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New to VFTs

C

carbona

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Hello, I'm interested in purchasing a Venus Fly Trap, however, I'm very new to them and I'm not sure about how to care for them. I'm pretty positive that local pet stores don't know how to care for them, and I haven't found any spectacular care sites. I have a few (probably stupid) questions...

1. What exactly is dormancy?

2. What is the best type of insect to feed your VFT?

3. Can you raise your plant indoors, or does it require an outdoor environment?

4. What is the typical life span?

Any other information is gladly appreciated
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You're looking for an informative site? Check this one out. http://www.sarracenia.com/faq.html

1) Dormancy is the time period during which the plant rests for the coming spurt of growth in the spring.

2)Any insect will do. I recommend against bugs with a tough shell and bugs like moths. Flies, ants and other winged things are good.

3)If you raise it indoors, you will need a very sunny windowsill. Outdoors is easier, because you can let the plant get its own light and food.

4)Life span can be several decades. It will probably start clumping as it gets older, producing many plants to carry the legacy.

Hope this helps.

SF
 
This is a cool site on most of VFT mutants.
http://dionea.homestead.com/mutate.html

2) remember not to feed insects that are too larger (smaller than 1/3 size of trap)

3) It really depends on where to stay... Outdoor is the best due to natural light which is able to bring out full coloration in the traps
 
And you really don't need to feed them. They will grow fine without bugs, but then you might as well have a run-of-the-mill houseplant if you can't feed them a bug every now and again.

Dormancy usually starts in late fall and ends in early spring.

Growing outdoors is best. They like lots of direct sunlight. If growing inside, place them in a window that gets lots of sunlight during the day. The more light the better your VFT will like it.

Also, only water with pure water unless you have naturally soft water from the tap. Tap water in most areas is too hard (contains a lot of disolved minerals) for VFTs. It would be like spilling fertilizer on your lawn. Too much of a good thing is bad. VFT's grow in conditions where there is very little disolved minerals or other nutrients in the water or soil. RO (reverse osmosis), Distilled, Rain, or melted snow (unless it was yellow snow
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) are considered pure water.
 
From what I have heard, the only thing that causes a VFT to die is poor conditions or illness.
 
Also don`t feed the plant earthworms,as they will rot the traps. And you can`t keep vfts outdoors year round in all areas.
 
read my care cheet i psoted on tope of this forum .
 
You guys just about covered it all, except for one thing... you didn't welcome carbona to the forums. LOL So, welcome to the froums from all of us. Once you start growing your flytrap, it will become an addiction. I can testify to that. If you ever need anything just post.

God bless,
Wes
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Hi Carbona

Just wanted to welcome you to the forums.
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I think you've been given some good information but if you have any more questions, feel free to ask. I hope you jump in and get yourself a flytrap. Won't be too much longer before the plants will be coming out of dormancy and ready for spring growth so its a great time to have a VFT.

Hope you stick around and have fun.
smile.gif


Suzanne
 
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