Carnivorous Plant Care Basics: Water, Humidity, Feeding, and Propagation Resources

Question

Hi, I've seen a few of your vids on you tube, unfortunately my computer wont let me send a meesage on that website! Dammit! Anyway, I'm just wondering a few things. Can i treat all caniverous plants, no matter what the genus, exactly the same? Does the room/area my carniverous plants are in have to be humid? I would like to start propagating my own plants here in the UK, i did well last year with a few droseras, but this year my main plant (that gave me babies!) died off. Do I need to feed it (fertiliser?), do i need to use special compost for it? For one plant in a pot. Is it okay for it to be standing in a saucer of water? Or should i let it dry out occasionally? I have criclets and locusts to feed to my lizards - is it okay for me to feed these to my two plants? Currently, I'm seeing if i have any luck keeping a pitcher plant, and a venus fly trap alive. If you have a link to care sheets then I'm sorry, but i missed it. How would i go about propagating my venus fly trap and sarracenia without causing their deaths?! May thanks, Ben

Answer

Most of your questions will be answered in our caresheet pages. We also have a special page devoted just to the myths surrounding humidity. The caresheet pages are arranged by temperate (garden plants) versus tropical (houseplants). Plant care directions are then by species. That can be found at https://www.cobraplant.com/caresheets The humidity page is found at https://cobraplant.com/gallery/Humidity/humidity.html Propagation is too involved of a subject for the Allexperts format. You would need to obtain a book to help with that. Besides, you need to be a successful grower before you try an make new plants. :)

After reading the caresheet pages feel free to visit us back here if you have additional questions, or need clarification. Also consider both our e-book, Secrets to Growing Beautiful Carnivorous Plants, and our instructional DVD, Grow Carnivorous Plants, Volume #1, Venus Flytraps Can Grow Outside?"

Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
https://www.cobraplant.com