| Well first of all VFTs LOVE humdity along with just about any other CP. They also like to be kept very moist, but not waterlogged. They also don't like water with nutrients in it because they get their nutrients from the bugs they eat. So you have to give it either distilled water or rain water. They love the acid in rain water. The best way to give them water is to put the water in a small tray then put the pot on top of it. That way there is always water for it to soak up. VFTs are best grown on a windowsil or in a terrarium under a plant light unless you live in a good environment for them. I grow mine outside in the summer and keep them inside while they go dormant because my winter is too harsh for them. Some things that you DO NOT want to do with a VFT is touch the traps and cause them to close. If you do that then the trap loses some energy. Each trap can only eat maybe 3 or 4 bugs before it starts rotting and falls off. So don't touch the insides of the traps! When a bug actually does get trapped and the trap closes all the way it takes about 10 days for it to reopen. Fertilizer is pretty much a "no no" with VFTs. Sometimes it helps and sometimes it kills your plant. I don't like taking chances in that kind of matter so I don't use fertilizer. VFTs grow best in a mix of sphagnum peat moss and sand/perlite mixed in a small pot. Also, VFTs require a dormancy period where they will kind of die down for the winter. I suggest putting the whole pot in a sandwich bag then sticking it in the fridgerator from the time your VFT starts showing signs of dormancy (slowed growth and non responsive traps) till about Easter time. Remember that fungicide is almost a must when you put them in the fridgerator or they will get moldy and die. Make sure you don't give it too much water. Keeping the soil damp is all that you need. Then just take the pot and put it back wherever you grow it. If you grow it outside then let your VFT adapt to the changes slowly so that it doesn't go into shock. On a VFTs first year of life it will most likely skip its' dormancy period which is no problem. Just don't change anything. A little after dormancy in the spring your VFT will send up a flower stalk. Once this stalk gets 2-3 inches long you may want to chop it off or it could exhaust your plant. If you really want seeds then go on and let the flowers grow, but only let them grow if your VFT has been growing very well. Make sure that you're positive that it has enough energy to bare seeds or your VFT could die. Every year or two it might be a good idea to repot your VFT to keep the soil nice and fresh. Repot it only in the winter before it comes out of it's dormancy period so that it doesn't go into shock. Well, I guess that's it. Hope this article helped you. |
