Expert: Christopher Littrell - 10/1/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hi, I have been using Miracle Gro Sphagnum peat moss from OSH for about 2 weeks for venus flytraps. I recently read up on the forums that it is bad for them because Miracle Gro laced their peat moss with fertilizer, is that true? If so, are my plants completely dead as in their roots are completely fried? Is there still time to change the soil and they will grow normally again? I have noticed that my new venus flytrap ("B52") that i transplanted have been "crooked" and the new leaves are "crooked" The leaves are growing side ways and the trap leaves are bended, I hope it wasnt the fertilizer that caused this. The one and only picture i can upload is the general view of the plant and as you can see the leaf to the bottom right is growing side ways and the bottom left trap leaf is bended or not straight. Lastly the trap leaf at the top is growing side ways (side of the leaf is facing downward). I have emailed the person i purchased it from, he said it could possibly be aphids that attacked his mother plant and this caused my offspring to grow abnormal. So i would like a second opinion from a professional,was it the fertilizer or the mother plant that cause this abnormal growing?

ANSWER: Hello David,

While aphids can cause abnormalities in growth in plants that are actually attacked by aphids, to have a mother plant attacked by aphids and the offspring to suffer damage as a result is a stretch of the imagination unless aphids were actually on the offspring as well.

The damage you see likely results from fertilizers in the moss as you read about on the forums. Some companies sell only fertilized or treated products that would be completely useless, and even downright deadly, for carnivorous plant use. Best bet is to repot the plant as soon as possible in unfertilized moss. To do so, find a bale of dry sphagnum peat moss at a garden center or nursery and dampen it, then pot the plant in it with a 50/50 mix of unfertilized perlite (many companies also sell fertilized perlite so be careful.) Rinse off the plant's roots with distilled or reverse osmosis water until you have removed as much of the fertilized moss as possible, then repot.

You can also acquire unfertilized products from cobraplant.com as they are a supplier of carnivorous plants and sell soil mixes for them.

Hopefully you can get the plant repotted in new, unfertilized soil as soon as possible as fertilizers will kill carnivorous plants in a matter of weeks.

Christopher

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

QUESTION: one more question! Will my plants grow new normal leaves? Im afraid it might stay abnormal forever and will grow abnormal through its life.

Answer
Hello David,

If the plant is repotted in acidic, non-fertilized sphagnum moss before irreperable damage has occurred it should grow normally afterwards. If it has been exposed for too long it could suffer root burn and root rot that could kill the plant.

Christopher