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Growing Venus Flytrap in Low Humidity

Well, im going to buy a venus flytrap in California, of the United States: Plant Hardiness Zone 9a-9b. Over here on average, humidity is 17-22% in summer, (and temperatures get up to 105 degrees farenhight.) and 50-70% humidity in winter.

So my question is..Do I need a terrarium or something? And, can I put it inside? (I really dont want to have to use heatlamps and UV lights indoors). And, is there anything else I need to do?


Notes: I already have a small pot which looks pretty roomy for a young VFT, with a mixture of perlite and peat moss. And, I have a gallon of distilled water. (I heard normal drinking water is death to them)
 
I am pretty sure you can just put it outside... thats what i do with my minibog (sarracenias and dionea) and ihave not had a problem yet. The humidity is not neaded for venus flytraps.
 
I dont really know the breed, but its going to be those you can pick up packaged in Home Depot/Lowes
 
haha they are not fragile they are hardy resilient little plants and they do not need high humidity I have mine outside in the rain sun hail wind etc and I keep them outside in winter because the coldest it gets here is like 20f and thats fine during dormancy for a few days just cover them up with a tarp if there is dry freezing wind.
If you got the plant at the hardware store you are going to have to acclimate it.
and by breed do you mean cultivar? cultivar stands for cultivated variety we use that instead of hybrids becuase there is no such thing as a vft hybrid, there is only one species of venus flytrap.
I am guessing its the typical form.

oh oh you said you are going to buy have you not bought it yet?
then get a healthy plant from
http://www.flytrapshop.com/ instead of a sick vft from the hardware store.
and btw I live in zone 8, your vft's are fine outside in CA
 
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Yeah flytrapsshop.ocm has great Venus Fly traps and all other plants i would recommend em if you havnt buoght your plants yet
 
Thanks guys, I didnt know the VFT were that risilent, most websites treat them as if theyre made of glass. And thanks for the clarification, Ill use "cultivar" next time.:)
 
Just make sure that the pot you use is not terra cotta or any unglazed clay pot.
Those are usually avoided for carnivorous plants because they can leech minerals into the soil and evaporation through the pot will be high because it's porous. Also, moss can grow on terra cotta, which sucks.
 
Welcome and congratulations! By coming here and asking questions first, you're already ahead of 95% of the pack!

They're only made of glass insofar as they're living creatures that can die when not properly cared for. People assume that VFTs work just like conventional houseplants and that's where they go wrong. Goldfish aren't hard to keep, but if you fill their bowl with soda and feed them potato chips, they won't last long. There are just a few tips:
- Mineral-free water is needed; filtered by distillation, reverse osmosis, or deionization
- Direct sunlight is important; VFTs like it very bright
- The substrate should also be low in dissolved minerals and other free nutrients; sphagnum products, perlite, ceramic, quartz or silica are a few safe components
- VFTs expect (and therefore need) a cold, subtropical-to-temperate winter each year during which they go dormant and recover for the upcoming flowering season
- Air circulation is key; the roots need oxygen to do their thing, so when it's dim outside (winter, etc.) and photosynthesis isn't generating a lot of excess oxygen, the roots should be at least partially clear of standing water so that they get some gas exchange

There are also a few tips that are much like the above, but people seem to get hung up on:
- Humidity isn't critical; so long as the plant has enough light and the soil is damp, it can draw water effectively
- Brita water is not mineral-free
- Even if it hurts your eyes to look at them, indoor lights are not as bright as the sun
- Disease (mold from stale air, rot from overfeeding) or exhaustion (not enough light, lack of dormancy) will kill your plant before lack of humidity, lack of pet store crickets and lunchmeat, lack of fluorescent lights, etc.
- You really do need mineral-free water

(Ceramic pots are OK for VFTs and CPs in general if they are clean and new, but used ones that have been exposed to tap water and conventional potting mix are no good because they contain lots of trace nutrients and leach them back out. Ceramic pots are doable, but it's mostly like Nitecrawler said. They usually aren't ideal.)

Best luck,
~Joe
 
Thanks seedjar!
Your info are clear, and very helpful to me.
Thanks to your generous sharing.:-D
Duckking was sooo lucky. haha~
Oh! PitcherPlant thanks to your good question.
Thanks my friend.
 
  • #10
We have hobbyists from the desert Southwest who successfully grow VFT's outside. Just keep watering them and/or provide deep pots. I would also start them out in "bright shade" so as not to burn them right off the bat.
 
  • #12
mine is outside in full sun since last fall and is doing great....i bet it can be grown year round outside in socal.
 
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