Question

Unhappy Dionaea   QUESTION: Hi,
I have a Dionaea (I don't know what species) that I have had since Feb. 2010, and it has never quite been happy, but it doesn't die either.  The plant forms traps, but they turn black and die when they are relatively young -- sometimes even baby traps turn black and die.  I have the plants in pots with western sun exposure.  They get full sun for at least 6hrs/day in the summer months, and maybe 4hrs in the winter. They have been planted in plastic pots with 50-50 peat moss and perlite.  I live in Southern California, so it never gets below freezing, and I purchase distilled water to put in their saucers (which have a bed of rocks for the pot to sit on to give it some height over the flat bottom of the saucer.) I also check the soil moisture daily to make sure it never dries out.  Early this spring, I went to move my plant to a larger pot, and noticed there were several flytraps in one bunch so I gave each of them their own little spaces in a bigger pot.  So my question is: even though I'm using peat moss/perlite, and giving them distilled water, and have them in a non-clay pot, why are my flytraps unhappy?  I'm worried because the traps are starting to turn black at smaller and smaller sizes and not really getting an opportunity to grow.

ANSWER: Hi Kripa,

Thank-you for being detailed with the information and providing a photo.  That always helps.

Your growing conditions sound good except for one thing, sun.  Your window may look like it's providing enough sun, but your plant says otherwise.  The light green color in the traps is a dead giveaway that it's not getting enough sun.  Venus flytraps are full sun plants needing the same amount of sun you would need to grow tomatoes and vegetables.  Because of that it usually means having your plant outside.

If you move your plant outside, it's going to go through a transition period, and you may see some leaf burn.  That's normal.  Just cut any off that burn, and they will be replaced by healthy leaves.  The plant will also be able to catch some insects.  Also, while it's outside, make sure it's sitting in a tray of water.  It doesn't need to be deep, but the soil should never dry out.  Your plant can stay out all year since it doesn't get cold enough in Southern CA to be of any concern for flytraps.  They can easily take a frost.


For more growing information visit our caresheet pages:  http://cobraplant.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=8  Also seriously consider our volume #1 DVD since it can help you avoid the pitfalls so common to new growers:  http://www.cobraplant.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=38&products_id=

Good Growing!

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


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

QUESTION: Hi Jeff,

Thanks for the quick reply!  I should have mentioned that the plants are already outside -- they live year-round on my patio.  So, could the problem be too much sun instead?  I have already taken your suggestion and purchased the Volume #1 DVD and since watching I've discovered I've already done a couple things wrong.  hopefully the flytraps will live long enough to forgive me my rookie mistakes!

Thanks again!

Best Regards,
Kripa

Answer
Hi Kripa,

Too much sun is very unlikely.  As I said before, they need the same amount of sun you would give a tomato plant.  They do not like shade.  Our plants get 10-12 hours a day, and summer temperatures can be as hot as yours.  But since you discovered a couple of mistakes from watching the video, (you didn't tell me what they were), hopefully those corrections will help.  That's why we made the DVD series.  Showing is so much better than telling.

Good Growing!

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