a film canister top under the edge of the lid to create an opening for constant air flow. Watch for fungus attacks and treat with a fungicide as needed.

Place under 2 - 4' fluorescent bulbs within 4 - 10 inches of the top, or in bright shade inside. Watch for excess heat build up inside the container. Up to almost 90° is fine but I prefer 76° - 78°.

All you have to do is raise the front higher, slowly, over a week or two. It generally takes me about 10 days, it will vary depending on your circumstances. My end spacer is the film canister, one on each front corner. Once I make it that high I leave it like that constantly for a couple days. If all seems well I pot them up. Watch for wilting and stress, if either are noticed your moving to fast.