FlyTrapCare Forums

Hello everyone!
Firstly, I’m super new to carnivorous plants and am very ignorant. I have multiple websites full of info for my new plant, but none of them have what I can do. The plant wasn’t in the best condition when I got him, but he started to look amazing after about a week. Then, the weather recently has taken a turn. It’s cold so no bugs and cloudy so no sun. The two stalks in the middle look amazing, but a handful of the leaves are turning black and some websites say to cut the dead part off, but I don’t want to hurt the plant. What can I feed him in the mean time while the weather is bad? I don’t want to end up killing him 3 weeks after getting him. Any advice is appreciated.



Edit:
Wanted to give an update now that it’s been a few weeks. First, I want to thank everyone for your advice(idk who will get notified or how all that works here). My plant is moved to a plastic container and the weather has gotten nicer so he has his own spot outside. The stalks and fully black leaves I removed. A couple more leaves died off, but he currently has six little leaves growing and I’m very happy about that. .

Hello and welcome to FlytrapCare!

Jazzynerd13 wrote:The two stalks in the middle look amazing

Stalks? As in flower stalks? If your plant is struggling it is probably best to cut those off.

Can you share a photo of your plant so that we can offer some feedback as to what might be wrong?

Jazzynerd13 wrote:What can I feed him in the meantime while the weather is bad?

Feeding flytraps isn't necessary and certainly isn't going to solve any potential care issues that the plant is experiencing. Given proper care, Venus flytraps never need to be fed and can thive without ever catching an insect. If you post a photo, I can almost certainly diagnose any potential care problems and offer advice.

The most common issues are lack of strong sunlight and keep the flytrap too wet. Couple both of those mistakes together and it is a recipe for a sick flytrap.

Only a couple leaves were brown when I first got him and now three more are fully brown and a few more are turning brown. I know they go into a dormant state, but just a few days ago he was almost all green. The flower parts in the middle (that I called stalks) were slumped over and a lot shorter. Within the last three days this has happened. I was told he’d need to be ‘fed’ at least once a week, but only one leaf needed to have food for the plant to get nutrients. I was also told to water until the peat moss was damp, but not to let it completely dry out. This is my first vft and I already love him so would like to keep him alive. Thanks for anything you can tell me ahead of time!

Number one, I strongly recommend you cut those flower stalks off. The plant is putting out a huge amount of energy to grow them, and that's taking a toll on the plant.
Number two, I'd get it outside. Windows filter the sunlight in a way that VFT's cannot get the full benefit, and suffer for it. Outside, even on a cloudy day, is better. To my eye, it appears to be light starved, which is also going to contribute to its poor shape. You said it's too cold outside, but these plants are regularly snowed on in the wild. But, perhaps until it strengthens up, you put it out in the day and bring it in at night.
The watering advice you received, however, is good. Don't let it dry out, and don't keep it swampy.
Don't worry about feeding it, get it some outdoor, natural sunlight. If it catches a bug on its own, good for it.
Good luck.

definitely cut of the flower stalks as people have said. and get it out of the terracotta pot. the terra cotta pots have chemicals that will kill the fly trap. you can get a plastic pot that looks similar.

Jazzynerd13 wrote: ↑Sun Mar 22, 2020 2:39 am Only a couple leaves were brown when I first got him and now three more are fully brown and a few more are turning brown. I know they go into a dormant state, but just a few days ago he was almost all green. The flower parts in the middle (that I called stalks) were slumped over and a lot shorter. Within the last three days this has happened. I was told he’d need to be ‘fed’ at least once a week, but only one leaf needed to have food for the plant to get nutrients. I was also told to water until the peat moss was damp, but not to let it completely dry out. This is my first vft and I already love him so would like to keep him alive. Thanks for anything you can tell me ahead of time!

Fly Trap Hunter wrote: ↑Sun Mar 22, 2020 5:29 am definitely cut of the flower stalks as people have said. and get it out of the terracotta pot. the terra cotta pots have chemicals that will kill the fly trap. you can get a plastic pot that looks similar.

Good catch on the terracotta. I, along with many others, likely thought it was plastic.

ChefDean wrote:Number one, I strongly recommend you cut those flower stalks off.

Agree. The flower stalks should have been cut down long ago.

ChefDean wrote:Number two, I'd get it outside.

Definitely a must! It looks extremely light deprived.

ChefDean wrote:The watering advice you received, however, is good. Don't let it dry out, and don't keep it swampy.

Exactly. The plant looks a little on the dry side to me right now.

ChefDean wrote:Don't worry about feeding it, get it some outdoor, natural sunlight. If it catches a bug on its own, good for it.

For sure! Forget about "feeding" the plant. That's largely irrelevant to its health.

To summarize:
1) Outdoor sunlight
2) Cut off the flower stalks
3) Keep the soil damp all the time, never let it dry, but don't leave it soaking wet for too long.
4) Have fun and enjoy your plant!!

Perhaps this is due to low humidity - it should be in the range of 40-70%. In addition, minerals harmful to the flycatcher may have accumulated in the soil. In this case, the plant should be transplanted or washed with rain or distilled water.
 
Venus flytrap is not a tropical plant, so good air circulation is a more important indicator for it. Humidity within 40-70% will be optimal.
Also In wet soil and in conditions of too high humidity, a black coating of soot fungus appears on the plant. To combat it, fungicides are used.

Archie Adams wrote:Perhaps this is due to low humidity - it should be in the range of 40-70%.

That's not true for flytraps. We regularly grow ours outdoors in full sun in southern Oregon where the relative humidity levels are in the 15%-25% range during the summer months and they thrive. So long as the soil stays damp and there aren't strong drying winds, flytraps do not need any special considerations in terms of humidity levels.

Matt wrote: ↑Wed Mar 25, 2020 5:16 pm

Archie Adams wrote:Perhaps this is due to low humidity - it should be in the range of 40-70%.

That's not true for flytraps. We regularly grow ours outdoors in full sun in southern Oregon where the relative humidity levels are in the 15%-25% range during the summer months and they thrive. So long as the soil stays damp and there aren't strong drying winds, flytraps do not need any special considerations in terms of humidity levels.

Actually such a flower needs a very high level of air humidity because the venus flytrap is a swamp plant, the soil in the pot must be moist all the time, and air humidity is required at least 60%

Archie Adams wrote: ↑Wed Mar 25, 2020 5:25 pm

Matt wrote: ↑Wed Mar 25, 2020 5:16 pm

Archie Adams wrote:Perhaps this is due to low humidity - it should be in the range of 40-70%.

That's not true for flytraps. We regularly grow ours outdoors in full sun in southern Oregon where the relative humidity levels are in the 15%-25% range during the summer months and they thrive. So long as the soil stays damp and there aren't strong drying winds, flytraps do not need any special considerations in terms of humidity levels.

Actually such a flower needs a very high level of air humidity because the venus flytrap is a swamp plant, the soil in the pot must be moist all the time, and air humidity is required at least 60%

As Josh said, bog, not swamp. Easily confused but very different. And there is no need to doubt anything Matt says, he is the king of Venus flytraps. We all are lucky to have experienced people like him assist newbies like me in growing .

I trust you are watering with rain, distilled, RO or water with very low mineral content too.
Cheers
Steve

Benny wrote: ↑Wed Mar 25, 2020 8:28 pm

Archie Adams wrote: ↑Wed Mar 25, 2020 5:25 pm

Matt wrote: ↑Wed Mar 25, 2020 5:16 pm
That's not true for flytraps. We regularly grow ours outdoors in full sun in southern Oregon where the relative humidity levels are in the 15%-25% range during the summer months and they thrive. So long as the soil stays damp and there aren't strong drying winds, flytraps do not need any special considerations in terms of humidity levels.

Actually such a flower needs a very high level of air humidity because the venus flytrap is a swamp plant, the soil in the pot must be moist all the time, and air humidity is required at least 60%

As Josh said, bog, not swamp. Easily confused but very different. And there is no need to doubt anything Matt says, he is the king of Venus flytraps. We all are lucky to have experienced people like him assist newbies like me in growing .

Hi Benny! I in no way doubt Mett’s words, all my knowledge about flytraps is theoretical because I read a lot about them, but of course I trust more practice and as I have little experience growing them, I undoubtedly believe you, and I am very happy to learn new. Thank you!

Archie Adams wrote:Actually such a flower needs a very high level of air humidity because the venus flytrap is a swamp plant, the soil in the pot must be moist all the time, and air humidity is required at least 60%

Again, this is not true at all and is a widely propagated rumor about growing flytraps. They can thrive in very low humidity levels as long as their soil stays damp.

Matt wrote: ↑Thu Mar 26, 2020 6:54 pm

Archie Adams wrote:Actually such a flower needs a very high level of air humidity because the venus flytrap is a swamp plant, the soil in the pot must be moist all the time, and air humidity is required at least 60%

Again, this is not true at all and is a widely propagated rumor about growing flytraps. They can thrive in very low humidity levels as long as their soil stays damp.

Okey, thank you for information) It was really usefull