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How to Grow
Pitcher Plants :: Sundews :: Venus Flytraps :: Butterworts
- Sarracenia: North American Pitcher Plants
- General growing instructions: Full sun, Wet feet. This group, like many carnivorous plants, is very easy to grow, especially for the beginner.
- Light: Allow your pitcher plants to get at least 5-6 hours of full sun. This will help the plant to produce large strong pitchers. Not enough sun will produce weak or leafy pitchers. The Purple Pitcher Plant (S. Purpurea) and the Parrot Pitcher Plant (S. Psittacina) can and will do well in partial sun to shade.
- Water: Keep your pitcher plant wet at all times. Never allow your pitcher plants to dry out. When in doubt, water. Drying out will most of the time kill your Sarracenia.You can place your containers in a tray watering system (with the water level being no lower than 1 inch during the growing season), or if in a bog keep soil very moist. Rain water or filtered water should be used.
- Soil: Do not use potting soil! I recommend just plain sphagnum peat moss. Or, a 3-to-1 mixture of peat moss and sand/perlite.
- Fertilizer: With Sarracenias it is best NOT to fertilize. Happy, healthy plants will catch all the nutrients they need.
- Temperature/Winter Care: Sarracenias have to rest or go through a dormancy period 3-4 months during cool/cold temperatures to do well the next growing season. I recommend mulching with pine needles where the temperature drops below zero (USDA zones 6-7). North of zone 6 plants must be given extra protection from deep freezing, which will damage the rhizome.
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- Drosera: Sundews
- General growing instructions: Full/partial sun, Wet feet using the tray method. The species I have available all do well growing in temperate conditions, or in sunny windowsills.
- Light: Full sun to partial shade is best for most all sundews.
- Water: Most sundews do well on the tray watering method, keeping the soil wet always.
- Soil: Most all sundews do well in a 1-part sphagnum, 1-part play sand mixture.
- Fertilizer: My experience shows that sundews do not do well with commercial fertilizers. They will attract their own food, or you may feed them gnats, small ants, or fruit flies.
- Temperature/Winter Care: Most sundews will grow all year, and thrive in a sunny place, without going through dormancy. the species native to the southeastern United States will form a winter bud, and benefit from cooler temperatures. Keep soil moist but not as wet at this time.
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- Dionea: Venus Flytraps (VFT)
- General growing instructions: VFT love full sun and wet feet. The tray watering system allows the proper humid environment these plants need. VFT are very easy to grow, if you purchase a healthy plant to begin with. Many of the plants found in retail stores are not healthy and have been in dark boxes for days. My VFT are established plants that have been growing for 2-3 years.
- Light: VFT love full sun, but remember to keep wet during the growing season. Indoors or outdoors try to meet these needs and you will have a happy and healthy VFT.
- Water: They seem to do well with a lower water table that does not keep the plant waterlogged.
- Soil: Mix one part peat to one part play sand. Keep mixture damp/wet.
- Fertilizer: VFT do not do well with fertilizer. Your plant should be able to catch the food it needs or you can feed your plant insects. DO NOT FEED HAMBURGER MEAT. Hamburger meat will kill your Venus Flytrap. The meat is too fatty for your VFT to use; bacteria will grow and rot your plant to the bulb.
- Temperature/Winter Care: VFT like cold winters (33°F, 0°C) and warm, muggy summers (85+°F, 30+°C). VFT need a dormancy period to rest or sleep during the winter. Since insects are not numerous in the winter, the VFT takes this time to rest. Venus Flytraps do well outside in most places all year. However, if growing your VFT indoors, cut back on watering, keeping the soil moist but not wet. Place your VFT indoors in an area that is cooler than the rest of your house.
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- Pinguicula: Butterworts
- General growing instructions: Butterworts love full sun and wet feet. The tray watering system allows the proper humid environment these plants need.
- Light: Butterworts love full sun, but remember to keep wet during the growing season. Indoors or outdoors try to meet these needs and you will have a happy and healthy Butterwort.
- Water: They seem to do well with a lower water table that does not keep the plant waterlogged.
- Soil: Mix one part peat to one part play sand. Keep mixture damp/wet.
- Fertilizer: Butterworts do not do well with fertilizer. Your plant should be able to catch the food it needs.
- Temperature/Winter Care: Butterworts like cold winters and warm, muggy summers like flytraps. Butterworts need a dormancy period to rest or sleep during the winter. Butterworts do well outside in most places all year. However, if growing your Butterwort indoors, cut back on watering, keeping the soil moist but not wet. Place your Butterwort indoors in an area that is cooler than the rest of your house.
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