Carnivorous plants
17 June 2006, 02:19 PM
#1
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Carnivorous plants
Anyone else grow them, here's some of mine
A couple of pitcher plants
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y18...7/CIMG1964.jpg
and a Venus flytrap
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y18...7/CIMG1963.jpg
A couple of pitcher plants
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y18...7/CIMG1964.jpg
and a Venus flytrap
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y18...7/CIMG1963.jpg
17 June 2006, 02:30 PM
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I do - I have VFTs on my windowsill at work. My office is in a converted barn, which gets a lot of bugs in, so the plants act as both entertainment and pest control 
You should trim off the leaves and traps that are dying off - it helps reduce the risk of rot setting in that'll reach the core of the plant. Also chop off the flower stalks, as these require a lot of the plant's energy to grow and the flowers themselves really aren't waiting for. Cut them off and the plant will put its energy into growing more traps instead.
I water mine using water from the duck pond just up the road from the office - I've heard they don't like the chemicals in tap water. Collecting a bottle every few days is a pain, though, and I'm sure I'll end up falling in the pond one day
You should trim off the leaves and traps that are dying off - it helps reduce the risk of rot setting in that'll reach the core of the plant. Also chop off the flower stalks, as these require a lot of the plant's energy to grow and the flowers themselves really aren't waiting for. Cut them off and the plant will put its energy into growing more traps instead.
I water mine using water from the duck pond just up the road from the office - I've heard they don't like the chemicals in tap water. Collecting a bottle every few days is a pain, though, and I'm sure I'll end up falling in the pond one day
17 June 2006, 02:32 PM
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Another tip: try your local B&Q for VFTs - I got a couple a few weeks ago for just £2.98 each and they're big and healthy. Today I was at the Unusual Plants Fair in Alton and saw some rather thin & straggly ones on sale for £10 or more 
17 June 2006, 02:36 PM
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I've just fed my Venus Fly Trap a half dead fly, it's just enveloped the little blighter but I can see the shadow of it moving about inside, so it's not dead yet.
I'm a bit new to the game, so all exciting stuff.
How easy should the trap be to trigger, because the fly was touching the hairs inside but I had to intervene with a tooth pick to make it close.
Also, what other man-eaters can I get that are easy to look after?
I'm a bit new to the game, so all exciting stuff.
How easy should the trap be to trigger, because the fly was touching the hairs inside but I had to intervene with a tooth pick to make it close.
Also, what other man-eaters can I get that are easy to look after?
17 June 2006, 02:38 PM
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Originally Posted by AndyC_772
You should trim off the leaves and traps that are dying off - it helps reduce the risk of rot setting in that'll reach the core of the plant. Also chop off the flower stalks, as these require a lot of the plant's energy to grow and the flowers themselves really aren't waiting for. Cut them off and the plant will put its energy into growing more traps instead.
I water mine using water from the duck pond just up the road from the office - I've heard they don't like the chemicals in tap water. Collecting a bottle every few days is a pain, though, and I'm sure I'll end up falling in the pond one day
I water mine using water from the duck pond just up the road from the office - I've heard they don't like the chemicals in tap water. Collecting a bottle every few days is a pain, though, and I'm sure I'll end up falling in the pond one day
some years dont get any
17 June 2006, 02:44 PM
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Originally Posted by scooby_matt
I've just fed my Venus Fly Trap a half dead fly, it's just enveloped the little blighter but I can see the shadow of it moving about inside, so it's not dead yet.
Originally Posted by scooby_matt
I'm a bit new to the game, so all exciting stuff.
How easy should the trap be to trigger, because the fly was touching the hairs inside but I had to intervene with a tooth pick to make it close.
Also, what other man-eaters can I get that are easy to look after?
How easy should the trap be to trigger, because the fly was touching the hairs inside but I had to intervene with a tooth pick to make it close.
Also, what other man-eaters can I get that are easy to look after?
.All the ones you get from B & Q are pretty easy to look after, water them using rainwater and thats about it
17 June 2006, 02:45 PM
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Originally Posted by pauld37
Cruel bu66er
I have watched mine for hours, seeing the flies diceing with death, in the flytraps jaws but getting away with it.
All the ones you get from B & Q are pretty easy to look after, water them using rainwater and thats about it
I have watched mine for hours, seeing the flies diceing with death, in the flytraps jaws but getting away with it
.All the ones you get from B & Q are pretty easy to look after, water them using rainwater and thats about it
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17 June 2006, 02:51 PM
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Originally Posted by scooby_matt
How easy should the trap be to trigger, because the fly was touching the hairs inside but I had to intervene with a tooth pick to make it close.
New traps are more sensitive than old ones, and they're less sensitive again if they've already eaten one insect and reopened.
17 June 2006, 02:51 PM
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Originally Posted by scooby_matt
Do B&Q do other carnivors then?
17 June 2006, 08:39 PM
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I read that you're not supposed to let them flower because the effort of producing the flower almost kills the plant. If you notice a flower growing, trim it off.
18 June 2006, 05:38 AM
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Originally Posted by Pumpkin
I read that you're not supposed to let them flower because the effort of producing the flower almost kills the plant. If you notice a flower growing, trim it off.
Got a few books on them and cant find anything on trimming the flowers, what happens in the wild? do they just die off
18 June 2006, 08:29 AM
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Bought a VFT from Homebase last week and it was pretty ropey but the best of a bad bunch. The reason for this is they don't bother to water them just like their Bonsai trees. Got it home, stuck it in a saucer of tap water and within 2 days it had already improved considerably. I don't know much about them but keeping them in .5cm of water in a dish constantly has done wonders for my one even though it is tap water and the traps have grown loads. Problem is none of the flys that come in through the window are attracted to it and it hasn't caught anything all week 
Put it out on the garden table for a couple of days and still nothing got attracted to it. Time to get swatting and give it some dinner. Whats best fly wise as I take it a fat old bluebottle wouldn't be too good for it?
Put it out on the garden table for a couple of days and still nothing got attracted to it. Time to get swatting and give it some dinner. Whats best fly wise as I take it a fat old bluebottle wouldn't be too good for it?
18 June 2006, 09:01 AM
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Originally Posted by pauld37
Got a few books on them and cant find anything on trimming the flowers, what happens in the wild? do they just die off
http://www.sarracenia.com/faq/faq2470.html
18 June 2006, 09:04 AM
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Originally Posted by Pumpkin
Their natural habitat is a little different to a pot on a foreign windowsill...
http://www.sarracenia.com/faq/faq2470.html
http://www.sarracenia.com/faq/faq2470.html
Thanks for that very interesting
18 June 2006, 09:50 AM
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Originally Posted by **************
Bought a VFT from Homebase last week and it was pretty ropey but the best of a bad bunch. The reason for this is they don't bother to water them just like their Bonsai trees. Got it home, stuck it in a saucer of tap water and within 2 days it had already improved considerably. I don't know much about them but keeping them in .5cm of water in a dish constantly has done wonders for my one even though it is tap water and the traps have grown loads. Problem is none of the flys that come in through the window are attracted to it and it hasn't caught anything all week Put it out on the garden table for a couple of days and still nothing got attracted to it. Time to get swatting and give it some dinner. Whats best fly wise as I take it a fat old bluebottle wouldn't be too good for it?
Put it out on the garden table for a couple of days and still nothing got attracted to it. Time to get swatting and give it some dinner. Whats best fly wise as I take it a fat old bluebottle wouldn't be too good for it?
18 June 2006, 11:34 PM
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Originally Posted by **************
Got it home, stuck it in a saucer of tap water and within 2 days it had already improved considerably.
Use rain/pond water.
Don't worry about them catching flies - they don't NEED to. There is a school of thought that the less they eat, the bigger they get...
If you put a dead fly in the traps, be prepared to shake the traps for the first 15 mins or so, as the fly won't struggle and the trigger hairs will think that water has got in the traps = traps open up. VFTs only have a limited life span of about four closes before death (per trap).
VFTs prefer Pete or Sphagnum moss...
19 June 2006, 10:56 AM
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Think I'm gonna have a wander down to my local b&q in a bit, I bought a few of these for my old work place (old farmhouse with working farm next door) but left them there when I left, only just thought about gettin me a couple...
Dan.
Dan.
19 June 2006, 12:47 PM
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Hmm, the flowering problem would explain why my 3 plants last year turned into one this year I thought it was re-potting that killed them.
As the last one was seemingly dying, I ignored the advice on the label and applied some Miracle Grow. Despite the advice saying don't add fertilisers, a minor miracle (surprise that) happened, and it grew 3 new traps. Since then, I've fed it a small slug and kept it well watered, and it seems to be on the mend. It's almost warm enough outside for it to be left there for the summer.
A couple of years ago, its growth went mad, as it seemed to have a taste for ants, and caught loads of them.
I thought it was re-potting that killed them. As the last one was seemingly dying, I ignored the advice on the label and applied some Miracle Grow. Despite the advice saying don't add fertilisers, a minor miracle (surprise that) happened, and it grew 3 new traps. Since then, I've fed it a small slug and kept it well watered, and it seems to be on the mend. It's almost warm enough outside for it to be left there for the summer.
A couple of years ago, its growth went mad, as it seemed to have a taste for ants, and caught loads of them.
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