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How To Care For Carnivorous Plants

How To Care For Carnivorous Plants

by | Jul 13, 2022 | Gardening, Gardening Trends & Inspiration, Tips

When it comes to carnivorous plants, following the same care routine as you would for the rest of your house or garden plants will quickly end in their demise. These unique plants have specialized requirements, based on their natural habitats and how they have evolved, that need to be followed if you want to keep your plants around long term. Whether it’s light, water, soil or nutrients, getting care right is key to keeping your carnivorous friend alive.

Light

There are more than 500 species of carnivorous plants, each with its own requirements. Some prefer full sun, while others can survive in partial shade. However, most popular species, such as Venus Flytraps and Pitcher Plants, need full sun for a large part of the day to truly thrive. This translates to at least 6 hours of sunlight when planted outdoors.

When grown indoors as they often are, the situation is slightly different. As light intensity is far lower inside, most carnivorous plants need to be placed in front of a sunny window where they can receive as much direct light as possible.

Those that prefer partial shade are susceptible to burning, and some carnivorous plants that have been accustomed to grow in lower lighting conditions may struggle when thrust into full sun. Check the requirements of your specific plant and slowly introduce them to changes in lighting conditions to avoid any potential damage.

Water

Carnivorous plants evolved in acidic swamps and bogs where nutrients were scarce, causing them to develop their traps in order to survive. Due to these native habitats, it follows that these plants are major water lovers. Their soil needs to be kept moist consistently and some species can even grow mostly in water with just a little soil to keep them anchored.

Again, how often you water will depend on the species, but most prefer consistently moist but not soggy soil. Outdoors and in a sunny spot, this means watering a couple of times a day in hot weather. In these cases, it’s best to place these plants near a water source or where rain naturally collects around the garden to let nature do the work for you. Indoors, you’ll need to water once every few days and more often if the top layer of soil ever appears dry. Only water with collected rainwater or distilled water.

Soil

Unlike most of our garden plants, carnivorous plants prefer soil with little to no nutrients. The poorer the quality, the better it is. The soil should also retain lots of moisture to keep the roots consistently saturated and to recreate the environment these plants love.

When planting in containers, it’s best to make your own soil mix as many potting soil mixtures come with nutrients and added fertilizers that can burn the roots of your plants. A mixture of palm peat and river sand is best, adjusted according to how much water your chosen species prefers. Some can even grow in water alone, so make sure you know what you’re dealing with before you get to planting.

Fertilizer

Fertilizer is a part of many gardener’s routines. However, when growing carnivorous plants, you can cut this step from your schedule altogether. When placed in the right spot, your plants will get all the nutrients they need from the bugs they digest. As they as used to low-nutrient soil, any standard added fertilizer will only end up burning the roots and potentially killing the plant.

If your plant is not getting enough nutrients from bugs naturally, some choose to drop insects from pet stores into the traps to help the plant along. Alternatively, there are specialized fertilizers you can place inside the traps to provide any nutrients that may be missing. Avoid using your standard garden fertilizer and always read the instructions on any product before feeding your plant to avoid doing more harm than good.

Carnivorous Plants To Add To Your Garden

Carnivorous Plants To Add To Your Garden

by | Jul 13, 2022 | Gardening

If you’ve exhausted your ‘to buy’ plant list and are looking for something a little different, you can’t get much more unique or out there than carnivorous plants. Shrouded in drama and mystery, these interesting beauties have evolved over hundreds and thousands of years to absorb nutrients from insects, rather than through the soil. Developing a range of interesting traps with different shapes, colours and scents, these plants feed on flies, mosquitos, and even small animals, making them great garden friends and wonderful house or patio plants.

Venus Flytrap

When we think of carnivorous plants, the Venus Flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) is likely the first to come to mind. The mouth-like shape of the modified leaf traps have made this plant the star of cartoons and horror movies everywhere.

These traps remain open, lined by trigger hairs that look just like little teeth to give these plants their menacing appearance. Lined with nectar, these traps attract prey and snap shut when the hairs are touched. The plant produces enzymes that slowly digest the prey over a couple of days (and as long as a week), opening up again when they have absorbed all the nutrients possible.

Pitcher Plants

Pitcher Plant refers to a larger group of species that all have one thing in common – pitcher traps. These tube-shaped modified leaves vary in size based on the species, usually sporting interesting colours and patterns that help attract nearby prey. They also produce a smell that draws a number of insects and even small animals, depending on the plant.

These traps are lined with a sticky substance and small hairs on the sides. Similar to quicksand, anyone that struggles to leave the trap will only be pulled down further. Combined with their depth, anything that enters the trap won’t be able to get out without a fight. These traps also fill with water after the rain, drowning any unfortunate victims that succumb to their curiosity. Stuck at the bottom of the pitcher, the prey is slowly digested to give the plant the nutrients it requires.

Sundews

These plants are on the prettier side when compared to some of the more dramatic plants on this list. The traps are what set Sundews apart from the rest, featuring cute sticky leaves that attract and capture small insects like flies and mosquitos. These modified leaves are surrounded by small hairs, each with a glob of sticky substance on the end that stops flying insects from escaping.

The tiny hairs wrap around the central pad when they catch something, ensuring there is absolutely no way to escape. Once digested after about a week, they will unravel again and produce more sticky nectar to attract another victim. Try the Cape Sundew, a South African native that also produces cute pink flowers.

Bladderworts

While the previous carnivorous plants have relatively simple trapping systems, the Bladderwort goes far beyond the call of duty to capture its food. These traps are not actually visible at first glance. Instead, they remain hidden under the soil. Some grow in soil and others prefer water, but the mechanisms are the same.

The small bladder traps open up below the surface, lined with tiny trigger hairs that snap the bladder shut as soon as any prey comes through. Attracted to their sticky nectar, bugs below the soil or water are drawn into these bladders and closed in, slowly digested to produce the leaves and flowers above the soil that gardeners love.