Venus fly trap - when do I need to move it somewhere cooler?

[ErrolTheDragon]

I read on a thread earlier in the year that Venus fly traps need a cool dormant period. The plant DH bought nearly a year and left to my tender mercies didn't get this last winter and looked a bit ropey earlier in the year but seems healthy now.

I've got a growhouse which from what I've read should be a suitable place for it but I'm not sure when it needs to be banished there, does it need to be acclimatised somehow or just put out, how long does it need to stay there before I can bring it back in and how much water should it have during this dormancy phase.

I'm watching this thread with interest. My venus fly trap is on my bathroom window sill, a very cold room in the winter. Early in spring it sent up flower stalks - quite a few of them - and the leaves started die. Eventually I cut the flower stalks off and the plant seemed to recover well over the summer.

A flower stalk started to grow again a few days ago. I was wondering whether my plant got too cold and needed to be warmer.

Hopefully a more experienced venus fly trap owner will come along with some advice.

I think the advice is to always remove flower spikes.

I'd move it out now. They actually do well in a greenhouse all year as they like a lot of light.

Keep it just damp over the winter but don't let it dry out. Stand in water during the spring and summer. Use rainwater.

Pitcher plants (Sarracenia) do well treated the same way.

Thanks! And then should it stay outside till there's new growth next year?

Wherever you grow it, make sure it has plenty of light - as much sun as possible. Greenhouse or south-facing windowsill. And make sure it doesn't dry out while it's in active growth - stand in about 1" of rainwater during spring and summer.