FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

About a year and a half ago I decided to set up an experiment between a Walmart flytrap and a flytrap I have purchased from Lowes. Both plants were in great condition upon purchase.

Both plants were given the same care conditions and the same feeding schedule. Over time, the health of each plants changed greatly. The flytrap from Lowes grew bigger and more vigorous, as for the trap from Walmart... It's health started to decline, it's traps becoming smaller and the plant became less vigorous. Both plants were given a 4 month dormancy period and were allowed to flower during spring. The flytrap from Lowes continued to be a very vigorous, and large grower; while the trap from Walmart remained weak.

I believe the reason why new growers may have problems with flytraps is because they have purchased the weak growing clone from Walmart. Even myself, a very experienced grower; has never had good luck with Walmart flytraps.

While they are luring with their bright colored traps if you are a new grower this is simply a facade.

(Photograph provided: End of experiment. Left: Walmart Right: Lowes

Were those the containers they were in for the entire experiment? The one on the left looks more like it's suffering from mineral burn rather than some deficiency in its growth due to care or lack of prior to the purchase.
I'm assuming the same conditions; water, heat, light, etc., and I'm assuming that the pot is glazed inside and out, but I wonder if the glaze has crazed (hair thin cracks) due to age or other factors that would have allowed minerals to leach out of the ceramic into the water.

The glaze has not cracked at all and they're both watered with distilled water or rain water which I've tested with a TDS meter

Then you need to look elsewhere, because that one on the left has what I believe to be mineral burn. If you've had these plants growing in your care for a year and a half, it's safe to say that it didn't come from the original source.

I responded in another thread, rather lengthily I might add<grin>, regarding your B-52 that was having problems but got no response from you. It seems as though you're having problems with several plants, though.

You mentioned that you put the flytraps outside for 4 months of dormancy, you mentioned that you were in Florida...I'm in south Alabama and it would be difficult to get 4 months of dormancy here...???

How long have you been growing carnivorous plants? I've only been *trying* to grow them for a few months now (since May) and I definitely have some learning to do. My larger (not big by any means) flytraps are from Walmart. I almost killed them to start with (I tried my best to! ) but regardless of my efforts, and that of a vandalizing squirrel, they survived...and are looking pretty good. They started looking better when I started letting them dry out a bit. Except during hot, dry days I keep no water in their trays. Do your ceramic pots have drain holes in them...I don't see any trays beneath them??? If they don't then they could be standing in water. The larger plant could be using more water while the smaller one doesn't use as much and thus by giving them the exact same amount of water the smaller one could be drowning. I don't expect a reply and ChefDean has probably got it pegged with the mineral burn...I would revisit the laundry list of the do's and don'ts and see if something stands out. Mineral burn, I would think, has to come from soil, water, or the container.

A couple of questions...these are growing in the original 2.5" black pots that they were in when you bought them? Are the Wallyworld plant's roots still in "the plug" (they appear to be)? Also, have both of these plants been growing beneath your lights since breaking dormancy?

One last parting thought... It looks like you've snipped the glower stalks off of the Lowe's plant but the Wallyworld plant still has a flower stalk. With the Wallyworld plant struggling I would cut the flower stalk off to help the plant conserve all the energy that it can. Just something I read...I ain't no genius.

I agree with both ChefDean and Intheswamp; I don't necessarily think that it's Walmarts fault (for all we know they could both have the same supplier), but instead...

ChefDean wrote: ↑Thu Jul 14, 2022 11:38 am Then you need to look elsewhere, because that one on the left has what I believe to be mineral burn. If you've had these plants growing in your care for a year and a half, it's safe to say that it didn't come from the original source.

...as intheswamp & ChefDean both pointed out, Mabey Walmart uses lower grade sphagnum (if it is the original medium?) and it has lots of minerals in it. I really do believe it is mineral burn because you said its health slowly declined over the course. Who knows! Mabey someones has been going behind you and watering it with tap while your not looking

ChefDean wrote: ↑Thu Jul 14, 2022 11:38 am Then you need to look elsewhere, because that one on the left has what I believe to be mineral burn. If you've had these plants growing in your care for a year and a half, it's safe to say that it didn't come from the original source.

Yeah I think I'll do a repot and see how that goes

Camden M wrote: ↑Thu Jul 14, 2022 1:11 pm I agree with both ChefDean and Intheswamp; I don't necessarily think that it's Walmarts fault (for all we know they could both have the same supplier), but instead...

ChefDean wrote: ↑Thu Jul 14, 2022 11:38 am Then you need to look elsewhere, because that one on the left has what I believe to be mineral burn. If you've had these plants growing in your care for a year and a half, it's safe to say that it didn't come from the original source.

...as intheswamp & ChefDean both pointed out, Mabey Walmart uses lower grade sphagnum (if it is the original medium?) and it has lots of minerals in it. I really do believe it is mineral burn because you said its health slowly declined over the course. Who knows! Mabey someones has been going behind you and watering it with tap while your not looking

They are in the same pots but they are not in the same medium they came in

Intheswamp wrote: ↑Thu Jul 14, 2022 12:30 pm I responded in another thread, rather lengthily I might add<grin>, regarding your B-52 that was having problems but got no response from you. It seems as though you're having problems with several plants, though.

You mentioned that you put the flytraps outside for 4 months of dormancy, you mentioned that you were in Florida...I'm in south Alabama and it would be difficult to get 4 months of dormancy here...???

How long have you been growing carnivorous plants? I've only been *trying* to grow them for a few months now (since May) and I definitely have some learning to do. My larger (not big by any means) flytraps are from Walmart. I almost killed them to start with (I tried my best to! ) but regardless of my efforts, and that of a vandalizing squirrel, they survived...and are looking pretty good. They started looking better when I started letting them dry out a bit. Except during hot, dry days I keep no water in their trays. Do your ceramic pots have drain holes in them...I don't see any trays beneath them??? If they don't then they could be standing in water. The larger plant could be using more water while the smaller one doesn't use as much and thus by giving them the exact same amount of water the smaller one could be drowning. I don't expect a reply and ChefDean has probably got it pegged with the mineral burn...I would revisit the laundry list of the do's and don'ts and see if something stands out. Mineral burn, I would think, has to come from soil, water, or the container.

A couple of questions...these are growing in the original 2.5" black pots that they were in when you bought them? Are the Wallyworld plant's roots still in "the plug" (they appear to be)? Also, have both of these plants been growing beneath your lights since breaking dormancy?

One last parting thought... It looks like you've snipped the glower stalks off of the Lowe's plant but the Wallyworld plant still has a flower stalk. With the Wallyworld plant struggling I would cut the flower stalk off to help the plant conserve all the energy that it can. Just something I read...I ain't no genius.

I didn't reply because I'm not always online checking forums I have other things to do.
It's easy to get 4 months of dormancy because temperature isn't the only factor it's also light levels, from my experience plants have stayed dormant even when temperatures were in the high 70s.

They are in nursery pots but they are not in the same medium I did a hard repot on both making sure there was absolutely no soil clinging to the plant.

The stalk on the Lowe's plant died before the Walmart one did, the one on the Walmart is already half way dead.

I don't think this should be used as definitive proof of "Walmart flytraps bad" in any way. I think a controlled experiment with many specimens of each clone grown under optimal, stable conditions would be an effective way to look for legitimate genetic discrepancies impacting growth. Both plants look like they'd color up to their fullest under brighter light (outdoors or stronger LEDs) which would be helpful in making a more accurate comparison.

Yes, we all have a life beyond these screens. It was just interesting that you responded to the post immediately below mine. No biggie, my post *was* a little drawn out.

Repot it with maybe different grow mix, as you mentioned you are going to do.
Keep it moist, not wet.
Cut off the flower stalk, though it might not matter now.
Put it outdoors where it can get some good light. Maybe acclimate it a bit first after repotting it. The squirrels can be kept at bay by some simple wire cages.

Best wishes.

Carter wrote: ↑Thu Jul 14, 2022 2:40 pm I didn't reply because I'm not always online checking forums I have other things to do.
It's easy to get 4 months of dormancy because temperature isn't the only factor it's also light levels, from my experience plants have stayed dormant even when temperatures were in the high 70s.

They are in nursery pots but they are not in the same medium I did a hard repot on both making sure there was absolutely no soil clinging to the plant.

The stalk on the Lowe's plant died before the Walmart one did, the one on the Walmart is already half way dead.

The ones from my local Wal Mart are in horrid condition, I was terrified. I went into the plants section and saw a shelf full of the deathcubes, every single one of them was black. Like literally just empty pots with shrivelled VFT corpses lying on the ground. Just a graveyard....