New here & have questions!

[Wenny]

Hello All!

I'm new here, and to growing VFT's. I just bought one about a month ago, and it seems to be doing fine! It's got new traps coming up and all.

My first questions is this...

1. Why does it seem to have a weird slimy fungus growing on the moss??

2. How and when do I replant it?

3. What's the best way to water it?

I have my VFT out in the open, in a saucer of water to keep up the humidity (I live in Oregon, and we don't have hardly any humidity). This is what the lady at the store told me to do.

I would appreciate some advice!

Thanks,
Wen

 

[zappafan]

It could have slimy growth on top if the plant has received rainwater lately. The lady told you right about watering-leave an inch of water in the bottom of the saucer at all times. Don't let the plant ever totally dry out. Repotting is best done in early spring, just as the plant is coming out of dormancy-if your plant has a flower stalk coming up, and the leaves are still low lying and wide it should be a good time to repot.

 

[zappafan]

Hope this helps.

 

[PlantAKiss]

Hi Wenny

Welcome to the forums!  Good to have you join us.  

If you have a little slime in your pot, you can just gently scrape off a thin layer of soil to remove it and then replace it with fresh peat.  I get that in some of my pots.  Someone else here would be better at answering why you get that slime.  I remove it whenever I see it.

You probably do not need to repot your plant.  Its better to leave them undisturbed unless you can tell its outgrown its pot but being new, it probably has some growing to do before you need to do that.

I top water my VFTs but some people don't.  Mine are outside so they get rained on anyway.  Its good you have it in a saucer of water (which must be pure water--rain, distilled or reverse osmosis water only! ). Some people use only the tray method for water which means you keep about 1" of water in the saucer at all times; you don't want it to dry out.  I have never had problems with top watering.

I hope you enjoy your VFT and will try some more CPs in the future.  

Suzanne

 

[Wenny]

Thank you both for your help! I'm keeping it indoors in my house, and have it in water, and it's seeming to do well! It's grown since I've gotten it (which HAS to be a good thing

..)

~Wen~

 

[BobZ]

If you read the advice in these places, you will become an expert VFT grower:
http://www.sarracenia.com/faq/faq2000.html
http://www.petflytrap.com/vftcare.html
http://www.californiacarnivores.com/new_page_8.htm
http://www.dionea.homestead.com/nonexistent.html
Hope that helps.

 

[Ozzy]

If you are keeping it inside you need to make sure you give it enough light. Vft's need alot of light.
With watering I've gotten best results by letting the water evaporate from the tray before I add more water. That way the soil has a chance to dry a little bit to prevent a fungus growth. When I say dry a little I don't mean to let it dry out. As soon as the water is totaly gone from the tray add more.
Go to the sites that BobZ listed, they have very good growing advice.
Good luck