Expert: Christopher Littrell - 5/16/2007

Question
When I plant my two venus flytraps, what size pot(height & width) is to
big and what is just right? How much tray water is needed for that size
of a pot? When cutting the dead vft leaves, do I just cut the trap or
the whole stem?


Answer
Hello Ryan,

1.  Even though Venus Flytraps look like rather small plants, they can grow a long taproot (sometimes to about a foot in length) so a pot of about 5-6 inches (the pot will be similar in height and width) would be just right. Besides, many plants tend to grow stunted in small pots, so it is better to use an oversized pot than too small of a size. With a 5 or 6 inch pot, you can plant several adult (traps over 1 inch long) Flytraps about 2 inches apart and let them expand, forming a cluster over the entire pot surface. They do not mind growing in groups.

2.  You can use an oversized tray, like 2 inches larger size than the pot you are using if you are placing trays singly under each pot, or one large tray (like a 1 foot wide) for up to 3 or 4 pots. For Flytraps, about an inch of water would be a good amount to have in the tray. You can let the water tray go just barely dry before rewatering, but never let the plant's soil go dry.

3.  It is according to what has occurred with the dying leaf. If just the trap dies (as when a trap gets "indigestion"), just cut that part off. If the blackening is progressive down the petiole (leaf stem) then cut it back as close to the plant as you can. In any case, just cut back to the green sections as they might survive a while longer and provide photosynthesis for the plant.

Keep up the good work and your plants will thrive.

Christopher