FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Should i trim the dead traps?

I'd recommend so. I've found dead traps can aid in the growth of mold. It's a personal choice really, but I would =].

As grey has asid,dead traps can go moldy,so just get some scissors and *snip snip snip* all gone

I think trimming dead traps is definitely the right call, not only because of mold, but hey, dead traps look like crap . It's really a personal decision, but I recommend trimming!

Good luck

Yup, cut them off. I pinch them off whenever I notice them.

Thanks alot everyone!

Also, they block sun. In the winter, this makes a difference in how much energy the plant puts into the rhizome.

To add another point, don't allow the flytraps to freeze. This will preserve their leaves enabling them to gather more energy.

Yes you should cut them off for good hygene and so they don't harbor mold.
make sure you only cut off leaves that are completly black beucase if they're green they're still producing photosynthesis

victor wrote:make sure you only cut off leaves that are completly black beucase if they're green they're still producing photosynthesis

or, if part of the leaf is black, but part is green, only trim the dead black part

Yeah I only trim off leaves/traps if they are completly black or brown

if the traps have turned black do i need to cut just the trap off the trap has turned black and the stem or leaf is still green? its just a baby one it starting to grow two new traps i ordered the fly trap from the fly trap shop linked to this forum

sirre90 wrote:if the traps have turned black do i need to cut just the trap off the trap has turned black and the stem or leaf is still green?

It's not mandatory to immediately trim off dead foliage. I usually let the leaves dry out completely to the point where they come off with a gentle tug. But if it the leaf is completely black, you can trim it off if you'd like

And welcome to FlytrapCare

thanks i will do that one has been turning black and one was already black the trap is the only thing that is black it and the rest of it is green

You can do it either way. I agree with Matt and I tend to just let the entire leaf dry before I cut any of it.

Just to be contrary, I think I'm going to stop trimming my dead leaves and traps. (Nobody's trimming them off in the pine barrens, right?) Besides, I think they add to the generally wicked appearance of the plant. I've left them for a good while before, and haven't had any problems with mold. I've occasionally seen a dead leaf get moldy, but it hasn't spread into the soil, so it wasn't a problem. But then my plants are usually outdoors in the sun and wind, which seems to keep mold to a minimum, and they've also been growing in pure peat moss, which I personally believe also inhibits mold, so it might be more important to trim them if yours are indoors or in a different media.

I just noticed, by the way, that in my soil experiment pots, one of the pure sawdust pots has a clump of mold growing in it. Might be a bad sign, or maybe sawdust just needs to be aged a longer time. (Mine was out in the weather most of last year.)