Welcome to the
bizarre and interesting world of Carnivorous Plants! Carnivorous
Plants are interesting, fun and EASY TO GROW!
Care
and Feeding of your New Carnivorous Plant!
Generally, most Carnivorous Plants grow in similar conditions: - open
sunny, wet and humid bog type environments with mineral poor soil
usually composed of sand and/or peat. In order to successfully grow
Carnivorous Plants, you need to follow a few simple rules.
Water:
Used only distilled water or purified containing little or no sodium
ONLY! NEVER use tap water, it contains too many minerals and WILL kill
your plant. Water from a Reverse Osmosis unit can be used, Water should
contain less than 50 PPM (Parts Per Million) of total dissolved solids
(minerals). Many Carnivorous Plants will grow well on the "tray system"
where pots are placed in a shallow tray of purified water around an 3/4
of an inch or so in depth. The water level in the tray should be
maintained and not allowed to dry out, particularly on very hot days.
Light:
Carnivorous Plants naturally grow in open areas and prefer very bright
light or full sun. But, be careful in areas that get hot during the
summer. Bright diffused light in a greenhouse or diffused sun under
shade cloth will help plants from roasting to death in the hot
afternoon summer sun.
Humidity:
Most Native Carnivorous Plants of the United States grow in areas
subject to high humidity, such as the lower east coast and the Gulf
States. Despite the low humidity of the Sacramento Valley, plants can
survive reasonably well using the tray method of watering and keeping
plants out of direct full sun, particularly in the late afternoon.
Plants inside a greenhouse will require an evaporative or
“swamp” cooler.
Food:
Since Native Carnivorous Plants live in mineral poor soils, they have
adapted by using their ability to capture and digest insects as their
source of nutrients. Normally, Carnivorous Plants can trap insect prey
on their own, but can be fed insects as a supplement. Don't feed your
plants food scraps, hamburger or the like - only insects! The fat
content will damage the plant. Also, don't fertilize the plant using
any kind of commercial fertilizer, an almost certain way to kill the
plant!
Dormancy:
Many species of Carnivorous Plants "hibernate" or die back and go
dormant during the winter. This is normal and the plants should be
allowed to "sleep" around 3 months during the winter, otherwise they
tend to grow weak and die. Cold usually won't be a problem for many
species, but persistent freezing temperatures and frost should be
avoided.
There's more information on Carnivorous Plants on the internet. Visit
the Carnivorous
Plant FAQ.
