Question
Hi Jeff,

as mentioned previously, I磍l repot my plants within the next two weeks, I think the right time has come.

However, as far as I know flytraps for example like a soil that is a bit more sandy than pitcher plants, right? So the question I ask myself, whether I can have these plants together in a same container with the same soil mix. (40% peat, 40% sand, 20% perlite maybe) Or maybe it would be beneficial to have the flytraps in this container placed in a spot with a bit more sand below?

The same thing I thought about Sarracenia psittacina, that likes to be flooded once in a while. Would this one make sense to be potted alone?

I don磘 know whether or not I am exaggerating, I just want to make sure to have the best setting for each plant while having some species together in a bigger planter.

One last thing, about perlite, do you guys use it? I read that no more than 20% are recommended...

By the way, I磍l be going to Belgium over the weekend, my country of origin, please let me know which chocolates tastes you like the most, I am not kidding!

Variations can be found here! (only French/Dutch website)

https://www.cotedor.be/produits/produits-list?type=tablettes

Cheers,

JP

Answer
Hi JP,

This issue with North American temperate species starts to be splitting hairs some.  We pot all of our hardy plants in the same mix, 40% peat and 60% perlite.  They do great in that mix.  Your Peat/Sand/Perlite mix is a good airy mix and your plants should do wonderful in it.  The benefit you would get from planting the Venus Flytraps in a peat/sand mix separately is going to be so small you might not notice any difference.  Also, a sandier mix may not really be warranted in pots since you want more moisture holding property in pots.  Even though they grow in very sandy soil in nature, a big natural Pocosin bog is a very different thing than a container.  Also, flytraps very much like bigger containers, so having them intermixed with the other plants in a large planter is very beneficial.

The winter immersion thing for S. psittacina can be beneficial.  For that reason it does make sense to pot those in peat/sand since it will help weigh the pot down.

We've used perlite with peat moss almost exclusively for decades.  We have a very good source of perlite that is igneous rock based so it doesn't leach out any other compounds.  I'm not sure where that 20% figure comes from or is based on.  I do know here in the US we have a couple other companies that make perlite that are reported to have fluorides in them, and that it can be a problem to some plants.  We've never had that issue.

I'm a huge fan of the dark chocolates with a high cacao content!  Thank-you!

Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.growcarnivorousplants.com