What's new
TerraForums Venus Flytrap, Nepenthes, Drosera and more talk

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Proper watering...

I just got my double planted common venus flytrap in a few days ago, At first I was terribly upset when it arrived and I almost ended its life. Because I received it sunday... When there was no mail... And that meant it had been left in the mailbox overnight when it was 30 degrees! But... I got it out quickly, it was freezing! I put it in a shallow bowl... and I watered it with... FILTERED TAP WATER... PLEASE someone tell me that filtered tap water is ok for them... He doesnt seem to be effected.. I will be buying distilled water soon. But he arrived with over 4 dead traps... I think that was from the cold... or the double planting, he has 3 large main traps, and many small half dead ones still hanging on that I will cut tommorow.
 
Druid-man,
Unless you have really hard water (you have to break it off in pieces from the tap to drink it
wink.gif
), one watering isn't likely to hurt the plants. Once you get your distilled water, you can rinse the soil several time with it to flush the minerals from the tap water out of the soil. Just water carefully from the top and let the excess run into the sink. Repeat that a couple times and you should be fine.
It's not uncommon for the plants to be in shock for a week or two because of being banged around in the mail and then having to get used to a new home. So don't worry if it just seems to sit in it's dish not growing. As long as the new leaves in the center of your plant look healthy, your plant is probably fine.

smile.gif

BCK
 
Yes, I agrea with BCK, just don't make a habbit of using the filterd water it's yucky :p I'm sure your plants will be fine.
 
use reverse osmosis water, RO, and nothing else but rain water
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (fre8train @ Feb. 26 2004,19:35)]use reverse osmosis water, RO, and nothing else but rain water
Er, distilled water is technically the best. Don't leave that off the list.
 
I agree your VFT will be fine, but go to the store and buy distilled water today! Wal-mart sells a brand at only 56 cents a gallon.
biggrin.gif
Good luck with it!
 
OK! My VFT is setup now. Since my house is on a hill, with lots of other houses around me, We dont get the best sunlight... So, My Common VFT spends his time under a Desk Lamp in my bedroom for around 7-9 hours of his day, Then I turn it off, and make the room moderatly dark, I close my blinds, to where its pretty dark, then each hour I slowly close the door a little bit more. And he gets a small drain of light from the hallway light. Until finally I shut it tight when I go to bed, so not as to flood him with darkness all of the sudden. No, Dont worry, The light doesnt heat up his soil, its a flourecent Desk lamp. Hes got a small tiny tray, that comes out maybe 1 inch around the base of his pot, I put about 1 inch of distilled water in every time it goes dry. And, Ive given him a medium sized black spider, into his largest trap yesterday, he is working on it. So far he seems to be getting redder in the traps from the light im giving him, its pretty direct, since hes right underneath it. So far he looks in good health, even from that nasty water, it didnt hurt him I guess! I doing anything wrong? Tell me! Quick!
rock.gif
 
Only feed it about once a month. Give it a longer photoperiod.
 
I would say you don't need to worry about lowering the light slowly......plants don't have eyes
biggrin.gif
 
  • #10
you could just turn the light off and it would be fine
 
  • #11
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Odysseus @ Feb. 26 2004,14:28)]I agree your VFT will be fine, but go to the store and buy distilled water today!  Wal-mart sells a brand at only 56 cents a gallon.  
biggrin.gif
 Good luck with it!
58 LOL>!
 
  • #12
I use filtered water! Distilled water is too expenisve in Singapore! My plants seem fine...
smile.gif
good luck!
 
  • #13
Oh, Ok, Sorry... I thought somehow if suddenly a plant is getting flooded with all this light, and its just cut off immediatly from it, It can hurt it, As its all "Opened" sucking in this light, and BOOM all the sudden the energy is gone... Such as, The plant is using more energy than it would get from the water to suck in the light, which equals enough, but then suddenly its still using its energy for a time ot come wehn theyre no more light.
 
  • #14
i would give it more light (more hours with the light on). i have my lights on for about 16 hours a day. also, remember that floursesnt lights loose a lot of their output after about 6 months, so if you are using an old light, you might want to replace the bulb.

as for using filtered tap water, just remember that everyone's water is different. distilled, rain, and reverse osmosis (r.o.) are all acceptable for your cp's.

enjoy!
technoracer
 
  • #15
I watered my plants with Tap water for over a year now and my plants still there and healthy
 
  • #16
[b said:
Quote[/b] (pond boy @ Mar. 01 2004,20:40)]
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Odysseus @ Feb. 26 2004,14:28)]I agree your VFT will be fine, but go to the store and buy distilled water today!  Wal-mart sells a brand at only 56 cents a gallon.  
biggrin.gif
 Good luck with it!
58 LOL>!
33¢/gal from the RO dispencer at the front of the store.
biggrin.gif


smile.gif

BCK
 
  • #17
[b said:
Quote[/b] (pb4ever @ Mar. 07 2004,13:46)]I watered my plants with Tap water for over a year now and my plants still there and healthy
Yea, thats what happened with my old plants, I had them around two years, and there last year of life I watered them with tap water... they seemed fine... But they slowly died... I will never make that stupid mistake again...

OK! The bulb my vft is sitting under is new, I just bought it a few months ago, And I hardly turned it on after that. So, now, I have his light on from 6:30 to around 10 at night... Thats good, RIGHT? Anyways, the trap that I put the spider thing in, just opened, and BOY, the spider is completely gone! It took it two weeks... but man... It did good!
 
Back
Top