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The Venus Fly Trap is probably the most famous carnivorous plant in the world. With its snapping traps and fascinating hunting mechanism, it’s often the plant that first sparks people’s interest in carnivorous plants.
Despite their dramatic appearance, Venus Fly Traps are actually very easy to grow once their basic needs are understood. Give them the right sunlight, water, and soil, and they will reward you with strong growth and plenty of hungry traps.
The MOST Important Part!
If there’s one thing to remember, it’s this:
Venus Fly Traps need full, direct sun.
At least 6 hours per day is essential, but the more sun they receive, the stronger and more colourful they will become. Full sun from morning to afternoon is ideal.
These plants truly do best outdoors. A sunny patio, balcony, or garden spot is perfect.
If kept indoors on a windowsill with limited light, they will slowly weaken over time.
When in doubt — give them more sun.
Adjusting to their New Home.
When your new plant arrives, it has been through a bit of stress from shipping.
It’s completely normal for a few older traps to darken or die off once placed in its new home. This does not mean the plant is unhealthy. It’s simply adjusting.
For the first week:
• Place it in bright light or morning sun
• Then introduce it to full-day sun.
This gentle transition reduces stress and helps it settle in smoothly. I always spray new plants with Novion as this just help them snuggle in better!
Novion can be purchased under the accessories page.
PURE is PERFECT.
Venus Fly Traps must only be watered with:
• Rainwater
• Distilled water
• Reverse Osmosis (RO) water
Tap water often contains minerals that can slowly damage the plant. (However, in emergency, you CAN use tap water for short periods, just be sure to flush the pot out by top watering with clear water when you have again.)
They enjoy consistently moist soil, but not waterlogged conditions.
Place the pot in a shallow tray of water (about 1–2 cm deep).
It’s beneficial to allow the tray to dry out for a day between refills to let fresh air into the soil — but never allow the soil itself to dry out completely.
It is also VERY good practice to top water your plant weekly. This just helps to flush out all those nasties that may build up in the soil!
Moist, not flooded, is Key!
Poor Soil Makes Happy Plants.
Venus Fly Traps grow naturally in nutrient-poor soil.
Never use regular potting soil or anything containing fertiliser.
A simple mix of:
• 1 part peat moss
• 1 part perlite works best.
Repot when the plant outgrows its pot, roots are creeping out the bottom of the pot or every two years to refresh the soil mix.
Kind of like washing your bedding. Nothing is nicer than crawling into bed with freshly washed linen! 😎
Caarnivorous Soil for Venus Fly Traps can be purchased on the Accessories Page.
For more info on Soil & Potting refer to my BLOG ON REPOTTING.
If you Absolutely Cannot Resist!
When grown outdoors, Venus Fly Traps will catch all the insects they need.
Sunlight provides most of their energy, so feeding is not necessary.
If you just absolutely cannot resist the urge to feed, then only feed:
• Live insects
• Never feed dead bugs
• Avoid triggering traps unnecessarily to brag how they close!
Each trap can only close a limited number of times before it naturally dies, so don’t overdo it!
Refer to my blog on feeding carnivorous plants for more interesting information on this.
Never Fear. Help is Near.
Like all plants, Fly Traps can occasionally be affected by pests.
Aphids are the most common and may cause distorted new growth.
Spider mites can appear in very hot, dry conditions.
These can be treated with a suitable insecticide such as a pyrethrin-based product.
Cypermetherin is easily availabel in Garden Centres or Hardware stores.
Regular inspection is the best prevention.
To Chill or Not to Chill.
Venus Fly Traps are warm-temperate plants.
They enjoy warm summers (20–35°C) and cool winters.
They can tolerate light frost, but prolonged hard freezes should be avoided.
In areas with severe winter conditions, some protection will be needed. If you live in an area where your pool or dam freezes over, bring your plants indoors or store them in a garage during these times!
THE BIG SNOOZE!
Venus Fly Traps require a winter dormancy period. THIS IS NOT OPTIONAL!
During this time:
• Growth slows
• Traps become smaller, and the plant looks unimpressive
• The plant may even look like it’s dead or dying.
This is completely normal. DO NOT PANIC! 😅
Dormancy allows the plant to rest and return stronger in spring and summer.
During winter:
• Reduce watering
• Allow the tray to dry for a few days before refilling
• Keep soil damp, not wet
Nursery visits are by arrangement only
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