Venus Flytrap Care Sheet

Getting started

Please pot your Venus flytrap as soon as possible after receipt (if shipped bare root) and move it to a spot that gets bright filtered light all day. Acclimate the plant to its new environment gradually.

The plant may show signs of stress after shipping, such as closed or blackening traps. This is normal, closed traps will re-open and new traps will grow with appropriate care.

You may notice your new Venus flytrap has black roots. This is normal! Venus flytraps naturally have long, thin black roots. They're fine and not rotted.

Potting medium

Use a 3:1 peat:perlite mix, 100% chopped long-fiber sphagnum, or equal parts peat, perlite, and sphagnum. You can find long-fiber sphagnum on Amazon or at orchid supply stores; peat and perlite are sold at most garden centers that carry potting soil. We recommend the Besgrow Spagmoss brand of sphagnum.

Do not use standard potting soil or fertilizer.

The medium must be thoroughly moistened before potting: soak the sphagnum or peat in a bowl of appropriate water (see Water below) for 30 minutes, then squeeze out the excess.

Growing indoors? Use 100% chopped sphagnum or 2:1 sphagnum:perlite for extra aeration. Peat-based mixes aren't recommended indoors, but if it's all you have, a 1:1 or 2:1 peat:perlite mix can work. Peat-based mixes are prone to mildew and fungus gnats in indoor environments.

Pots

Plastic pots are preferred. Never use terra cotta or anything that may leach minerals into the medium. Opaque Solo cups with holes punched in the bottom work great as temporary pots.

Water & humidity

Use distilled, rain, or RO water only. You can also use a ZeroWater pitcher, but regularly test the TDS and replace the filter as needed.

Keep the medium moist but not waterlogged. Fill the dish with with 1/4" of water, let the dish dry, then wait until the top of the medium is a little dry before refilling.

Tap water will kill Venus flytraps. Even a small amount of chlorine is harmful.

Indoor-grown Venus flytraps do not need misting or high humidity, and won't be happy in a terrarium.

Sunlight

Venus flytraps need very bright light to thrive. Full sun outdoors when the temps are mild, filtered sun outdoors in the hot summer monnths, or bright filtered light in a greenhouse are good rules to follow.

For indoor growing, a full-specrum LED grow light and timer are recommended. You can get grow lights online that clamp to a table and feature adjustable lamp arms. For best results indoors, situate the plant and grow light a foot or so from an east-facing window for some extra natural lighting "oomph". During the active growing season, set the timer to 10 - 12 hours "on" in a 24-hour period.

Winter dormancy

Venus flytraps need a period of dormancy in winter or they won't live very long. Growers in the southern or western United States may be able to grow flytraps outdoors year-round with a natural dormancy through the winter. Growers elsewhere may need to provide a protected dormancy: an unheated greenhouse, 2 - 3 months in the fridge, reduced photo period (when grown under lights), or an unheated garage / basement.

Reduced photo period (easy): When growing Venus flytraps under artificial light, adjusting the timer to 4-6 hours "on" in a 24-hour period can simulate the shorter days of winter and encourage dormancy. You can also "follow the sun" by adjusting the light schedule to mimic natural daylight hours if growing near a window.

Fridge method (advanced): Bare-root your plant and wrap the roots in damp long-fiber sphagnum. Place it in a produce drawer for 2 - 3 months, making sure the sphagnum stays damp.

Feeding

Outdoors: Please do not feed your outdoor Venus flytrap. It should catch bugs naturally while growing outdoors.

Indoors: Venus flytraps really only need the occasional meal and will likely catch what they need from flies, gnats, and spiders inside your home.

Pests

Venus flytraps are rarely bothered by pests. Treat fungus gnats by sprinkling a very sparing amount of mosquito bits on the medium surface.

Maintenance

Cut off flower stalks before the flowers open; Venus flytrap flowers take too much energy from the plant and may cause it to decline or die. Regularly remove dead leaves (traps and the flat stalks they're attached to), and remove any carpet moss that grows on top of the medium.