FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Good day! I'm going to just get straight to it, the internet does not have much straight-forward info on Carnivorous plant potting medium. I was wondering if you could use just straight dried sphagnum moss or straight peat moss for plants such as Sundew, nepenthes, ceph(maybe not ceph?), heliamphora. Otherwise, what would be some good alternative for each plant species? Thanks guys, much appreciation

Luchiano wrote:Good day! I'm going to just get straight to it, the internet does not have much straight-forward info on Carnivorous plant potting medium. I was wondering if you could use just straight dried sphagnum moss or straight peat moss for plants such as Sundew, nepenthes, ceph(maybe not ceph?), heliamphora. Otherwise, what would be some good alternative for each plant species? Thanks guys, much appreciation

Dried sphagnum is doable depending on species, however dried peat would be come too dense and not allow for drainage. Each species of carnivorous plant will have its own preferable media type. Can't just pick a one fits all, you'll have to do the research for each genus and species of plant you want to grow.

Having the same humid Hawaii climate like I do, best to use a minimum 50:50 peat/perlite or peat/silica sand. Case in point, I received a potted pinguicula from california carnivores, I immediately rotted the roots within a week because the peat held too much moisture with added humidity. I repotted to a sandier mixture and it is doing much better.

erikHIplants wrote:

Luchiano wrote:Good day! I'm going to just get straight to it, the internet does not have much straight-forward info on Carnivorous plant potting medium. I was wondering if you could use just straight dried sphagnum moss or straight peat moss for plants such as Sundew, nepenthes, ceph(maybe not ceph?), heliamphora. Otherwise, what would be some good alternative for each plant species? Thanks guys, much appreciation

Dried sphagnum is doable depending on species, however dried peat would be come too dense and not allow for drainage. Each species of carnivorous plant will have its own preferable media type. Can't just pick a one fits all, you'll have to do the research for each genus and species of plant you want to grow.

Having the same humid Hawaii climate like I do, best to use a minimum 50:50 peat/perlite or peat/silica sand. Case in point, I received a potted pinguicula from california carnivores, I immediately rotted the roots within a week because the peat held too much moisture with added humidity. I repotted to a sandier mixture and it is doing much better.

Great! Thanks I'll be using peat/perilite and peat/silica sand for my coming ceph. I hear most neps can grow fine in sphagnum moss too?

Luchiano wrote:

erikHIplants wrote:

Luchiano wrote:Good day! I'm going to just get straight to it, the internet does not have much straight-forward info on Carnivorous plant potting medium. I was wondering if you could use just straight dried sphagnum moss or straight peat moss for plants such as Sundew, nepenthes, ceph(maybe not ceph?), heliamphora. Otherwise, what would be some good alternative for each plant species? Thanks guys, much appreciation

Dried sphagnum is doable depending on species, however dried peat would be come too dense and not allow for drainage. Each species of carnivorous plant will have its own preferable media type. Can't just pick a one fits all, you'll have to do the research for each genus and species of plant you want to grow.

Having the same humid Hawaii climate like I do, best to use a minimum 50:50 peat/perlite or peat/silica sand. Case in point, I received a potted pinguicula from california carnivores, I immediately rotted the roots within a week because the peat held too much moisture with added humidity. I repotted to a sandier mixture and it is doing much better.

Great! Thanks I'll be using peat/perilite and peat/silica sand for my coming ceph. I hear most neps can grow fine in sphagnum moss too?

Yes i'm sure it would but you would have to ask the nep growers of the forums as I do not grow any.

For neps, helis, and some tropical urics, I use a mix of lfs and lava rock or just pure lfs. For vfts I use a sand peat mix, and Sarrs, I use pure peat or lfs. My ceph mix is 1/2 sand and 1/2 peat, but I usually add a bit mor sand, so it's more like 3/5 sand and 2/5 peat

HeliamphoraWalnut wrote:For neps, helis, and some tropical urics, I use a mix of lfs and lava rock or just pure lfs. For vfts I use a sand peat mix, and Sarrs, I use pure peat or lfs. My ceph mix is 1/2 sand and 1/2 peat, but I usually add a bit mor sand, so it's more like 3/5 sand and 2/5 peat

Ah thanks! I appreciate it Do you think I could use pure lfs for sundew as well?

Luchiano wrote:

HeliamphoraWalnut wrote:For neps, helis, and some tropical urics, I use a mix of lfs and lava rock or just pure lfs. For vfts I use a sand peat mix, and Sarrs, I use pure peat or lfs. My ceph mix is 1/2 sand and 1/2 peat, but I usually add a bit mor sand, so it's more like 3/5 sand and 2/5 peat

Ah thanks! I appreciate it Do you think I could use pure lfs for sundew as well?

Yes I use pure LFSM on my spatulata sundews.

erikHIplants wrote:

Luchiano wrote:

HeliamphoraWalnut wrote:For neps, helis, and some tropical urics, I use a mix of lfs and lava rock or just pure lfs. For vfts I use a sand peat mix, and Sarrs, I use pure peat or lfs. My ceph mix is 1/2 sand and 1/2 peat, but I usually add a bit mor sand, so it's more like 3/5 sand and 2/5 peat

Ah thanks! I appreciate it Do you think I could use pure lfs for sundew as well?

Yes I use pure LFSM on my spatulata sundews.

Great! And pure lfsm works for any Sundew (drosera capensis in particular), should I add perlite or is it good alone?

Luchiano wrote:Great! And pure lfsm works for any Sundew (drosera capensis in particular), should I add perlite or is it good alone?

D. capensis likes a dense media. I have found it prefers peat mixes of lfs.

Benurmanii wrote:

Luchiano wrote:Great! And pure lfsm works for any Sundew (drosera capensis in particular), should I add perlite or is it good alone?

D. capensis likes a dense media. I have found it prefers peat mixes of lfs.

Would you say peat and perlite or sand?

Luchiano wrote:

Benurmanii wrote:

Luchiano wrote:Great! And pure lfsm works for any Sundew (drosera capensis in particular), should I add perlite or is it good alone?

D. capensis likes a dense media. I have found it prefers peat mixes of lfs.

Would you say peat and perlite or sand?

Doesn't matter which, any will do. My best ones are in a 50/50 mix of peat and pumice (which is not really different from perlite except that it is heavier).

I use pure peat for capensis. Any other dew i use pure lfs or a peat/sand or peat/perlite mix