Venus Fly Trap... Help Needed

Suckit · 22-06-2021 1:00pm #1

I have a venus fly trap that is just over 4 years old from when it was bought in Ikea, but has never been moved into a larger pot.

This year the weather was fairly cold through March, April and much of May, which I am pretty sure affected it. The flowers that grow up, never quite made it past bud this year, although 4 different ones did try.
The traps themselves or mouths have grown (very small) a few times and died, so I cut open a 5ltr water bottle and placed it over it.
That worked, but can't be a solution as no flies can be fed into it unless I do manually, which isn't ideal.
The latest two traps that I had high hopes for, are turning brown now, I fed them a couple of flies and they were looking good, but there are two more growing.

Is the pot too small?

The main reason I never changed it, is because I wasn't sure I can use normal potting soil/compost. Nor if it needs to be done in winter or can be done anytime. But up until this year, it had been doing fairly well.
Could I use compost bought here, and could I change it now?
If it's struggling anyway, I would be worried that moving it might kill it altogether. On the flip side, I am thinking if it is struggling that much, it might be worth the risk.
Some pics for reference - should be able to zoom in (ignore the windows please

)

https://postimg.cc/gallery/PJV34cn

skellig_rocks · 22-06-2021 1:46pm

I bought a venus fly trap 3 years ago from IKEA. And I followed these steps mixing the potting mix:

https://venusflytrapworld.com/the-best-soil-options-for-venus-flytrap-plus-potting-tips/

Main points:
1) They need poor nutrient soil (sand + peat moss)

2) Don't use compost
3) Don't apply fertiliser
4) Use only rain water and water from bottom

These are my fly traps after 3 years (I divided the plant into 2 after first year)

flytrap.jpg

Suckit · 22-06-2021 1:51pm

Wow, that's great. Thanks.
Will read that now.

Are those ingredients easily got in Woodies/B&Q?

skellig_rocks · 22-06-2021 3:23pm

Yeah peat moss, horticultural sand and perlite should be available from
your local garden centres or DIY stores.

If you are in north county Dublin you can try Tully Nurseries:

https://shop.tullynurseries.ie/Product/View.aspx?Code=SHA002 - Peat moss
https://shop.tullynurseries.ie/Product/View.aspx?Code=GRA001 - Sand

https://www.jonesgc.com/perlite-10l - Perlite

Maybe it is cheaper just buy a potting mix if you don't have any other acid loving plants to use the leftover peat moss:

https://johnstowngardencentre.ie/fly-trap-compost.html

Suckit · 22-06-2021 5:30pm

Great, thanks. Looking at yours, maybe mine should have been moved into a bigger pot years ago. Yours look great.
The most I have seen on mine was about half the amount of your smaller one.
Hopefully I can rejuvinate it following the above and get some life back into it.

Ms2011 · 22-06-2021 6:29pm

Flytraps have tiny roots as they get most of their nutrition from the insects they eat rather than from the soil therefore they don't require a big pot.
The advice is not to let them flower as it zaps too much of the plants energy and I think that could have been the case for your plant.
If it were my plant I wouldn't re pot it especially not now, the shock will definitely kill it, I'd keep it moist sitting in a saucer of rainwater and as sunny a spot as you can find. They are a swamp plant from Florida so try to replicate those conditions as best as possible.

Suckit · 22-06-2021 6:54pm

Yep thanks, tried to replicate Florida swamps, as I had heard that before, but I think the cold March, April and May probably didn't help it.
I won't repot at the minute so, I will wait. Hopefully it comes back. I might try and clear around it. The silver bowl is actually a cat bowl that the pot is sitting in, and I normally water it with rainwater from a butt, and then let the overflow keep it wet/damp. But this year it seems to be struggling after any growth gets to a certain level.
I thought it was coming back when the two snappers that are turning brown now, had started to get big enough to eat a small fly, but they seem to be dying or dead now too.

SouthWesterly · 22-06-2021 10:41pm

Wife bought me one this week. Reading this it has a chance of survival

fryup · 03-08-2022 10:52am

my flytrap has grown a very long tubular should i prune it?

does it need to go in a bigger pot?

Tree · 03-08-2022 11:09am

That's a lovely flower, up to you whether you cut it or keep it. The long stalk is so pollinators don't end up getting eaten before they fly to the next plant.

The pot size looks fine. I tend to pot on when there's multiple plants (you should be able the count the heads and see how many centres are there, usually about seven leaf/heads to a plant, I divide and pot on when I get over three plants)

fryup · 04-08-2022 10:23pm

The long stalk is so pollinators don't end up getting eaten before they fly to the next plant.

isn't that amazing mother nature thinks of everything😙

fryup · 05-08-2022 10:21pm

I tend to pot on when there's multiple plants (you should be able the count the heads and see how many centres are there, usually about seven leaf/heads to a plant, I divide and pot on when I get over three plants)

here's an overhead shot of my flytrap..is there multiple plants?

and how do i divide? do i just pull them apart by hand?

Tree · 05-08-2022 10:46pm

You've at least two in there, but no rush to pot them on. First you need to get the right soil mix for them. Then when you have that ready, get a big bucket of rainwater/distilled water and wash the soil off the roots and you can break them apart and pot them on. Watch out for the mouths latching on to each other, you can pull them apart carefully.

greasepalm · 05-08-2022 10:52pm

Remember people used to line hanging baskets with sphagnum moss as that is all i used and was growing in a 10" pot in a saucer of rainwater. Moss would go green as it was growing and alive

Suckit · 06-08-2022 2:05am

I have tons of moss on mine. It makes it awkward to water, when I water it, I spray and I pour water into the soil around the plant and let it fill the outer pot, but the amount of moss is making the water just roll off..

Should I be removing the moss? If so, how? Just pull it out?

Ms2011 · 06-08-2022 9:15am

Just keep the outer pot constantly filled with water and the soil will draw it up as needed.

I'd leave the moss, it will help retain the moisture.

greasepalm · 06-08-2022 9:20am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119435754#Comment_119435754

I hope its rainwater only in use and not tapwater , capillary action and saucer full of water should not have issues.

Got a photo?

Suckit · 06-08-2022 2:32pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119436082#Comment_119436082

Yeah, form a small wooden bucket out the back, I fill a little bottle every now and then. I need to separate them for sure. I will get a photo and upload it.

Suckit · 23-08-2022 1:20pm

I'm really going to have to split this/them... 😬🙈

It's been a bit neglected since last post, I will get photos, going to get the soil to split it now. Fecking day off and I am running after plants!! I'm not 18 anymore, that's for sure.. 😅

greasepalm · 23-08-2022 2:56pm

I never used any soil only the moss and had multiplied in a 10" pot .Yes long overdue photo to see what it looks like.

Suckit · 23-08-2022 3:30pm

I took it out of the outer pot.

I am just back from three garden centres. None had it, they told me Johnstown would deliver it, so I will order online.

One place told me it was 'white soil' from the top? Something like that, and that they wouldn't have that.

It looks very dehydrated in these photos, and they have lost the red colouring from inside the snappers, but I can assure you it is always in an outer bowl of water and it is rainwater from outside. I did use tap water twice as outside had dried up, but I now use bottled distilled water when I have no rainwater.

https://postimg.cc/gallery/NGHfqXC

Tree · 23-08-2022 4:44pm

They go red in the sun, so that tends to fade into winter and comes back late spring.

You may have to make up your own soil. From memory I used peatmoss, perlite and cactus soil (cause it was the closest thing to sand I had to hand). I don't think I've seen bogplant soil in the shops.

greasepalm · 23-08-2022 10:06pm

https://johnstowngardencentre.ie/fresh-sphagnum-moss-large-pack.html. Which is alive and green.

https://www.sybotanica.com/products/sphagnum-moss-5-liter?currency=EUR&variant=42951965999343&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&gclid=Cj0KCQjw9ZGYBhCEARIsAEUXITUGwAmmx7BlvSEBBsb-vkWgHd_RuG95hcYsSmCcQ91SQfLN0wsB3RgaAhA5EALw_wcB. White but used for orchids and thinking its dead.

Your venus fly trap looks funny and mangled on fresh growth aphids? + is getting nicely fed. It is outside is it not.

You have the live moss looking good on your plant.

Suckit · 23-08-2022 10:29pm

No, it's not outside, it is inside the main door, which is open all day. If it's not wide open, it is slightly ajar. There is a dog goes in and out as she needs for the heat and shade. She just goes out, lies in different places around the garden or back in the hall. The plant is behind the door so not much of a breeze going it's way. I have moved it in further on the cooler days/nights. also the door isn't really open on those days, sometimes just for a while.

That is something I forgot to mention, that it was near the door. The main reason I thought it needed to be split (a while ago) was because it had started to look weird like that and I thought the pot may be too small. Hopefully I will get the correct potting soil or make it soon, I am back in work tomorrow so I may try and get it at some point if i get the chance, I will also order online from links above. No harm to have extra.

fryup · 24-08-2022 9:50pm

look at all those flies, those it keep nuisance flies at bay in your house?

Tree · 24-08-2022 9:57pm

Mine eats very few flies. Ditto for all the other insectivores. Though in the event I do knock out a fly with the teatowel, it gets dropped into the mouth of the big Nepenthes.

Suckit · 24-08-2022 10:03pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119517532#Comment_119517532

Yes, and no. Some are flies that it keeps at bay, many are the work of small hands and a fly swatter. I'm not sure which are most to be honest. When the front door is left wide open, flies come in there and get somehow trapped and try to fly out the window it is placed beside. Then it gets many a meal.

They don't seem to disappear since it started to look weird. I am hoping splitting it will help with that too.

greasepalm · 24-08-2022 11:06pm

I grew mine outdoors , and did you look at those crappy looking leaves?

Suckit · 07-09-2022 2:19pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119518032#Comment_119518032

I didn't think it would survive outdoors to be honest, I wasn't sure it would survive in the shelter behind the open door.

Yep, the crappy looking leaves were the main reason I posted looking for advice here. We had decent rainfall the last week or so, So I have rainwater again, hopefully will be able to bring it back to a healthier looking state.

greasepalm · 07-09-2022 4:06pm

It is a bog plant that lives outside and dies down for winter and re emerges in spring as no flies around in winter

https://www.carnivorousplants.co.uk/resources/venus-flytrap-complete-guide/

Venus Fly Trap... Help Needed

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