Things You'll Need:
- Peat
- Distilled water
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Step 1
Think beyond Venus flytraps. Over 645 species of carnivorous plants have been described in literature. If your local nursery doesn't have many offerings, try a specialty mail order company such as Black Jungle Terrarium Supply.
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Step 2
Start with easy plants if you are a beginner. Although found everywhere from hardware stores to dollar stores, Venus flytraps are surprisingly finicky. Hardier choices include sundews and Mexican butterworts.
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Step 3
Provide the high humidity these unusual plants crave. Carnivorous plants grow in bogs and wetlands and like damp conditions. An outdoor bog garden, a greenhouse or an indoor terrarium provide suitable habitats.
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Step 4
Keep the soil poor. The natural bog habitat of carnivorous plants is nutrient poor. Use peat or a mixture of peat and sand.
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Step 5
Let the sun shine in. A common misnomer of carnivorous plants is that they thrive in shady conditions. On the contrary, most carnivorous plants need full sun. If growing them indoors, choose a south-facing window that receives at least four hours of sun daily.
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Step 6
Use water with a neutral pH. Carnivorous plants are very sensitive to the chemicals found in tap water. Use collected rain water or purchase distilled water.
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Step 7
Allow plants to trap whatever prey comes their way. Overfeeding carnivorous plants can be a death sentence. In fact, carnivorous plants do not require bugs to remain healthy. For indoor specimens, the occasional stray gnat suffices.
