FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

I actually got two VFTs instead of one in the same pot, this is Harold btw! The pot is four inches, have drainage holes and it's plastic. I tried my best to clean off peat moss from the rhizomes/roots before putting the traps in the new mixture. It's 60 sphagnum moss and 40 perlite. Let me know if everything I did looks good and if there's anything I should correct. I also watered him once I was done with distilled water. I think things do look good but I wanna hear an experts opinion.

I'm no expert but I can say that you've done a great job repotting Harold!
Just wondering, do you top water or water using the tray method? I can't really tell based on your picture.

I top water. I hadn't try to tray method since Idk much on it.

And thanks btw! I tried my best and put a lot of care into it!

Hmmm... Top watering is fine but most CP growers use the tray method since it mimics a flytrap's natural environment. You can search this method in the forum to get more info on it.
Basically, place a container or tray underneath the flytrap's pot. Then, pour 1-2 inches of water into the container. Next, let the water evaporate (this may take a couple days) and pour water in again.
I've heard that flytraps dislike top watering regularly. The tray method could improve your flytrap's health.

I recently shifted from tray watering to top watering. Unless you have very tall pots, it is difficult to keep the flytraps roots out of the water zone. For short pots, I would definitely recommend top watering, if you can keep the plants wet enough without them drying out.

Panman wrote:I recently shifted from tray watering to top watering. Unless you have very tall pots, it is difficult to keep the flytraps roots out of the water zone. For short pots, I would definitely recommend top watering, if you can keep the plants wet enough without them drying out.

In this case, Panman is right about possible root rot with the tray method since you have a flytrap grown in a small pot with long fibered sphagnum. You could try top watering for a couple weeks and if nothing bad happens, you can continue doing so. The tray method is usually best for water loving CPs that are grown in peat moss such as sarracenia. I hope this clears things up.

CPhunter101 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 16, 2021 6:34 pm Hmmm... Top watering is fine but most CP growers use the tray method since it mimics a flytrap's natural environment.

That's a yes and a no. Flytraps get plenty of rain in their natural environment (top watering). The water soaks into the sandy soil, and the water table is at the plants' "feet" (bottom watering).

CPhunter101 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 16, 2021 6:34 pm I've heard that flytraps dislike top watering regularly.

Where have you heard this? I've top-watered my flytraps for 20 years, and they get rained on a lot (they sit under the open sky). It doesn't bother them in the least.

CPhunter101 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 16, 2021 7:26 pm The tray method is usually best for water loving CPs that are grown in peat moss such as sarracenia.

I also top water my Sarracenia, to make sure that the entire root system gets damp. I let the water run through the pots until there's an inch (2.5 cm) of water in the saucer.

I will stick to the top watering because my pot is small and don't want the roots to rot. I also repotted my other VFT Vinnie in a pot that I say its three is inches, but there's plenty of room for him for his root s because they were smaller than I thought they would be considering how big he is. I can look into tray watering when I repot them in bigger pots next year or the following year. Speaking of Vinnie, here he is in his new pot. I did the same thing with Harold and will keep him at a window until late this week because I just bought him.

Also, is it normal for the traps to be this low? Because the traps were higher before I repotted him. Thanks!

ChefDean wrote: ↑Sun Apr 18, 2021 6:45 pm

septembersapphire21 wrote:Also, is it normal for the traps to be this low? Because the traps were higher before I repotted him. Thanks!

Yes. The plants go through a little shock with being transplanted, it'll recover in time. Maybe keep it a touch more moist while the roots settle.
As long as your temps stay above freezing, put it outside and it should take off as the days get longer and it gets more sun.

I will water him a little more and my other one as well. The temps is around 50 to 60s atm, so that's something I don't have to worry about.