Expert: Christopher Littrell - 6/30/2010

Question
QUESTION: Hi.  I have 2 venus fly trap plants.  I got them about 3 months ago. I use distilled water and they are still in the same pot that I got them in. I have all kinds of new shoots coming, but alot of the older leaves are turning brown.  I have them in direst sun light out side for approx 5 hours a day and because of the animals in the evening I bring the plant inside  for the night, then put it back outside during the day.  It is looking a little unhealthy.  Should I repot them or wait till later in the fall.

ANSWER: Hello Carole,

You could repot the plants now if you feel the soil is going bad or if the pot the plants are in does not have drain holes. Moving the plants around can be unhealthy if they are being exposed to widely varying temperatures and humidity levels too quickly. Plants are rooted in place and can't move in the wild, so are not usually exposed to weather fluctuations that occur in a few seconds time.

Venus Flytraps need more direct sun than 5 hours a day. If you absolutely have to bring the plant inside, use compact florescent lights over them of at least 100 to 150 watt equivalence, that would be about 26 to 43 watts for florescent lighting, or use 40 watt shop light tubes. Extra light intensity is what Venus Flytraps always need. Keep artificial lighting about 4-6 inches over the plants and keep it on long enough to add up to 16 hours of light per day in the growing season.

In any event, if you can get the plants outside for longer, say at least 8 hours a day, and make sure they do not have constant exposure to environmental extremes every few hours by taking them in and out of your home, then they will probably do much better. You may have to find or make a safe place for them to stay outside where animals will have a hard time reaching them.

Christopher


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

QUESTION: Thank you for your reply. I am going to leave it outside on a regular basis,  But won"t the sun burn the plant?  I thought that this was why it was turning brown. Also is it ok to put it in miracle grow plant dirt with peat moss.
Thank you

Answer
Hello Carol,

Older leaves will brown and die off every few weeks. So long as new leaves are growing in to take the place of the older leaves, your plants are doing fine. Clip off the old, dead leaves as you would do on any other plant. I am currently growing several Venus Flytraps inside under a bank of six florescent shop lights of the 40 watt variety and they have several brown, old leaves as well as many new leaves growing. It is not likely sunlight that is causing the leaf browning.

Venus Flytraps are garden type plants. They will be fine living constantly outside even in South Texas sunlight right next to the Sarracenia Pitcher Plants (North American carnivorous plants that grow in virtually the same conditions as Venus Flytraps which are also North American temperates) I am currently growing out on my patio. They should be fine in most areas unless you live in a broiling hot desert. They can take temperatures of up to about 100 to 110 degrees and can take all the light you can provide them.

Miracle Grow products are not to be used with carnivorous plants of any variety. There are fertilizers added to almost all their products that will burn and rot the roots of carnivorous plants, killing them in a few weeks. You would need to find the dry cubes of sphagnum peat moss titled Black Gold, Premium Canadian, or some such name brand that comes in 1 or 2 foot plastic wrapped bales. You can find unfertilized perlite to add to the moss on a 1:1 ratio and moisten the mix before repotting. You can also try online places like cobraplant.com for pre-mixed soil that you know will be safe to use with your plants as that company sells carnivorous plants as well.

Christopher