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In the wild, these plants grow in areas where the soil contains almost no nutrients at all. This is exactly why they evolved to catch insects — to obtain nutrients that the soil cannot provide.
Because of this, normal potting soil will kill them.
Never use:
• Garden soil
• Compost
• Standard potting mix
• Fertilised peat
• Soil with added nutrients
These contain nutrients designed to help normal plants grow — but they will burn the sensitive roots of carnivorous plants.
Instead, carnivorous plants grow best in mixes such as:
• Peat moss
• Sphagnum moss
• Perlite
• Silica sand
• Lava rock
• Akadama
These create a nutrient-free, airy growing environment similar to their natural habitat.
Many peat products sold in nurseries contain added fertilisers, so always double-check what you are buying.
To make life easier, I stock a range of ready-mixed carnivorous plant soil blends that are guaranteed nutrient-free and safe for your plants. You can find these in the Accessories section of the website.
Carnivorous plants are excellent hunters and when grown outdoors they will happily catch their own meals.
In fact, sunlight is far more important than feeding — most of the plant’s energy still comes from photosynthesis.
If you do want to feed them occasionally, stick to:
• Live insects
• Freshly dead insects
• Freeze-dried insects
• Bloodworms or mealworms
Sundews can also enjoy a light sprinkle of crushed fish flakes or similar insect-based foods.
What you should never feed them:
• Meat
• Cheese
• Bread
• Human food
These foods contain nutrients the plant cannot process and will cause traps or pitchers to rot.
Also remember that Venus Fly Traps should not be fed dead insects. Their traps need movement to trigger digestion. Without movement, the trap simply opens again after closing.
And one final tip — avoid overfeeding. Feeding one or two traps at a time is more than enough.
Carnivorous plants are extremely sensitive to minerals and salts in water.
For best results, always use:
• Rainwater
• Distilled water
• Reverse Osmosis (RO) water
These are completely safe and mimic the soft water found in their natural habitats.
Avoid using:
• Tap water (unless tested safe)
• Bottled drinking water
• Filter jug water
These often contain dissolved minerals or additives that can slowly damage the plant.
If you have a TDS meter, aim for water below 50 ppm.
If you ever need to use tap water in an emergency, it won’t harm the plant immediately. Just flush the pot with pure water again once it becomes available.
Lighting is often the difference between a plant that simply survives… and one that truly thrives.
Different carnivorous plants prefer different lighting conditions, but here are the basics:
Full Sun
Direct, unobstructed sunlight for most of the day.
Think sunbathing on a tropical beach.
Plants like Venus Fly Traps and Sarracenias love this.
Part Sun
Direct morning or late afternoon sunlight, with protection from the harsh midday sun.
Usually around 4–6 hours of direct sun without the harshness.
Ideal for most carnivorous plants except Venus Fly Traps and Sarracenia.
Dappled / Filtered Light
Sunlight filtered through shade cloth, trees, or structures.
Bright, but softened light — ideal for Nepenthes and Butterworts.
Bright Light
Bright areas that receive lots of daylight but no direct sun.
This works for some tropical species but generally isn’t strong enough for most carnivorous plants.
If your plant becomes long, thin, or pale, it is usually asking for more light.
Many carnivorous plants grow in bogs and wetlands, which makes people think they should sit in deep water all the time. In reality, the water in nature is constantly moving and oxygenated.
When plants sit in deep stagnant water in a pot, the roots can actually suffocate from lack of oxygen.
The goal is moist soil, not saturated.
For most bog plants like:
• Venus Fly Traps
• Sarracenias
• Sundews
Keep pots sitting in 1–2 cm of water, never deeper than about ¼ of the pot height.
Allowing the tray to dry for a day occasionally, greatly helps fresh oxygen reach the roots.
Understanding Soil Moisture
Waterlogged
Soil is completely saturated with standing water.
Air spaces disappear and roots cannot breathe.
❌ Not recommended.
Wet / Moist
Soil stays consistently moist but not flooded.
Pots sit in shallow trays of water.
✔ Ideal for most bog-type carnivorous plants.
Damp
Soil is lightly moist but not wet.
Often achieved by watering from above rather than using trays.
✔ Ideal for Nepenthes, Heliamphora, and some Butterworts.
🌿 Once these simple rules are understood, carnivorous plants become incredibly rewarding to grow. Follow these Holy Commandments and you’ll soon find yourself surrounded by happy, hungry little plant babies.
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