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I think I killed them...

Codemaze

Cool Gamer
Hey guys! This is my first post. I’m just now getting serious in the whole CP scene and I bought one of those goofy kids’ terrarium kits called Bug-Biting Plants a week ago. It came with a venus flytrap and a pitcher plant (I forgot the specific names) and I think they’re pretty much dead. They were covered in little dead traps and pitchers when I opened the box but I thought that might be normal. Over the past few days the (flytrap?) had one long stem surrounded by tiny dead traps and it has been losing color ever since I got it. The (pitcher?) was basically a seed covered in dead mass but was still green at the core so I figured it was fine. That has been losing color too. I honestly am not sure what I did wrong. I have them potted in the sphagnum moss they came with layered on top of the soil they came with and they’re wet all the time with distilled or heavily filtered water (from a Berkey filter). They get plenty of sun on a comfy windowsill.
 
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The plants in those kits are never in very good health. But besides that there are a few things to consider. Flytraps and sarracenia are full sun plants. The light that comes through a window is comparatively weak. Full sun on a window is similar to dappled sun outdoors. They should also be in the process of going dormant for the winter if they're healthy.
 
I should mention I had them outside for a while. It could just be dormancy. I guess we'll see come spring.
 
Hmm... I'm not even sure what I'm looking at in those photos but they look completely dead. As was mentioned temperate cps (like VFT and Sarracenia) should be heading into dormancy now anyway so might not be the best time to pick new ones up unless you want to watch them sleep. :p If you want to PM me your address I'd be happy to send you some Drosera seeds to toss in those pots so you at least have a chance of seeing something happen. It just doesn't look promising to me on either one of them. :sorry:
 
I actually have a backup plan. I have a S. leucophylla and a D. Capensis ready to put in that pot right now, so I think I’ll do just that. I might still take you up on that offer though lol. I’m pretty excited for this stuff.
 
Howdy Codemaze,

Where in IL are you? I was in Champaign for a few years but had field sites around the state.

I agree with what others have stated, but have an additional observation. Your Berkey filter is likely not going to produce water that is appropriate for carnivorous plants. One of their selling points is that they do not filter out minerals like Ca or Mg. So if you are putting in water with high total dissolved solids (TDS), you're likely going to get the same TDS in the final product. Best to stick with distiller or reverse osmosis water, unless you know that the water you're putting into your home filter has a low mineral content.

Best of luck, and let us know how things are going. Plenty of helpful people here!
 
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