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Carnivorous Plants/safe insecticides

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Expert: - 3/22/2011


Question
Chris,
My question as you can see in the subject screen concerns using safe insecticides for CPs. Over the years I have used the Bayer Rose and Flower with some success. Bayer has since changed the formula to something else and I'm leery of using that refomulation. Jacob from Cobraplnt.com did say something about the Bayer 3-in-one. What do you recommend for general caterpillar defense on sarracenia? I've heard of using neem as a systemic so ow does that work?

Answer
Hello Cliff,

Actually, I have rarely needed to use insecticides on my carnivorous plants. The ones to use would be free of soap based ingredients. It is the fatty soaps that break down into fertilizers in soil. Additionally, copper based mixtures are also no good as some species of carnivorous plants are adversely affected by copper. Generally, pyrethrin based or Neem oil based products are safe to use on carnivorous plants. Neem oil products work well on fungus as well as insects by breaking down their ability to grow properly.

I would go with what Jacob told you to use. I am unfamiliar with Bayer, but if it is similar to Safer, which they also have used, it should be fine to use with your plants. The main thing to remember is that carnivorous plants are just like other plants except that anything that would fertilize their soil may harm them.

Christopher

Carnivorous Plants

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Christopher Littrell

Expertise

I am capable of answering questions about the most common carnivorous plants found in cultivation. I have no personal experience with Byblis, Drosophyllum, Aldrovanda, and Heliamphora. I have not cultivated gemmae forming pygmy sundews nor tuberous sundews. For information regarding those aforementioned species, I would suggest contacting other experts. I can answer questions regarding most species of Nepenthes, tropical and temperate Drosera, Mexican Pinguicula, Sarracenias, and Dionaea. I have some limited experience with growing Utricularia, Cephalotus, and Darlingtonia.

Experience

I have grown carnivorous plants off and on for about 27 years. I have made the same mistakes and suffered the same mishaps that many growers make as they attempt to separate the myths from the realities of growing these plants. Currently, I am successfully growing a variety of tropical sundews, a Nepenthes, several Venus Flytraps of varying ages, and Sarracenias. I have been successful in stratifying Sarracenia seeds and providing artificial dormancy requirements for my temperate plants when needed.

Education/Credentials
I hold a Master's degree in Educational Psychology. Over my lifetime, I have constantly read books involving the growing conditions of carnivorous plants. I hope to incorporate the educational aspects involved in psychology with teaching other people how to cultivate carnivorous plants.

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