Expert: Sarracenia Northwest - 9/29/2011

Question
hi my name is David I live in ohio.I have venus flytrap.I give my plant filtered water and I put my venus fly trap in peatmoss.But when I feed it the trap does'nt close?what am I doing wrong or what am I not doing?

Answer
You didn't mention how much sunlight you're giving your plant, and this is extremely important.  This most common reason why flytraps won't close is is inadequate lighting.  It takes lots of energy to open and close the traps.  The flytraps get their energy from sunlight.  So if you're growing the plant in your home, your plant might not bet getting sufficient sunlight.  Without lots of sun, the plant grows weak and will eventually die.  So first, you will need to make sure your plant is getting adequate sunlight

Please read our care sheet on growing flytraps and the lighting requirements.  I also recommend watching our monthly video podcast so you could see how we grow these plants at our nursery.  
http://www.cobraplant.com/caresheets
http://www.cobraplant.com/video

If you need further assistance, please write back with more information about how much light you're providing, whether you're growing your plant indoors or outdoors, and how long you've been growing your plant.  If possible, please also upload a clear photograph of your plant.  This type of information is necessary to give you a precise diagnosis.

Good growing!
Jacob Farin