How to Care for Carnivorous Plants

Carnivorous plants, such as Venus Fly Traps, are great to keep around the house. Not only do they capture pesky little bugs, but they also offer interesting conversational pieces. Nonetheless, they can be quite tricky to keep alive, depending on your growing conditions and how much you know about carnivorous plants. Here are some tips to ensure that your special plants live long and healthy lives.

First, you need to find the proper place to put your plant. Typically, the hardier carnivorous plants, like Venus Fly Trap and North American Sundew, need to be grown outside, since they are native to temperate regions. Plants like Nepenthes and Tropical Sundew can be grown inside year round, since they are tropical plants and cannot tolerate frost. Make sure that these plants are placed in a window that receives direct sunlight for the better part of the day.

The next key to survival for these plants is water, and plenty of it. Make sure to keep the potted plants in a shallow tray that always has some amount of water in it. Just don't let the water rise more than half the height of the pot that the plant is in, or this will cause root rot and the plant will die. Also, make sure that the water you are using is free of chemicals and fertilizers. Never use water straight out of your tap, but instead distilled water. Alternatively, you could boil the water for at least 15 minutes and let it cool completely before filling the tray with it. Also, never use fertilizers, as these plants cannot tolerate minerals in the soil.

Next, if you bought the plant from a nursery or retail store, they probably came covered in a plastic dome. You should never just automatically remove the dome and place it in direct sun. You must take several weeks to slowly acclimate the plant to lower humidity levels. The first week, unhook the dome so that a small crack is in between it and the pot, and place the plant in bright shade outside. The second week, you can completely remove the dome, but keep the plant in the partial shade. The third week it will be able to endure full sun and wind.