FlyTrapCare Forums

Hello everyone,

i've just started setting up my carnivorous jam jar terrarium and need some pointers.

Using an old cookie jar I found deep in my garage and wondering what to do with it, decided to try something I did when I was a lad many centuries ago

After reading up and taking the plunge, decided to buy some seeds from the bay and try out growing the traps.
After purchasing the kit, I thought how would best to allow the traps to grow so decided to also purchase following.

Bag of Irish Moss Peat Substrate
Small gravel stones as base substrate
Some Norwegian Reindeer yellow moss

My plan is to wash gravel and add to bottom of jar, cut a piece of hessian fabric to place on top and finally add the Irish peat substrate.

Later on I'll be adding in the fly trap I ordered from the bay as well the growing Dionaea muscipula stems from the pots.
Throwing in a small Drosera Paradoxa plant as well.

Am i right to assume that I can grow all the plants from a closed terrarium ? I will be watering using RO water but just need to confirm if a closed ecosystem would be fine until the plants are grown and can feed for themselves?

Since the weather is dreadful in UK, i'm using a small 2 white 2 blue grow light I previously used for my small pico reef tank.
So far the stems from the traps are growing nicely so will continue using.

Pics below.

I'm sorry to tell you, but those are not flytraps. They wouldn't grow stems like that and will give mini traps on the leaves.

Panman wrote: ↑Sat Jul 04, 2020 10:03 pm I'm sorry to tell you, but those are not flytraps. They wouldn't grow stems like that and will give mini traps on the leaves.

Yeah. That's a tough pill to swallow, too. Here's a guide:

EBAY is good for live plants/seeds. AKCarnivores, Czech sellers, etc are very good.
Any CP store *Including the Flytrapstore* is very reputable. Cook's carnivores is a personal favorite (for 10 dollars one can get 5-8 Venus Flytraps plus shipping).
Any Nursery with them.
Home Depot/Lowes.

Do NOT buy seeds sold from "China", "Taiwan", "Vietnam", or "India". Especially VFT seeds, as VFT's are from the USA. You can buy from these sellers, just ASK to see the seeds, and ensure they are real, and not a pic pulled from the web. Perhaps take a pic of the seeds in their hand.

Also, even IF a seed is real, several guys from Taiwan recently got busted for poaching. Do not support this.

Lastly, given an SASE, the Seedbank here can provide FREE VERIFIED SEED. I'd recommend you start off with D. Binata, D. Capensis, or D. Burmanii.

Sorry for your troubles, happy growing.

HI Hungry Carnivors

They obviously aren't VFTs, you have been turned over as others have pointed out. That aside, when you do get some 'proper' seeds, the jar is not a good idea and isn't required even in the UK, it only promotes mould. Have a read of teh growing guide on this site and you wont go far wrong.

Cheers
Steve

hungry carnivores wrote: ↑Sun Jul 05, 2020 10:28 pmLastly, given an SASE, the Seedbank here can provide FREE VERIFIED SEED. I'd recommend you start off with D. Binata, D. Capensis, or D. Burmanii.

True, but the seed bank is on a SASE system, so it's only for the US for now, and he's in the UK. If one wanted to figure out postage to me and back to their country (to the UK for example) we could try it, otherwise it's just available to the US.

Thats sucks. Im also in the uk try Triffid nurseries they sell packs of high quality seeds from lots of different cross pollinated venus fly traps for around £2.50 for 10. Also southwest carnivorous sell seeds but in much larger quantities e.g. 1000 seeds. If I were you steer clear of ebay it's terrible for rip off vft seeds. Sealed terrariums look cool but are way way more hassle than they are worth if you want your plant to survive although there is a guy on YouTube I forget his name that has done it quite successfully.

Hi Propag8.

I have bought some D.Capensis 'Giant Red Form' seeds from Triffid Nurseries and still haven't had any germination yet (cape sundews are said to be fast germinators).

To take advantage of the summer heatwaves, my seeds have been left outside in the sun, which saves expensive electric bills.

the seeds may have been burnt, make sure that it doesn't reach high temperatures by increasing air flow

Hi uxleumas.

Can they be recovered/revived so they germinate?

To enable airflow, the container lid (I used a transparent plastic tomato punnet box) has holes in it.

What concerns me is that I may have wasted money by unintentionally burning the seeds.

Hi wood1988 I really can't comment on capensis or any other carnivorous plants apart from Venus fly traps as I've never grown them but generally speaking I would say direct sun is to intense for seeds they cannot process light properly until they have their first fully formed leaves initial growth (sprouting) uses stored energy the mother plant put into the seed from its own photosynthesis made up of starch. As long as seeds are kept in the appropriate germination temperature for the species and with good humidity to prevent drying up then initially just some bright indirect light would be enough. As the price on seeds is pretty cheap just give them another shot. If by then you have some success with your old seeds you just have a bigger collection to tend to. winner. Just to add if seeds from any species of plant have been damaged from the sun/waterlogging etc unfortunately no there is nothing you can do to revive them but leave them a little longer and keep an eye on them they may sprout yet.

I’ll have some capensis seeds in a while and if we can find a way to get them to you without it costing a bunch then I’ll send you a lot.

Hi.
Many thanks for that.

I checked on my seeds this evening and on closer inspection I did find something had sprouted, but i'm not convinced if its a sundew as it looks like (through a magnifying glass)a single green stalk with an orange bulb on the top, as other members have said its grass that came with the store bought compost.

Wood1988 wrote: ↑Thu Jul 16, 2020 11:42 pm as other members have said its grass that came with the store bought compost.

Are you using potting soil or something with added nutrients as the media? If not what are you using?

I used potting soil specifically designed for carnivorous plants.

Here is an image of the packet.

That stuff is fine for your plants. I also can't say I've ever seen grass grow with an orange bulb on the top so don't give up on your seeds. Keep us posted as the sprout develops and I'm sure there is plenty of sundew fanatics on here that will verify what it is. Also wood1988 do you have any carnivorous plants already or are you just starting out with the seeds?