How to Grow a Venus Fly Trap

Growing Venus Fly Traps are easy. Watching them trap insects and close is an amazing sight. Sun and moisture is the mainstay for this plant that grows naturally in the bogs of North or South Carolina. A little tender care and your plant will grow flowers and produce seeds for further plantings.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Peat moss
• Perlite
• Water pan with large pot
• Leaf trimmer

1. Grow your Venus Fly Traps outdoors in a large pot or inside between May and October. Place a water pan underneath the pot. Keep water in the pan. They like humidity. The plants enjoy 70 to 95 degree temperatures. Inside plants are usually grown in a terrarium where the humidity is controlled. But remember to feed them.

2. Keep your plant in bright light or in full sun for at least 6 hours. If the sun is too hot, place the plant in a shady area.

3. Water so that the soil is never dry. Distilled water is good. These plants grow naturally in the bogs so they like to drink.

4. Use a type of soil with good drainage characteristics. Combining peat moss with perlite is recommended. Use a 1 to 1 ratio or 2 to 1.

5. Watch for changes in the leaves during the late fall. Your plant is going dormant when its leaves turn black. This period lasts about three months.

6. Clip dead leaves when dormancy sets in and mulch if left in a garage or outside non-heated building and cover. Water the mulch and soil so it does not dry out.

7. Keep your Venus Fly Trap outdoors in an unheated area or in a cool basement with little light during dormancy. Only place outside if you live in an area without extended freezing.

8. Take a plant that spends it's time in your house or terrarium and force dormancy in late fall or early winter. Water lightly and place in a cool environment such as a basement.

9. Bring the plant into the house or back to its terrarium after the 3 month period of rest.

Tips & Warnings

• Tap water should set for 1 to 2 days. This helps rid the water of sever harmful chemicals.
• Avoid hard water for the Red Dragon variety.
• Avoid sphagnum moss by itself because the drainage is poor. Many store bought plants come planted in this moss. Add peat moss to the sphagnum.
• Never plant with common potting soil.
• Never feed your plant fertilizer.
• Don't feed your plant hamburger. They need just a couple of flies each month.