Question
QUESTION: i have a vft and i was reading up on it and i found out my vft needed moss. its been a few months and its still alive so one day i looked at it carefully and i noticed green moss growing i have no idea what type of moss this is.my vft is still alive and i dont know if i should remove the moss or what. i grow it outside in a pot and use the water tray method. i forgot to say i live in C.A

ANSWER: Hello Miguel,

The important question is, what is the Venus Flytrap growing in now?

Basically, when you repot your Flytrap you will need to do so in Sphagnum peat moss and perlite in a 50/50 mix. Never use potting soil or fertilized moss as those will kill Venus Flytraps rather quickly. Green growth in plant soil could be algae or moss accordingly. Algae will produce a slimy layer of gelatinous green plant matter while moss will produce tiny sprigs of fir tree like growths. Neither would be harmful to your Flytrap.

Christopher

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QUESTION: i am growing my vft outside in as much sun as possible.i dont move it i just leave it outside where it is.i constantly leave it moist with the water tray method.the moss or algae (i think it is algae)isnt killing the plant but the edges of the leaf are turning brown on new AND old leaves i dont know why it is.can it be because its almost winter but i dont know. so do i have to repot my vft or can i leave it in the moss/algae if i do have to repot it when is the best time to repot it and why are the leave on old and new leaves turning brown on the edges.

ANSWER: Hello Miguel,

Repotting Venus Flytraps is generally best done in spring just as the plants are coming out of dormancy.

So long as you do not see any insects, like aphids, chewing on the leaves, and if your certain the plant is not suffering leaf burn from suddenly more intense light than it usually gets, then it is likely beginning to react to winter. Venus Flytraps do often lose most of their summer leaves and produce prostrate short leaves close to the ground in fall and winter.

Christopher

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QUESTION: so do i have to repot my vft and put that Sphagnum peat moss or can i leave it in the moss that is already growing and let that moss substitute for my vft and not use Sphagnum peat moss.so can i leave it in the moss already growing or do i have to repot it.  

Answer
Hello Miguel,

If the Venus Flytrap is growing in Sphagnum Peat Moss, and not potting soil or fertilized moss, then you can leave it as is until next growing season and repot it after winter.

Nobody can really give you a definitive answer to that question as only the person that sold it to you knows what it is growing in. Perhaps you can call or contact the vendor and find out what they pot their plants in and decide whether you need to repot or not. If the vendor indicates that the plant was not potted in Sphagnum Moss of either peat, live, or long fiber variety with or without perlite or silica sand as a drainage mix, then you should repot into a mix of Sphagnum Peat moss and perlite or sand in a 50/50 mix. If the vendor states that the plant is growing in Sphagnum moss then it is fine until next year.

Sorry I cannot be more specific with a yes or no answer since I cannot see what the plant is growing in.

Christopher