Care for a Carnivorous Plant

Carnivorous plants are thought to be an advanced species, hard for the amateur botanist. This article will take you through the magnificent world of carnivorous plants.

Steps

  1. Buy your plant. When you buy your plant, it may be in a small container with a dome cover. You might think about moving it to a larger terrarium just in case you want add more plants later. The domes are not needed but the plant may need to be slowly acclimated to the outside humidity. Remove them slowly. If the nursery can sell exotic tropical plants with no domes, they should sell North Carolina´s own Venus flytrap without them as well.
  2. Prepare your plant's container and soil. Most experts recommend a potting mixture of 60% peat moss and 40% perlite, or clean sand. You can now add your plant to the pot.
  3. Use a spray bottle and wet the top of the potting mixture well. If you are growing in sphagnum moss then you don't need to water as much because of water retention, but that does not mean let it get dry. Water from the bottom only.
  4. Light is very important. Some species do best in indirect light, but most thrive in full sun-as much as possible. Venus flytraps and most, if not all, other north American carnivores should bask in as much sun as you can give them. DO NOT place plants that still have a dome over them in the direct sun.

Tips

  • You can keep several Venus Fly Traps in one container. Terrariums are not needed, but these plants will need as much light as possible. They are best grown outdoors in direct sun and mulched or kept in a garage for harsh winters (below -20c).
  • The plants do not need fertilizer, it kills their roots and if you give a pitcher plant fertilizer, it will not produce the pitchers, becoming hopelessly useless to the carnivorous plant maniac.
  • Some Venus fly traps prefer swampy conditions and planting them in a swampy area (Not too swampy) can make them happy and they will grow. If its sun much work to keep the plants happy.
  • If you live in a tropical country, keep it indoors and from November to March put it in a plastic sandwich bag in the fridge (not the freezer). It does not need to be watered at this point. If you live in a country that will get below about 5c in winter, then please put it outside all year round. People are often frightened to do this, but it is for the best.
  • A Venus Flytrap must have a dormancy period every year lasting 3-5 months. Look on the internet for more information.
  • The humidity doesn't really matter with these plants. If it gets too humid, it will die.

Warnings

  • Never feed a plant meat; the nitrogen in regular meat is too great for this plant, and they will die.
  • Try not to feed your plants, carnivorous plants WILL catch their own food.(Unless indoors)
  • DO NOT use fertilizer for any carnivorous plants, even if it is labeled different.
  • Not all beginners have success the first time.
  • Keep handling to a minimum; over doing it will stress the plants and may lead to death.
  • Do not force your plant to eat. The plant doesn't know when it will have it's next meal, so it will eat whenever it can. The excess you give it will likely kill it.
  • Cut flower stems off as soon as they are about {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} tall. If the plant flowers, it will grow weaker, and eventually die. You may let it flower if there are more than about 10 heads.

Things You'll Need

  • Carnivorous plant(s)
  • Guide to Dionaea (Venus flytrap) (optional)
  • Peat moss
  • Perlite

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