Expert: Christopher Littrell - 3/12/2008

Question
QUESTION: Should I bring my vft's outside this month. I live in Orange County. They are sprouting and have small leaves.

ANSWER: Hello Ryan,

Whenever possible, Venus Flytraps should be grown outside. Since I do not have much information to go by about the Venus Flytraps you are presently growing, I can only say that seedling Flytraps can be grown under strong florescent light (I would use 12000 lumens or more) or in a good south facing window for their first year or two until they are a couple inches across, then adapt them slowly to ultraviolet radiation outside in slightly less shady areas for a couple weeks until they are in full sun outdoors. The only reason for first keeping them indoors is to keep the tiny plants from getting eaten by birds and pests and to keep them from being uprooted in inclement weather.

If the plants you are sprouting are just coming out of dormancy and are sub-adult to adult plants then, by all means, place them out in sunlight if possible.

Christopher

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

QUESTION: In our area we sometimes get strong winds that would blow any vft off the outside table. So I was wondering what the best method would be to protect the plants when theyre outside. The climate also makes the water dry out faster.

Answer
Hello Ryan,

Ways to keep water from drying out would be to keep the wind off the plants, like on the leeward side of an interposing object to break the wind, can help some. In addition, use extra tall trays that hold lots of water, keeping the wind from getting into the tray so easily to evaporate the water. A tray a couple inches taller than the potted plant could help some. In addition, placing some bark chips on the moss surface and covering the tray area outside the pot circumferance with screening will allow some water evaporation while keeping it from evaporating too fast.

Christopher