It's the dormant time of the year again...

I hate this time of the year. Yes its cold, often damp, probably soon to be snowy and icy and the days are far too short. To top that off though, carnivorous plants go dormant until about March/April time and currently look.........a bit crap really. In Spring, they will once again form new traps and stand colourful and tall and ready to help diminish the insect population.

Until then though, I am continuing to work on the new website. And by "work", I mean of course telling the designer what I am after! All being well, it will be up and running by next spring and I can start selling some plants. Not just via the website though, but also, perhaps even more importantly, through car boot sales. I enjoyed being at the Caythorpe Gala this year (or last year if your reading this in January!). It was a good opportunity to talk to people about these plants and also to put my finger on the pulse of what people were after and interested in. One of the best examples being that although venus flytraps are the most well known plant, it was the Pitcher Plant's that generated probably the most interest for people.

I also found out this year that Venus flytraps, or any plants for that matter, can't be posted internationally to Europe. I put a group of 6 flytraps on ebay, setting the, erm, settings to make sure only people from the UK could buy them. Somehow, the winning bidder was from Latvia. I didn't really bother questioning how it happened in spite of my specific settings, but instead set out to post it to his/her country, curious as to how much it would cost me in postage.

I took the parcel to the post office, and the lady said "do you mind me asking what is in the box?". I told her "oh, nothing too expensive, just a few venus flytraps". "Oh", she said. "You can't post them to Europe". Low and behold, she gave me a leaflet containing the 7000 item categories you're not allowed to post abroad, and the 3 items you are. I apologised to the ebayer and refunded him/her. Was feeling slightly crushed that being an international seller of these plants went out of the window though. Still, this mean's that I will be completely focused on the national sales for these plants and frankly, I can't wait!

Venus Flytrap Care Guide

Venus flytrap Care Guide

Light

If you are keeping your flytrap indoors, its best to keep it in a south facing window to maximize the amount of light it can receive, as these plants love light and it is good for them to get at least 4 hours of sunlight each day. Alternatively, you can place your flytrap outside, but make sure it’s in an area that is open enough to get direct sunlight, but make sure it isn’t in a location where it could get knocked over by gusts of wind. If you keep your plant outside, you should still bring it in during winter as flytraps aren’t keen on frost.

Water

Do NOT use tap water, use Rainwater

Tap water contains chemicals which will harm the plant. You can use distilled water, reverse osmosis water, but the best water to use is rain water. Stand them in 1 - 2 cm of rain water, but during the winter months, its best to just keep them damp (such as using a mist spray) rather than fill the tray up with water.

Feeding

I could say that you don’t need to feed your plant because it can catch insects by itself, especially if it’s outside…..but I know you will anyway, because I still do! Your flytrap will do fine even if it only eats one insect every few weeks (that’s the whole plant, not a single trap). If you’re going to feed it, feed it live insects.

The trigger sensors on the inside of the trap need to sense movement in order for the trap to know it has caught live prey. Each trap can close and open (with an insect inside) roughly 3 – 4 times until the trap dies off. If it falsely closes (for instance, you put your finger in the trap to make it close, which I advise against but I know  you will do it!), it can close and open 5 – 7 times before the trap dies. Each time the plant falsely closes (due to your fingers), the plant’s energy is wasted. This energy could be used by the plant to make even bigger traps!

Don’t feed the plant an insect that is too big. When the plant closes, it makes itself air tight and releases digestive enzymes, but if it isn’t able to close fully, it can become vulnerable to bacteria (the trap, not the plant).

Winter dormancy

Winter dormancy for a flytrap typically takes place from late October to February. During dormancy, the plants leaves will die back and so it is important to prune them. If your flytrap is outside, bring it inside, preferably somewhere where it still gets daylight but feels cooler (such as a conservatory).

Flowering

Usually around June/July time, these plants will start producing stalks for flowers. Typically speaking, it is usually best to cut these stalks when they are less than a few inches long as the flytraps put a lot of effort into making them and can weaken the plant. If you really want to see the flower or are planning on collecting the seeds, by all means, let the flower grow. But if you’re more interested in having a healthier plant that produces good sized traps, its best to prune the stalk.

Repotting

Flytraps don’t grow as fast as other plants and therefore, only need to be repotted every year or two. It’s usually best to buy compost mixes specifically for carnivorous plants from online retailers, but failing that, get ‘nutrient free’ peat from your local garden centre. It is important that the peat be nutrient free, otherwise the plant will likely die.

Growth

One of the misconceptions of Venus flytraps is that the traps that are there when the plant is brought are the only traps it will have and that they will grow and that when a trap goes brown/black, the plant is dying. None of the above is true.

Flytraps are constantly growing new traps that you will see emerge from the centre of the plant. These new traps will replace the old ones and the plant will continue to make these new traps during the entirety of the growing season. Individual traps naturally get brown/black as it is part of their life cycle. When this happens, prune them (only the brown bits).  

 Another thing that some traps do when their trapping days are over is open extremely wide to the point that the trap is no longer cupped. When a trap is like this, it is being used by the plant purely for photosynthesis.

Pitcher Plant Care Guide

Pitcher Plant Care Guide

Light

Pitcher plants enjoy sunlight and if they are being kept indoors, a south facing window is ideal. These plants are typically winter hardy (UK) and can be kept outdoors (though I would recommend bringing them in during the winter). If you keep them outdoors, place them in a position that gets plenty of sunlight but is protected from the wind.

Water

Do NOT use tap water, use rainwater

Tap water contains chemicals which will harm the plant. You can use distilled water, reverse osmosis water, but the best water to use is rain water. Stand them in 1 - 2 cm of rain water but during the winter months, its best to just keep them damp (such as using a mist spray) rather than fill the tray up with water.

Feeding

Insects are attracted to the colour of the plant and the rim of the pitcher which is covered in sweet nectar. While the insects are walking around, the rim, things get slippery. It is also believed that the nectar is poisoned and can make insect’s ‘drunk’. All these things combined and the prey will fall down into the trap. Downward pointing hairs prevent the prey from escaping. 

Pitcher plants only need a person to feed them if they are being kept in a place which doesn’t typically get flies. In which case, feel free to feed it houseflies or hoverflies.

If they are in a greenhouse or outdoors, they will catch plenty of food themselves. Sometimes they catch so much food that they get indigestion, and their traps go brown and can fall over – though this is a good sign.

 

Winter dormancy

Pitcher plants like to be cool in the winter. An unheated greenhouse or conservatory is ideal but they are also ok outside, as long as they are in a fairly sheltered position. Prune the brown traps over winter. Keep damp during the winter.

Repotting

Pitcher plants only need to be repotted every year or two. It’s usually best to buy compost mixes specifically for carnivorous plants from online retailers, but failing that, get ‘nutrient free’ peat from your local garden centre. It is important that the peat be nutrient free, otherwise the plant will likely die. 

Growth

Given ideal conditions and good care, pitcher plants can grow up to be just over 1 metre tall. New traps will be produced from the centre of the plant fairly regularly and after a while, the current traps will start to go brown in parts. Typically, brown markings on the traps are an indicator of indigestion, this is a good sign. After a while, these traps will weaken and eventually flop over. 

Personally, if a trap does this but still has good colour in it, I leave it for a while (figuring it’s probably still digesting its food), but when much of the trap starts turning brown, then it can be pruned.

Sundew Care Guide

Sundew Care Guide

Light

Sundews are the ideal windowsill plant. Putting them in a place that receives a lot of sun is fine, but in the wild, sundews grow among grass and larger plants, so they don’t mind being in the shade for part of the day, as long as they get a couple of hours of sunlight. They can be grown outdoors, provided the climate is warm enough, but it’s usually best to bring them indoors during winter.

Water                            

Do NOT use tap water, use  rainwater

Tap water contains chemicals which will harm the plant. You can use distilled water, reverse osmosis water, but the best water to use is rain water. Stand the pot in 1 - 2 cm of rain water, but during the winter months, its best to just keep them damp (such as using a mist spray) rather than fill the tray up with water.

Feeding

The leaves of a sundew are littered with tentacles which have what looks like a dew type substance on the end of them. Insects are attracted to them by the sweet mucilage and when they land on one of these tentacles, they get stuck! 

The tentacles near to the prey all lean towards the prey to prevent it from escaping and bring it towards the leaf of the plant for it to get digested. In the case of some plants, such as the Drosera Capensis, this can all happen within a few minutes. In the case of a Capensis, the leaf itself will sometimes actually curl over the insect to make sure it’s well and truly trapped.

Sundews most commonly eat small insects such as gnats and small houseflies. If you see a small fly going around the house, when it lands, you can use the sundew to catch it (feeding time!). Just be sure not to overwhelm the leaf with too many insects. Depending on their size, only a few insects are more than enough per leaf. Though like the flytrap, they are good at catching insects on their own.  

Winter dormancy

Winter dormancy for a sundew typically takes place from late October to February. During dormancy, the plants leaves will lose their stickiness and die back and so it is important to prune them. If your sundew is outside, bring it inside, preferably somewhere where it still gets daylight but feels cooler (such as a conservatory).

5 waterbutts are better than 3!

Anyone who lives in the UK will know that up until a couple of days ago, there has been no rain for several weeks. All good and well for those who enjoy 28'c temperatures and near constant sun, but not so good if you have plants that require rainwater.

I got so low on rainwater that a few of my plants either died (either completely or just died back). Fortunately I have a kind neighbour who allowed me to take some of her rainwater. This rainwater allowed me to water all of my plants and since then, I've brought another couple of waterbutts and we've had rain and storms and have more to come!

A truly nasty plant

I often get asked, "can carnivorous plants hurt a person?" The short answer is: no, the long answer is "no they dont".

I recently read a news article about a particular type of plant called a 'Giant Hogweed'. A plant so nasty and invasive that in the UK, it is actually an offensive to plant one in the wild.

"The sap of giant hogweed causes phytophotodermatitis in humans, resulting in blisters, long-lasting scars, and—if it comes in contact with eyes—blindness. These serious reactions are due to the furocoumarin derivatives in the leaves, roots, stems, flowers, and seeds of the plant."

Source: wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heracleum_mantegazzianum

Top tip: Use Sundews to catch flies

It can often be awkward trying to catch flies with your fingers or even trying to zap them with one of those tennis racket shaped zappers, but sundews work a treat.

The great thing about them is, not just that they are sticky so they stop even the largest of flies briefly enough for you to grab hold of them, but also because flies dont seem to be afraid of sundews. Try to catch a fly with your finger and they will usually fly off before you get chance to grab them. But with using a sundew, the flies either dont fly away and get stuck to the plant, or in some cases, they even fly into it.

Some more photos

Most of my plants are in full form now:

Carnivorous Plants FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

What is a carnivorous plant?

A carnivorous plant is a type of plant which lives in areas where the soil is poor in nutrients and has evolved to get its nutrients by attracting, trapping and digesting insects (and in some cases, small rodents).

How many species of carnivorous plants are there?

There are nearly 700 species and sub species of carnivorous plants known to exist.

How do they trap their prey?

The three ‘main’ ways that these plants trap their prey are ‘pitfall’ traps, ‘flypaper’ traps and ‘snap’ traps.

Pitfall traps are typically long and narrow. Insects walk around the slippery ‘lip’ of the plant. If they fall in, it is hard for them to get out as there are downward pointing hairs and all sides of the interior of the plant are slippery. The North American pitcher plant (Sarracenia) get narrower the further down to the bottom it gets. This means that if, for example, a fly gets trapped, it isn’t able to extend its wings to get out. Also, the vibration of it attempting to use its wings can often lead to it falling further down the trap. Tropical pitcher plants (Nepenthes) slightly differ to this as there is often water/digestive enzymes at the bottom of the trap which causes the prey to drown.

Flypaper traps, such as Sundew, contain sticky tentacles. Insects are attracted to these tentacles and when they land, the get stuck. Over time, these tentacles wrap themselves around the insect to prevent it from escaping and bring it closer towards the centre of the leaf. Depending on what type of sundew it is, the leaves themselves can wrap around the insect. Once the insect is in place, the plant releases its digestive enzymes to consume the nutrients from the insect.

Snap traps are the type of traps that a venus flytrap has. Insects are attracted to the traps because of the colour and sweet nectar. Each trap has 6 trigger hairs, 3 on each side. When one of the hairs is touched, it starts a 30 second countdown timer. If the same hair or another hair is touched within that time, the trap will shut. It is still under debate as to exactly how the trap shuts. The long hairs at the top of the flytrap are to help prevent insects from escaping, but they don’t completely shut immediately. When the trap closes, they come close together enough to trap large flies but still leave space incase it has trapped prey so small that they aren’t worth the plants energy for the digestive process and can let the insect escape.

How big do they get?

Venus flytraps (the plants themselves) usually grow to be about 15 cm across. The traps themselves don’t typically get any bigger than 5cm across.

Pitcher plants vary a great deal, but the North American pitcher plant can grow up to 3ft tall (after several years of good conditions, though they are typically smaller. My tallest one is about 2ft). Tropical pitcher plants are usually up to 20 cm in length (though typically smaller). Some of the largest ones in the world are wide enough to put your fist in!

Sundews vary drastically on size, depending on the species. The smallest ones are no more than 1cm across. The largest ones can be just over 1ft in length.

Are they easy to grow?

The most common question I get asked. The answer is yes, I think they are. Obviously with any plant, there are ‘ideal’ conditions to get the most out of them by keeping them in x amount of humidity or x amount of sunlight. Truth is, certainly for the venus flytrap, I’ve kept them room, the kitchen windowsill, outside, in a mini plastic greenhouse and in a full sized greenhouse and obviously conditions vary.

The most important rules of thumb for the plants that I know most about (Venus flytrap, Pitcher Plant and Sundew) are:

1.      ONLY give them rain water. Tap water contains chemicals that can harm the plant.

2.      Keep them standing in about 2-3 cm of rainwater

3.      Keep them in a sunny position if possible. South facing windowsill is ideal but as long as they get some sunlight, it should be ok.

4.      Prune off dead bits

Ahh but food. What about feeding them?

If they are outdoors (I’d recommend bringing them in during winter if you keep them outdoors) they should get enough food by themselves. If they are indoors, it might be good to feed them a fly or two maybe every few weeks. If you feed them insects, they should be alive for the VFT and sundew as they respond to the movement of their prey, whereas pitcher plants will eat whatever you put in them, alive or dead.

Will these plants hurt me? After all, they are carnivorous

Yes they will eat you, probably when you are sleeping. Only joking of course. It is kind of odd them being called carnivorous plants, since insects aren’t meat. But no, these plants will not harm you at all. If you check my youtube channel (www.youtube.com/fnglazz) you will see I have several videos of me putting my fingers inside the traps. There is no pain, its only two leaves closing on your fingers.  I wouldn’t recommend putting your finger in the traps of the flytrap only because it harms the plant as it uses up energy to close itself. As for the pitcher plants and sundews; the pitchers have no moving parts and the worst thing you’ll get from sundews is sticky fingers.

Do these plants make for good fly repellents?

Yes and no. A repellent is something that drives insects away. These plants will attract them. However, if you have an area where insects (such as flies) frequently visit, then these plants will divert there attention and may even catch a few! Also – worth noting that pitcher plants (Sarracenia) are better at attracting insects and can catch more than the VFT’s

What soil should they be repotted into?

If you repot one of these plants, its usually best to either buy the correct compost from one of the carnivorous plant retail websites, or buy 'nutrient-free' peat from your local garden centre. Make sure the peat is without any nutrients or the plant will not survive.

So what do you think the best plant is?

The venus flytrap will always be my favourite plant. The way it looks, the mechanism of its traps etc. But the truth is, it’s a bit of a false hero. It’s the most well known carnivorous plant of them all, by far, but its not the best. The best plant for attracting insects than can catch the most are the pitcher plants.

When I go into the greenhouse in the middle of summer, there are maybe one or two flies walking around ALL of my flytraps, whereas some of my pitcher plants have that amount of flies walking around a single trap. Most of the flies hang about around the pitcher plant area and only occasionally visit the venus flytraps.

There’s also the quantity of insects that can be trapped. A VFT might have 4 or 5 traps, but will typically trap one insect at once, and that trap can be closed for over a week while the digestive process is taking place. Whereas if a pitcher plant has that many traps, and its of decent size (say 1ft), insects will keep falling into it and it can catch several dozen insects per trap. I have known pitcher plants to catch so many flies that they get filled to the rim (literally) and if an insect falls into the trap, it will walk over the other flies and climb out again.

That being said, when an insect lands on a pitcher plant, more often than not, it won’t get trapped. Whereas if an insect of decent size (i.e.: small) lands on a sundew, its instantly stuck. Same as if a fly walks across the trap of a flytrap, chances are it will get trapped. In other words, Pitcher plants are the best at attracting and can catch by far the largest numbers of insects, but sundews and venus flytraps are better at catching the insects once they land.