Question
QUESTION: I got a typical venus fly trap in a death cube in very good shape. I seperated and repotted into a bigger pot. I give it six hours of direct sunligth and the rest is shade, and distilled water. Its in a media of peat moss. It was outside a day with the temperature of 100 and all the leaves burned. The new traps that are come without teeth. I live in Southern California.

ANSWER: Hi Jacobo,

All plants sold in containers like you describe need a hardening off process before they can be put out in direct sun.  Very likely the plant has been in that cube for several weeks.  Keep in mind that this is not something unique to carnivorous plants.  If cactus were sold in cubes like that they would just as certainly burn when put in full sun too soon.

The simplest and most effective thing to do for your flytrap is to just cut all the leaves off except for one or two of the newest ones developing.  When the new ones grow they will be adapted to normal conditions, and look strong and healthy.  They may be smaller than the original leaves.

You said you used peat moss to transplant it.  What was the source of the peat moss?  Was it from a bale?  If it came from a small bag, you may have peat with fertilizer in it which will harm your plant.  Most smaller bags sold in larger garden centers have fertilizer added to them.  Bales of peat moss are usually sold in the outdoor sections of garden centers.  The other option is to order soil from a carnivorous plant nursery.

Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.cobraplant.com

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Jeff Dallas,

The peat moss came in a small bag from Miracle-Gro.I used that same bag to grow a sarracenia for 6 months and a sundew for 2 months. Will the fertilizer be released quick or will it take time? If I use peat moss from bales, would it be correct to transplant it again?

Answer
Hi Jacobo,

Yes, you should transplant it.  Venus flytraps are especially sensitive to fertilizer.  Sarracenia will tolerate it some depending on the concentration.  The burn you experienced in your plant was from the lack of transition time, but the traps developing without teeth was a result of the fertilizer.

Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.cobraplant.com