Question
I have a flytrap I purchased two years ago.  It went into dormancy and came out, but it has never grown very bit.  It looks like it has about four heads smaller than half of my fingernail on my little finger.  I was afraid to transplant it like the other because it was so small.  What can I do to increase it's growth?  Thanks--RIC

Answer
Hi Ric,

It sounds like the growing tip may have rotted out during dormancy, but the rhizome is still alive.  What it's doing is trying to develop new shoots from other areas on the rhizome.

Definitely transplant it to fresh media. (1/2 peat moss to 1/2 perlite).  Just be gentle.  Don't try to separate them.  Just remove any dead material.  After that, just give it some time.  Make sure it's getting plenty of sun, and that the soil is staying moist.  It will probably take a couple of seasons to get larger traps again.  The upside is that you will probably have a larger clump of plants afterwards.

To keep Venus flytraps from rotting out during the winter, make sure the water level isn't too high on the pot.  During dormancy the soil should be moist, but not waterlogged.

If you haven't been there already, visit our general care page on Venus flytraps:  http://cobraplant.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=7&chapter=1


Good Growing!

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