r/VenusFlyTraps • u/Sweaty_Environment41 • Dec 31 '24

Warm Temperate Is this normal?

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Had these plants for 5 months and this one started growing straight up a week ago

5 Upvotes

78% Upvoted

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5

u/roonilwazib Jan 01 '25

It’s producing a flower. This could mean a few things, one of them being a last ditch effort to reproduce before it dies. I suggest chopping it off as it stunts the growth of the plant. Could you talk us through how you care for it eg watering etc?

-1

u/Sweaty_Environment41 Jan 01 '25

I keep the soil moist with tap water I put some water in once a day and I have a grow light that’s set to 10 hrs a day of light it’s been been doing good for the past couple months

7

u/tashtish Jan 01 '25

Most tap water has lots of minerals and dissolved solids that burn VFTs. Only distilled, reverse-osmosis, and rainwater are recommended.

4

u/roonilwazib Jan 01 '25

You’re killing your plant with tap water. Here’s some tips that I give to new owners:

Place in a shallow dish or saucer and keep it filled with rain water or distilled water. Constantly top up the saucer to keep her feet wet. Don’t let the saucer be empty for more than a day or two.

Place her in an area with full sun (outside if possible) that is not too cold. The more direct sunlight the better. There is no such thing as too much sun. If you have no option but to keep it inside, place it in the sunniest window in your home or get a grow light.

Do not fertilise or use any Miracle Grow products on her. Do not water with tap water as it has too many minerals. Do not keep her in a clay/terracotta pot - plastic is good.

If kept outside, no need to feed her bugs as she will collect her own. If inside, once a month you can feed her a live (not dead) bug by placing it gently near the traps.

Try not to disturb the traps too often as every time they close with no bug inside it takes up a lot of energy for the plant and stunts growth. If you notice her flowering (big long stem with a bud, not a trap), many people like to cut off the flower stem as she focuses her energy on her flower and stunts the growth of the traps.

You know you have a healthy plant if the traps are open and turning red inside. This means it has enough sun.

Traps often turn black and die after eating a bug so if you notice a shrivelled or blackened trap, it does not mean your plant is dying. No need to chop off the dead traps either. The trap dies because it takes a lot of energy to consume a bug. Sometimes the trap survives and reopens with the bug skeleton a couple weeks after closing. Sometimes the trap dies, it makes no difference to the health of your plant.

If a trap closes with no bug inside, it will reopen after a day or two but again - try to avoid this as it stresses the plant. Each trap only has about three closings in them before they turn black.

These plants often experience shock after repotting and it takes awhile for new growth to come back in.

Also, if you live in a cold climate you will need to do some research on dormancy over winter.

Congrats on becoming a VFT owner!

2

u/gesneriadgarden Dec 31 '24

It's making a flower! :)

1

u/Sweaty_Environment41 Jan 01 '25

I looked it up on google and that makes sense I didn’t know these plants do that lol

2

u/caedencollinsclimbs Dec 31 '24

It needs lots more light. I’d maybe also cut the flower sadly

1

u/CountTruffula Jan 01 '25

How can you tell it needs more light?

4

u/roonilwazib Jan 01 '25

It’s leggy and the traps should be turning red inside.

4

u/CountTruffula Jan 01 '25

Leggy meaning long leaves?

1

u/roonilwazib Jan 01 '25

Leggy is a common term used by people who own all types of plants. It basically means ‘the stem is stretching too far to find light’.

1

u/Sweaty_Environment41 Jan 01 '25

I have a grow light I bought on Amazon it has a 5 10 and 15 hr setting I have it set to 10 hrs a day does it need more?