FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

I recently reported my VFT, but I didn’t have any straight peat or sphagnum (not sure if I spelled that right). As a substitute, I used this orchid potting soil. It’s got sphagnum moss in it, as well as “bio balls”, which I was told hold water. It’s mostly bark and perlite though, and it has good aeration. Is this okay to use for a temporary basis until I can buy a better medium for my plant? It’s really weak at the moment, so I want to do the best that I can until I can get the resources to do better.

I meant “recently repotted my VFT, but…”

It looks as if it is too porous to me. Flytraps like well draining soil, but they need to be constantly damp. They require much more water in the soil than orchids. You could pull the sphagnum out of the mix and use just that but I don't think that it would be adequate in the long run. If you are having trouble finding the soil, I can ship you a gallon bag of peat/perlite for $20 shipped.

Alright, it would be great to get a good mix. I think, with the sphagnum moss and the bio balls, that it should last until better media gets here, right? Thank you!

That orchid mix looks mighty coarse, as Panman mentioned. I mean...really coarse! I found it on its website and it has some interesting ingredients but not really a carnivorous type of a grow mix. There is *very little* sphagnum moss in the photos they show on the website...it seems they've added just enough of it so they can say it is an ingredient. You might could get away mixing the soil that came with the flytrap with some of this mix and it might work. If your plant is already struggling, though, why subject it to something that "might work"? I'd feel much more comfortable using Panman's peat and perlite mix, a tried and true mix. Also, Panman's mix is $9 cheaper than the orchid mix. FWIW.

Alright then, I’ll get some of Panman’s mix. It’s the best thing I have for now, but I’d definitely feel more comfortable getting my actual perlite/peat mix. Thank you!

Anonymous_Owl88 wrote: ↑Mon Jun 05, 2023 3:30 pm I meant “recently repotted my VFT, but…”

LOL. There have been a lot of plants that have been 'reported' on this forum.

Anonymous_Owl88 wrote: ↑Mon Jun 05, 2023 3:53 pm Alright, it would be great to get a good mix. I think, with the sphagnum moss and the bio balls, that it should last until better media gets here, right? Thank you!

Well, you will find out, I suppose. As long as it can keep moisture available to the roots and it doesn't include any nutrients it should be ok. Repotting can be traumatic to flytraps so I would want to get it in a good grow mix as soon as possible. Waiting a month or so to repot it will allow it to recuperate some from the initial repotting but then WHAM!! it's hit with another repotting. Now, while it's just beginning to readjust and recuperate, another repotting won't set it back as far as waiting that month or so would set it back. But, that's just my thought.

Panman wrote: ↑Mon Jun 05, 2023 4:07 pm

Anonymous_Owl88 wrote: ↑Mon Jun 05, 2023 3:30 pm I meant “recently repotted my VFT, but…”

LOL. There have been a lot of plants that have been 'reported' on this forum.

I always get confused with this, though. Do they report the plants to Youth Services or to Animal Control??????

LOL