FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Sponsored by FlytrapStore.com

Discussions about anything related to Venus Flytraps, cultivars and named clones

Moderator: Matt

By Love Plant
Posts:  7
Joined:  Sun Mar 07, 2021 4:31 am
#375001
Hello. I am writing an essay on Venus Flytraps. Can someone explain why people call carnivorous plant kits "death cubes"? Why do the flytraps in the kits look like they are dying? Thanks for your time.
Last edited by Love Plant on Wed Mar 10, 2021 11:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
By optique
Location: 
Posts:  2083
Joined:  Fri May 24, 2019 11:15 pm
#375006
They are sold in little plastic cubes, AKA death cube. They can not live in a cube long term the light they need would cook them in the cube. I am sure almost all sold die from bad directions and or care.
User avatar
By optique
Location: 
Posts:  2083
Joined:  Fri May 24, 2019 11:15 pm
#375020
I gave mine i marked "Lowes" some fresh media last week, Its rhizome was very thick this year. It had a very hard start. I put it in full sun on day one two summers ago it ended up very crispy.
User avatar
By MikeB
Location: 
Posts:  2121
Joined:  Sat Apr 25, 2020 4:13 pm
#375034
Love Plant wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 4:42 amCan someone give explain why people call carnivorous plant kits are called death cubes?
They're actually more rectangular than cubic, but that's close enough. They're convenient containers for selling flytraps (and prevent people from setting off the traps), but they aren't very nice for the plants inside.
  • The plants never get water: a bad and a good thing, as the stores wouldn't use low-mineral water like they should.
  • The plants get little or no sun: also a bad and a good thing, as hours of sunshine on the death cubes would heat up the air inside and bake the plants to death.
  • The plants get no fresh air.
Love Plant wrote:Why do the flytraps in the kits look like they are dying?
Due to improper care; see all of the reasons above. Fortunately, flytraps can be very resilient given half a chance. I've bought sad-looking flytraps from the clearance table for $1 each, and they've all recovered nicely.

If you want more info, take a look at Matt's Venus flytrap care guide.
User avatar
By ApgarTraps
Posts:  79
Joined:  Mon May 28, 2018 2:22 pm
#377050
:lol:

The packages for VFT sales at retailers are designed for the purpose of promoting an "impulse purchase" of a plant that has very particular growing requirements. Close the sale -- that's all.

So these "cubes" show off a few healthy traps which only last a few days in that package. But -- at $7.99 -- the markup is big enough that they don't have to sell that many!

The plants slowly die in the store, and the after-purchase survival rate of those plants is likely very low, since the average schmoe takes it home, pokes the traps closed with a pencil, feeds one a wad of ground beef, leaves it on the kitchen counter, and then wonders why all the traps have turned black a week later. "I had a Venus Flytrap once, but it died."

...but even near-death VFTs can be easily rescued because the plants are quite resilient and will recover and thrive once the particular growing requirements are met.

Requirement #1: TAKE IT OUT OF THE DEATH CUBE! :D
By Big-Jack
Posts:  357
Joined:  Sun Jun 12, 2016 7:46 pm
#379925
I'm old enough to remember the comic book ads that suggested feeding VFT's raw hamburger. Fun for the whole family! Just like Sea-Monkeys. :lol:
User avatar
By ApgarTraps
Posts:  79
Joined:  Mon May 28, 2018 2:22 pm
#380279
:lol:


I remember Sea Monkeys! How disappointed was I when we sent away for them from an Archie comic book -- as an 8-year-old -- I realized they did NOT smile, wave, wear crowns, nor build castles. LOL... "pets".
Attachments:
seamonkeys-680x454.png
seamonkeys-680x454.png (606.29 KiB) Viewed 7157 times
Panman liked this
Chuck E Cheese Prize Desk

Btw what does MWF stand for? it's the name of […]

Chuck E Cheese Giveaway

I also use better-grow, also gublers.

Steve Galic seeds

Yea, I did not get nearly as many as I would have […]

Perlite safety

Speaking of perlite safety: wearing a dust mask wh[…]

if i did not have to many plants i would have got […]

It is August ..

Panman is like my neighbor who puts up christmas[…]

1) Shadowtski - How could I pass up such a gross e[…]

List of must haves for TC

Wow thanks so much guys! Andy - yeah that&rsquo[…]

Support the community - Shop at FlytrapStore.com!