Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => General Gardening => Topic started by: toto691 on September 09, 2006, 23:34

Title: Carnivorous Plants....
Post by: toto691 on September 09, 2006, 23:34: Anyone here successfull in the growing of carnivorous plants?

I currently have about 15 Venus Flytrap's split down from one original plant about 3 years ago..... all showing large traps and healthy stems, but all green - very little red on traps :(
Title: Carnivorous Plants....
Post by: Heather_S on September 10, 2006, 23:51: I have the same problem with my fly traps. I don't know why either :? I feed them live slugs occasionally since I figure they're pretty useless at attracting bugs without the red centres.
Title: Carnivorous Plants....
Post by: spud on September 13, 2006, 17:42: I've tried these about 3 or 4 times with the same failed results...they always die after a couple of months....any secrets into how to keep them alive?

Thanks :)
Title: Carnivorous Plants....
Post by: Heather_S on September 13, 2006, 18:07: Keep them in a dish of rainwater and only rainwater. Tap water kills them stone dead (as does letting the dish go dry). They need to always been in 1cm of rain water as they're bog plants. If they're not catching their own food, only feed them LIVE food. Not dead flies, not dead slugs, definately NOT raw mince (this rots the leaves immediately). That's the basics, really. I somehow managed to grow a sundew from seed but then the forgetful heather forgot to keep it watered (oops). They usually like full sun too.
Title: Carnivorous Plants....
Post by: toto691 on September 13, 2006, 22:13: Couldnt have said it better..... ALWAYS standing in water, and ALWAYS rain water (or if no rain - boiled water left to cool)

Also, always resist the temptation to touch the traps, it uses up a massive amount of energy to close, and cut off the stems of the flowers as soon as they begin to shoot up as this uses up energy too.
Title: Carnivorous Plants....
Post by: toto691 on September 13, 2006, 22:42: And of course, the more you read up on these plants, the more youll be told that theyre almost impossible to grow more than the 1 season in this country as they grow naturally ONLY in a small part of North East Carolina, so as soon as you manage it, you end up with more plants than you can imagine, trays full..... and theyre all your babies!!

Heres one lot of my plants, over crowded is an understatment, but through trial and error they seem to thrive better in these conditions.....

(http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/3673/fly1km3.jpg)

(http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/5691/fly2hl2.jpg)

(http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/8265/fly3hx9.jpg)
Title: Carnivorous Plants....
Post by: spud on September 14, 2006, 09:24: Great Tips...I know mine probably was too dry then as they weren't standing in water...and they got tap water and they got dead flies...surprised they lasted as long as they did...

Will be watching out for them at the market next time round...

Great looking pics...really healthy looking plants!

Thanks :)
Title: Carnivorous Plants....
Post by: Heather_S on September 14, 2006, 09:29: Nice. Lots of plants there. Mine are really quite crowded looking in comparison to your's. Have your's ever flowered? They're really pretty flowers. Mine decided to flower in late winter/early spring.
(http://www.stargazy.org/plants/2006/venusflower.jpg)
Title: Carnivorous Plants....
Post by: toto691 on September 14, 2006, 11:23: Quote from: "Heather_S"
Nice. Lots of plants there. Mine are really quite crowded looking in comparison to your's. Have your's ever flowered? They're really pretty flowers. Mine decided to flower in late winter/early spring.

They always try and flower around spring time (if my failing memory serves me correct) and i always cut them down as soon as i recognise a flower stem. I do seem to feel sorry for one in every batch though and let it flower!!! :tongue2: