FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

From what I heard Live sphag (sphagnum moss) tends to overgrow flytraps.

Sundews69 wrote: ↑Sat May 07, 2022 1:24 am Do you think you may try other carnivorous plants in the future such as tropical pitcher plants (Nepenthes), North American pitcher plants (Sarracenia), or sundews (Drosera) to expand your newfound hobby?

I figure if I can get some flytraps to grow I might try others. Maybe something small...the sundews look interesting.

Panman wrote: ↑Sat May 07, 2022 12:44 am For topping it you can use sphagnum moss. You can also use silica sand. I use the moss. As far as getting new plants, I don't think it is too late. You might want to pay for priority shipping over first class but otherwise it should be fine.

Do you mean the ground type as in the mix I used to plant them in...but without perlite?

I was looking at a couple of the larger traps, maybe a B52. I probably just need to hold off, though, and see if we can keep this alive and whether the interest continues. It's just going to be getting hotter, though, so if I want to get us something to add to these typicals I probably need to go ahead and order them.

The mail system is getting really messed up. The other day I ordered some vegetable seeds that shipped from Augusta, GA. They shipped on May 4th via UPS. They handed the package to the USPS office in Montgomery, AL yesterday (May 5th) which is 50 miles from me. The estimated USPS delivery date as of today's "update" is....May 11th. They're probably cooking in a trailer somewhere.

Intheswamp wrote: ↑Sat May 07, 2022 2:41 am

Sundews69 wrote: ↑Sat May 07, 2022 1:24 am Do you think you may try other carnivorous plants in the future such as tropical pitcher plants (Nepenthes), North American pitcher plants (Sarracenia), or sundews (Drosera) to expand your newfound hobby?

I figure if I can get some flytraps to grow I might try others. Maybe something small...the sundews look interesting.

Sundew69, I just got your "Like" notification and saw your username...I totally missed it when I responded to your question!!!

Not sure if you saw this yet, but you can get free CP seeds (for the cost of 2 postage stamps) from the seed bank. flytrapcare-community-seedbank-inventor ... 33352.html

Intheswamp wrote: ↑Sat May 07, 2022 3:00 am

Panman wrote: ↑Sat May 07, 2022 12:44 am For topping it you can use sphagnum moss. You can also use silica sand. I use the moss. As far as getting new plants, I don't think it is too late. You might want to pay for priority shipping over first class but otherwise it should be fine.

Do you mean the ground type as in the mix I used to plant them in...but without perlite?

He means the moss itself. You're using sphagnum peat moss, not actual sphagnum moss. The only difference between the two is that the sphagnum peat moss is just normal sphagnum moss that has decomposed. You can buy Long-fibered sphagnum moss which can be used as soil or you can buy the moss while it's still living and place it on top of your pot. It should them grow and cover the whole pot overtime.

Intheswamp wrote: ↑Sat May 07, 2022 3:00 am

Panman wrote: ↑Sat May 07, 2022 12:44 am For topping it you can use sphagnum moss. You can also use silica sand. I use the moss. As far as getting new plants, I don't think it is too late. You might want to pay for priority shipping over first class but otherwise it should be fine.

I was looking at a couple of the larger traps, maybe a B52. I probably just need to hold off, though, and see if we can keep this alive and whether the interest continues. It's just going to be getting hotter, though, so if I want to get us something to add to these typicals I probably need to go ahead and order them.

When buying VFTs, it's always best to purchase them during the winter or early spring. At this time they're still dormant so shipping stress will be minimal. And often enough, VFTs are shipped bare-root. If they are purchased during the growing season and are shipped bare-root, it can take months or even years for them to recover from the stress. It might not be to late yet, so if you want to order some other VFTs, do it now! Or you can just wait for winter next year. Also, you should definitely do what @thepitchergrowers says to do. Go check out the seed bank. It's a really awesome way to get a collection started and it's completely free!

thepitchergrower wrote:Not sure if you saw this yet, but you can get free CP seeds (for the cost of 2 postage stamps) from the seed bank. flytrapcare-community-seedbank-inventor ... 33352.html

Thanks! I'll take a look!

Sundews69 wrote: ↑Sat May 07, 2022 3:50 am

Intheswamp wrote: ↑Sat May 07, 2022 3:00 am

Panman wrote: ↑Sat May 07, 2022 12:44 am For topping it you can use sphagnum moss. You can also use silica sand. I use the moss. As far as getting new plants, I don't think it is too late. You might want to pay for priority shipping over first class but otherwise it should be fine.

Do you mean the ground type as in the mix I used to plant them in...but without perlite?

He means the moss itself. You're using sphagnum peat moss, not actual sphagnum moss. The only difference between the two is that the sphagnum peat moss is just normal sphagnum moss that has decomposed. You can buy Long-fibered sphagnum moss which can be used as soil or you can buy the moss while it's still living and place it on top of your pot. It should them grow and cover the whole pot overtime.

Hey, thanks for the clarification between the mosses. Now I know the difference!!! Hmm, green live moss...that sounds interesting. In the mean time I may try some type of surface shade to minimize evaporation.

Sundews69 wrote: ↑Sat May 07, 2022 4:00 am When buying VFTs, it's always best to purchase them during the winter or early spring. At this time they're still dormant so shipping stress will be minimal. And often enough, VFTs are shipped bare-root. If they are purchased during the growing season and are shipped bare-root, it can take months or even years for them to recover from the stress. It might not be to late yet, so if you want to order some other VFTs, do it now! Or you can just wait for winter next year. Also, you should definitely do what @thepitchergrowers says to do. Go check out the seed bank. It's a really awesome way to get a collection started and it's completely free!

I think I'll take this route and wait until the winter/spring to mail-order anything. With the good possibility of delivery delays this hot weather will definitely not do them any good. Being dormant reducing the stress sounds good...most trees do much better planted in the winter (though the folks leaving Lowes and Wallyworld in the spring/summer with trees waving out their windows
would make you think otherwise.

I think the idea of starting some plants from seeds is where I need to focus right now...more appropriate for the time of year for me (I think), though I'm still worried about high temperatures during shipping.<sigh> I guess I might as well try a couple of different plants to get my feet wet (so to speak<grin>).

Quick update!

The two typical flytraps are still alive today!!! They survived my ten-thumb re-potting yesterday (so far, anyhow! ).

evenwind wrote: ↑Sat May 07, 2022 8:39 pm You do realize that the wetness you feel on your feet is quicksand and that it's probably up to your calves by now? By all means, hit the seed bank Tier 0 for Capes (D. capensis) and if you want to indulge even further, shoot me a PM.

<chuckle> Nice graphic! D. capensis, eh? I had looked through there and the D. capensis, "typical" kinda stood out at me (Googling images of them). It is a rather neat-looking plant! Interestingly, my granddaughter and me was looking at it the other day!

Me and my wife just got back from a wedding about 90 miles from us. I tried to get up the courage to slam my hand in a car door to keep from going but I guess I'm just a wimp. Anyhow, we had a little time to kill on the way down. As I've mentioned, we're in kind of a rural area so stores like Wallyworld, TSC, and Lowes are a minimum of 25 and 35 miles from us. I had already scoped out some perlite at the Lowes so I swooped back and picked up some "Sta-Green" perlite....it is basic, no additives, OMRI certified, homogenized, and white. Hopefully it will be ok. I've got some sphagnum peat most spotted at a the TSC in the 25 mile direction. This should give me plenty of growing medium to tinker with.

Oh, and I went by Wallyworld to see if they had any decent fly traps. Two of them followed me home. They had several "flats" of the round tubes but most didn't look pretty good. I managed to find two that looked pretty good and felt like they had a little moisture left in the moss. Most of the traps were blooming or getting ready to bloom!!! Some of the crowns were black with only a little green showing but with a flower stalk...I would have thought they may have been coming out of dormancy but knowing that merchandising is a really big thing I seriously doubt they would ship black plants to Walmart. Most of the plants were light weight...no moisture in the moss. But, for less than $15 I walked out with two plants that had 15-20 trap leaves each...lots growing close to the crown but several on inch-long stems(do you call those stems that traps are on the end of?). I got them home, took them out of the tubes, gave them a sip of water, and now they're on the windowsill for a couple of days to get them accustomed to real light. It is supposed to be sunny tomorrow and in the low-80's so I might set them outside for a couple of hours, maybe more.

My wife asked me if they were for the other two granddaughters... Uh, well,....

I'll send you a PM, probably tomorrow. I'm beat...that was a long drive...ate some good BBQ, though!!!

Intheswamp wrote: ↑Sun May 08, 2022 4:12 am

evenwind wrote: ↑Sat May 07, 2022 8:39 pm You do realize that the wetness you feel on your feet is quicksand and that it's probably up to your calves by now? By all means, hit the seed bank Tier 0 for Capes (D. capensis) and if you want to indulge even further, shoot me a PM.

<chuckle> Nice graphic! D. capensis, eh? I had looked through there and the D. capensis, "typical" kinda stood out at me (Googling images of them). It is a rather neat-looking plant! Interestingly, my granddaughter and me was looking at it the other day!

Me and my wife just got back from a wedding about 90 miles from us. I tried to get up the courage to slam my hand in a car door to keep from going but I guess I'm just a wimp. Anyhow, we had a little time to kill on the way down. As I've mentioned, we're in kind of a rural area so stores like Wallyworld, TSC, and Lowes are a minimum of 25 and 35 miles from us. I had already scoped out some perlite at the Lowes so I swooped back and picked up some "Sta-Green" perlite....it is basic, no additives, OMRI certified, homogenized, and white. Hopefully it will be ok. I've got some sphagnum peat most spotted at a the TSC in the 25 mile direction. This should give me plenty of growing medium to tinker with.

Oh, and I went by Wallyworld to see if they had any decent fly traps. Two of them followed me home. They had several "flats" of the round tubes but most didn't look pretty good. I managed to find two that looked pretty good and felt like they had a little moisture left in the moss. Most of the traps were blooming or getting ready to bloom!!! Some of the crowns were black with only a little green showing but with a flower stalk...I would have thought they may have been coming out of dormancy but knowing that merchandising is a really big thing I seriously doubt they would ship black plants to Walmart. Most of the plants were light weight...no moisture in the moss. But, for less than $15 I walked out with two plants that had 15-20 trap leaves each...lots growing close to the crown but several on inch-long stems(do you call those stems that traps are on the end of?). I got them home, took them out of the tubes, gave them a sip of water, and now they're on the windowsill for a couple of days to get them accustomed to real light. It is supposed to be sunny tomorrow and in the low-80's so I might set them outside for a couple of hours, maybe more.

My wife asked me if they were for the other two granddaughters... Uh, well,....

I'll send you a PM, probably tomorrow. I'm beat...that was a long drive...ate some good BBQ, though!!!

Now, I really don't want to overwhelm you with sundews, but I have a couple sundews in flower and one of them is super easy. That would be D.. burmannii 'humpty doo'. If you like how they look (and if I have enough seed; this is my first sundew to flower ever, so I don't know how many seeds to expect), I would be more than happy to send you some. Just shoot me a PM as well and I can send some your way within the next month (again, if I have enough).

I have some flower stalks coming up on a unknown dew, perhaps I'll have some seed. No promises; wish me luck.