Carnivorous Plant Growing Guide

Watering

When growing carnivorous plants you must water them with rain distilled or filtered water. Carnivorous plants live in bogs and trap their prey so that they can get nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates so you must also make sure that the plants get enough water… you can use two possible techniques:

• The technique that is most commonly used is to pour water into a saucer that is much too large for the pot. The important thing is to make sure there is some water in the saucer all the time. This is useful for most types of carnivorous plants.
• Another technique is to use a pot without a hole. However the problem with this is remembering to water it if it is inside, it will need feeding more often, however outside you can do this on a big scale and make a "bog garden" out of an old pot or tub: just make sure it is waterproof.

Flowering

Sundews flower best when they are newly potted on a very bright windowsill. They can flower all year round. D. aliciae has its best display when in a small pot.

Cobra lilies flower well so long as you look after them and you must at all costs keep them cool enough.

If you want a Sarracenia flower you must  let them go dormant.

Tropical Butterworts such as P. wisser need a sunny windowsill and will flower anywhere are good for those who like carnivorous plants but don't have as much time as they would like because they can survive with a little less water and still look good.

U. Longifolia flowers quite well in bright sunny conditions (do not put in shade as the flower stems may grow to long and break).

Formation of Pitchers

The best way to encourage the formation of Sarracenia pitchers is to put them into full sun. This encourages the formation of a large colourful trap. Nepenthes are harder particularly during the winter but the best way is to grow the pitchers through another plant e.g. grow pitchers through an orchid or cyclamen. Also give plenty of water.

Potting on

The most important thing is that the plant is potted into a large enough pot. Also important is that you use the right mix because the different plants have different requirements.  The only compost which you really need to make your own is Nepenthes which need 50% orchid bark to 50% peat. You can grow carnivorous plants peat free.

Problems

Growing Cobra lily outside: firstly it can get too hot in our climate then when the winter sets in it gets moldy in very damp conditions - it may survive better in a rock garden or in dense shade.

Drying up: be careful that you water the plants enough.