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Help! My VFT are dieing, I dont know how to help

Crap, My VFT were good when I bought them (2) and Im new at VFT growing. Well one was very well off,... the other look like it had just started. Now the small one died from its leafs turning black (and traps) and just decays. Now the second one is having the same thing?

Heres some pics:

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Notice Left side... the leave just turns black.
Now look at the bottom leaf... it turns black before the trap?


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Closeup of the trap that has its leaf turning black... how did this occur?

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Another look at the plant...

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Another look at it...



What do I do? I had them in there original growing pots... it was a moss type soil? Now, the small one started todecay when it was in those... so I planted the good one in a pop bottle to try to and give it more moister? I think thats why they are turning black. I spray it like 3 times a decay.. it seems to do a TAD better.. could just be thinking they are doing better..

But Its in a dirt soil surrounding (still in its moss pot) with some fish rocks on the top to make it look pretty.

What do I do? The leafs and every part seems to rot and decay I see no moss or anything wrong? They just die.

Also, I started leaving it outside lots and they dried out and turned black.. so ive been growing it indoors for a week or two and its doing better but still dieing. What can I do?
 
Eek. Was reading that I shouldn;t give it tap water? Why? Ive been giving it that..... whats bad about it? Could that be the problem?
 
ya big big problem,go out and buy some cheap distilled water for under a dollar per gallon.and also try rinsing the root system with that distilled water to get any minerals that may have built up in the soil.
 
Hi.
Tap water contains minerals, salts and chlorine, all of which burn the roots of carnivorous plants over time. Their roots are generally only used to suck up water, as there isn't much else for them in the impoverished soils they live in. All the stuff that normal plants suck up through the roots are instead absorbed through the leaves in the form of insects!
 
So can I buy bottled water and use it? Or do I need Distilled water? What If I let water sit and dochlorinate it... is that still good?
 
You can buy aquafina, which is 1 liter of distilled water for a buck. Just buy distilled water, a buck for a gallon of it. Never buy "Natural Spring Water" It has more minerals than tap water. If your in a pinch, Use Tap water that been filtered through one of them pur or brita things, but dont do it often.
 
Welcome to the forums Sherkborg,
 
Distilled, RO (reverse osmosis), and rain water can be used to water VFTs.  You need to rinse the soil thoroughly to get the mineral build up flushed out or repot them in new peat moss.  I can get distilled water for 72¢ a gallon incl. tax at the grocerie store

Tap water will still have the minerals in if it sits to dechlorinate and boiling the water tends to concentrate the minerals.

Avoid getting spring water or any bottled water that's had stuff added to make it taste better.  They usually have minerals in them naturally or add minerals to them for flavor.
 
Ok, I bought 8L of no salt, no minerals destiled water. =)

So another side question.... is this why my plant is turning black? It seems healthy but it keeps dieing with no signs of why.
 
I read somewhere that fish rocks are not good for CP potting. Are your fish rocks straight out of the bag or did you wash them first?

Also, the rocks prevent the sphagnum peat moss from receiving light and therefore the moss will not grow. VFT and sphagnum moss makes good "roommates"
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. Remove the rocks and let them live in co-habitation
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.
 
  • #10
K, I think im gonna need to rebuy moss then. What type of moss and all this? Cause the moss is covered by some normal dirt and then the rocks. Im sure its dieing or gonna die. Thus I should probally transplant no? My plants are already taking a dieing plunge and unless this distilled water helps transplanting them will do nothing more.
 
  • #11
You need to get Spagnum pete moss. Most people mix it with perlite to airate the mixture. Stay FAR away from conventional potting soil.
Good luck!
 
  • #12
I have pretty good luck with Schultz Canadian sphagnum peat moss.  You can find it in most garden centers in with the rest of the potting soils.  Just make sure that what ever the brand is, it does not have fertilizer in it.
 
  • #13
Normal dirt is not good for CPs. They are nitrogen-rich and will slowly kill your VFT
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When you buy your peat moss, make sure it's labeled "Sphagnum" peat moss
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You can mix it 1:1 with perlite or sand (washed until water clear, if playground type). Some hardware stores like Lowes or Home Depot sell dryed long-fibered Sphagnum moss, which is also a very good potting medium for CPs.

What ever you decide to buy is fine, just get your VFT repotted ASAP, while it's still alive
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  • #14
Hello,

Brita is not 'Betta' for VFT'S. Rain water, Distilled water, bottled R.O. water (no sodium).

I use Pure Canadian Sphagnum peat, it's the most acidic. I then mix it to almost to equal parts perlite. Silica sand is fine, not regular sand like beach sand, too much calcium, salts. etc.

The thing about sand however, is that it tends to gather at the bottom eventually, where perlite seems to stay in place better. Sand does look more natural, though. I don't think your pretty rocks at the top is hurting anything. They are large enough that enough oxygen is still reaching the medium. Your rocks could cook the plants if put in Sunlight because of heat reflection. Rocks retain heat. Remember, you are not dealing with a common house plant. VP'S need a sterile environment; over and out. Pure Soil and Pure water! That's how they evolved into Carnivores in the first place.

The book 'The Savage Garden' helped me tremendously. I bought mine from Amazon, used for half price.
 
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