| T #1: KNOW THY PLANT. | | | | they are great in removing chlorine and other |
| This may seem like a no-brainer, but one that | | | | not-so-tasty chemicals, they are inadequate in |
| first-time growers overlook. There are many types | | | | removing minerals. |
| of carnivorous plants occurring on every continent in | | | | One more thing: some carnivorous plants prefer not |
| the world, except Antarctica. | | | | to have their feet dunked in water. This is true with |
| If you were to go on a world-wide expedition looking | | | | Asian Pitcher Plants. They prefer to have moist soil |
| for as many types of carnivorous plants you can | | | | rather than wet soil. With these plants, water them |
| possibly find, you will discover carnivorous plants | | | | once or twice weekly. |
| growing in Japan, China, Australia, India, South Africa, | | | | SECRET #4: SEASON YOUR PLANTS. |
| Spain, France, Ireland, Brazil, Mexico, Canada and the | | | | One day while I was at the Farmers' Market selling |
| United States. | | | | my carnivorous plants, a customer stopped by and |
| If you were to explore the United States alone, you | | | | said that she had the good fortune to see a type of |
| will find carnivorous plants in nearly all of the 50 | | | | carnivorous plant growing in the wild while visiting |
| states, including Hawaii and Alaska. | | | | friends in Canada. |
| So, the first secret in keeping your carnivorous plants | | | | I immediately knew which plant she had seen, so I |
| alive, healthy and beautiful is to know what type of | | | | held up a Purple Pitcher Plant and she exclaimed, |
| carnivorous plant you have. With thousands of | | | | "Yes, that is the plant I saw!" |
| species of carnivorous plants in the world, each type | | | | I then told her how easy it was to grow that plant |
| requires their own care. | | | | outdoors all year round, to which she replied, "But |
| Hopefully, your plant came with a tag that identifies | | | | during the winter, you have to bring them indoors, |
| its species. If not, visit a reputable website to find | | | | right?" |
| photographs to help you identify the plant you have. | | | | "Why would you need to do that?" |
| SECRET #2: BRIGHTEN THEIR DAYS WITH FULL | | | | "Because it will get too cold for them," she stated |
| SUN. | | | | with authority. |
| Once you know what type of carnivorous plants you | | | | At that point, I was very puzzled. So, I said to her, |
| have, just duplicate their natural surroundings. This | | | | "If you saw them growing in the wild in Canada, |
| means giving your plants the type of sun exposure | | | | surely they can live outdoors in Oregon. It gets much |
| and water they might experience in the wild. | | | | colder in Canada than it does in Oregon." |
| Lets start with sun. It often surprises many people | | | | It amazes me how often some people assume that |
| to find out that the vast majority of carnivorous | | | | just because a plant is carnivorous it is: 1) tropical, 2) |
| plants enjoy full sun. You see, carnivorous plants | | | | delicate, and 3) difficult to grow. This is precisely why |
| grow in bogs, which are open fields of wetlands. | | | | people kill their carnivorous plants. They treat them |
| Most people confuse bogs with marshes. Marshes | | | | as a tropical, delicate carnivorous plant that is difficult |
| typically are closer to the ocean and contain slightly | | | | to grow without knowing if they actually have a |
| salted water. Marshes are also overgrown with trees, | | | | tropical, delicate carnivorous plant that is difficult to |
| making them shady. | | | | grow. This is definitely a recipe for disaster. |
| Bogs, on the other hand, contain fresh water, usually | | | | All carnivorous plants native to the United States and |
| bubbling up from an underground spring, and can be | | | | Canada are considered temperate plants, meaning |
| found on mountaintops and other places far away | | | | they go dormant during the winter months, and |
| from the ocean. If you see a bog in nature, you will | | | | come right back to life in spring and summer. Other |
| notice that there are no trees in it. So, all plants | | | | non-carnivorous plants that do this are roses, daisies, |
| growing in a bog are exposed to full sun. | | | | daffodils and thousands upon thousands of other |
| This is true for Venus Flytraps, North American | | | | types of plants grown all around the world. |
| Pitcher Plants and nearly all Sundews. As a result, | | | | This is why Secret #1 is a very important secret. |
| these plants do best growing in 6-8 hours of direct | | | | You need to know what type of plant you have to |
| sunlight during their growing season. Four hours of | | | | determine whether it requires winter dormancy or if |
| direct sunlight are definitely the absolute minimum. | | | | it needs to be indoors during those cold winter |
| Anything less than that will cause your plants to | | | | months. |
| struggle for survival. | | | | Temperate plants need to rest up for spring. Without |
| The only types of carnivorous plants that are not | | | | their winter rest, they get very cranky and may fail |
| exposed to full sun in the wild are Asian Pitcher | | | | to grow in spring. Think of how you feel when you |
| Plants, Butterworts and some species of Sundews. | | | | do not get enough sleep. So, if you want healthy |
| These plants prefer bright indirect light. | | | | vibrant plants in spring, give them a winter rest. They |
| Now you know what types of carnivorous plants | | | | might even reward you with flowers! |
| you have, give it the proper sunlight. With US native | | | | SECRET #5: HOLD THE FERTLIZER, PLEASE. |
| plants, grow them outside during the growing season | | | | If you want gorgeous looking carnivorous plants |
| (spring through fall). With Asian Pitcher Plants and | | | | during the growing season, repot your plants right |
| Butterworts, grow them in a window that receives | | | | before they come out of dormancy. In most cases, |
| bright indirect light. | | | | this would be in March. Repotting your plants serves |
| If you do not have enough natural light, use 20 to | | | | two purposes. |
| 40-watt fluorescent light tubes or fluorescent | | | | Firstly, carnivorous plants need room to grow. |
| compact bulbs that are equivalent to 100 watts. | | | | Depending on the species, some rhizomes can get |
| Keep the light source about 6 to 8 inches above the | | | | quite large. Other species have long deep taproots. |
| plant, and keep it on for 12-14 hours per day. | | | | So, it is important that you give these guys enough |
| Avoid using incandescent bulbs because it produces | | | | root space. |
| too much heat and the wrong type of light. | | | | Secondly, changing the soil yearly aerates the roots. |
| SECRET #3: SOAK THEIR FEET. | | | | With fresh oxygen, roots will grow more robustly, |
| After giving your carnivorous plants the right amount | | | | producing healthier plants. |
| of light (full sun, partial sun or indirect light), now you | | | | Springtime is also a time when you should cut off |
| need to make sure it gets the right amount of | | | | dead leaves or any leaves that have turned brown. |
| water. | | | | This will prevent fungal infections and increase sunlight |
| Nearly all carnivorous plants grow in bogs, which are | | | | to the base of the plant. |
| constantly wet. So, if you want to duplicate what | | | | When repotting your plants, a standard soil mix to |
| they experience out in nature, you need to provide | | | | use is 1 part peat moss and 1 part perlite. Peat moss |
| constantly wet soil. | | | | adds acidity and retains moisture, while perlite |
| Some people prefer to simply water their plants | | | | provides drainage. |
| every day. Personally, I find this to be a real drag, | | | | This soil recipe is sufficient for 80% of all carnivorous |
| especially when I have so many other things to do, | | | | plants. You can adjust the recipe by adding more |
| like watch a good DVD or scratch my dog's belly. | | | | perlite or other inert matter to increase the drainage. |
| The easiest way to make sure the soil is constantly | | | | Just make sure the soil is void of nutrients and |
| wet is to keep your plant in a bit of standing water. | | | | fertilizer. |
| Use a tray, bowl, saucer or any container that holds | | | | Fertilizer is toxic to carnivorous plants and will burn |
| water. Fill the container with water and place your | | | | their roots. (Very painful.) Carnivorous plants will get |
| plant right in. Allow the water to go half way up the | | | | all of their nutrients from insects caught in their |
| pot. Just make sure you do not drown the crown or | | | | leaves. |
| base of the plant. Remember, they are bog plants, | | | | There you have it! You have just read the Top 5 |
| not water plants (big difference!). | | | | Secrets to Growing Beautiful Carnivorous Plants. |
| But, before your plants start soaking their little feet, | | | | You learned: |
| make the water is relatively pure. It does not need | | | | Secret #1: Correctly identify the type of carnivorous |
| to be blessed by a Tibetan monk, but it should at | | | | plant you have. Remember, not all carnivorous plants |
| least have low levels of minerals (less than 100 parts | | | | are created equal. Some grow in temperate bogs, |
| per million). Check with your local aquarium supply | | | | while others grow in hot humid jungles. |
| store for water hardness kits. | | | | Secret #2: Brighten their days with full sun. |
| You can use distilled water or rainwater, but this is | | | | Secret #3: Soak their feet. |
| feasible only if you have only a few carnivorous | | | | Secret #4: Season your plants. |
| plants. If you are like me, you might have several | | | | Secret #5: Repot yearly and hold the fertilizer. |
| thousand. | | | | Each secret is an important part of the foundation on |
| In that case, local tap water will do just fine. If the | | | | which you can grow beautiful carnivorous plants all |
| water has a lot of naturally occurring minerals or | | | | year round. When you follow these simple steps, |
| additives to make the water soft, consider hooking | | | | your carnivorous plants will have no choice but grow |
| your hose up to a reverse-osmosis unit. Check your | | | | into healthy and beautiful plants that you can be |
| local hardware store for this type of filter. | | | | proud of! |
| Avoid using simple charcoal-filtration units. Although | | | | |