There are also online sites that specialize in carnivorous plants. While you won’t be able to pick out the specific plant you want, they will be able to ship a fly trap to you, as well as provide you with care information about your plant.
Pick an insulated pot. Their roots are also sensitive to temperature change, so an insulated pot works best. While plastic pots do work, you should definitely consider searching your local garden center for insulated pots. Pick a pot that will filter and absorb nutrients and salts that would otherwise harm your fly trap. Never use terracota pots as that will hurt or even kill your plant. A self-watering plant will work great with venus flytraps. Having said all this, Venus fly traps are not terribly picky about their pots. You can use a deep pot with a hole in the bottom or a bucket with some holes cut in the bottom of it for drainage.
Native to the bogs and swamp-lands of North and South Carolina, Venus fly traps enjoy high humidity and moist, poor, acidic soil. The ideal pH for a Venus fly trap is in the acidic range of 4. 9 to 5. 3 (most normal plants and vegetables prefer a more neutral range of pH 5. 8 to 7. 2). Another mixture combination that is preferred by some fly trap growers is five parts sphagnum peat moss, three parts silica sand, and two parts perlite. Silica sand helps with aeration; is known to help plants develop a resistance to warmer temperatures and pests, and both silica sand (which is quartz) and perlite do not release excessive nutrients and minerals into the soil, which is good for your carnivorous plant. Moss is the best type of soil to use for your fly traps. Peat Moss or Sphagnum Moss works great. Do not use regular or organic potting soil, as this sort of soil will kill the plant by burning its roots. You should also stay away from fertilizing your fly trap, as fertilizer may also “burn the roots,” thus killing your plant. Do not use any enriched soil, like Miracle-Grow, as it contains fertilizer and highly organic compost.
Keep in mind that the more direct sunlight your plant gets, the healthier it will be. [3] X Research source Most fly trap cultivars will show a reddish pigmentation when they are healthy and happy where you place them.
Observe where sunlight reaches during the morning hours and afternoon hours. If you are planning on keeping your plant inside, you will need to put it in an east, west, or south-facing window. Remember that the plant should get a minimum of four hours of direct sunlight each day. You could also grow your plant in an open vent terrarium with a ‘plant light’ or fluorescent light close by. The closer the light is to the plant, the healthier the plant will be.
You may also wish to shield the plant from strong winds by placing it near other structures or draft-hardy plants.
Giving your plants Reverse Osmosis filtered water is the best choice because most other sources, like drinking water, already have minerals added for flavor.
Tap water contains things like chlorine, sodium and sulfur (among others) that will build up in your plant’s soil over time, causing sickness and, eventually plant death. Most tap water sources the pH levels are on the 7. 9 to 8. 3 range. The chlorine kills most living organisms even the beneficial ones.
The Tray Method: The tray method of watering is one of the best watering methods for an actively growing plant that is in direct sunlight. Your plant should be in a pot that has drainage holes in the bottom. Place the pot in a tray that is filled with water. Your plant’s growing medium will absorb the water like a wick, giving your plant all of the water it needs & increasing humidity around the pot. Keep in mind, however, that if your pot is relatively shallow (5 inches or 13 cm) this method could be detrimental to your plant because the plant’s roots could be too surrounded by water, causing fungal or bacterial growth. The Top Method: This is how most plants are watered, you pour or spray water onto the soil around the plant and let the water drain out of the bottom of the pot. Your plant’s soil should always be moist but not soaked. This means watering your plant two to five times per month during the growing period. The Double pot Method: This is the most effective method for growing fly traps; The second pot surrounding the smaller terracotta pot in the middle isolates the plant from drastic temperature changes, increases humidity in the air, and retains moisture. Only pour water into the second pot on the outside diameter of the middle pot. The porous terracotta pot in the middle should allow moisture to enter the middle of the pot and filter out extra nutrient salts.
Put your plant in a spot where it will receive at least 12 hours of sunlight.
The soil should become much drier (though never fully dry). The soil directly around the base and roots should be slightly damp, while the rest of the soil is dry. Water the plant like you would any other time, making sure to water thoroughly. When you do water your plant, water it in the morning so that it has the whole day to dry out a bit before the cooler night temperatures come in. Do not over-water your plant–only water it when the soil begins to feel dry around the base of the plant. If you give your plant too much water, bacterial and fungal growths may occur.
If possible, bring your plant inside and set it up under a strong artificial light for the duration of its dormancy.
If you are growing your plant outdoors and live in a climate that stays relatively warm (where the temperature generally never dips below 30 degrees F (-1 degree C)) then you can leave your plant outside all year long without protection. If you are growing a plant outdoors where the climate is colder there are occasional freezes, you should plant your fly traps in the ground for winter (pots absorb the temperatures of the air around them). Plant them in a bog garden, or in soil that is good for fly traps (see Part One). You should also cover your plants with mulch or leaves to keep them safe from the bad weather.
Keep in mind that the trap sometimes doesn’t seal unless the item it has caught is moving. This means that you should feed your fly trap live prey like flies and mealworms. A helpful tip when using live prey is to put the prey in the freezer for a few minutes so that it becomes very slow. You should only feed one or two of your plants traps at a time, and only when the plant is healthy and strong. If you do decide to feed your plant a dead insect, you should place the insect in the trap and then gently rub the trap every 20 or 30 minutes until the trap seals fully. Rubbing the trap makes it think that the thing it has caught is moving. This is not always necessary, however, as the plants also use chemical receptors to close with the presence of nutrients inside the trap. Do not feed your plant ‘exotic’ food like bits of hamburger or cake. This will more than likely kill the plant, particularly if you give your plant meat, as the plant will have a negative reaction to the fat. Fats and the decomposing meat will grow bacteria that could also harm your fly trap.
As the leaves turn brown, they should begin to weaken and detach from the plant. Most of the time, you should be able to just pluck them off the plant. For the tougher ones, sewing scissors work well. You should also be aware that Venus fly trap leaves tend to die off in bunches.
It takes two to three weeks for a plant’s trap to reopen and again be ready to trap its potential food. While it is OK to gently rub the outside of the traps after you have fed it an insect, you should limit the amount you touch your plant. Never put anything inside their traps except for insects. [7] X Research source
