- Never fertilize Venus flytraps
- Feed Venus fly traps additionally?
- Regular repotting ensures sufficient nutrients
In nature, the Venus flytrap grows in very nutrient-poor locations - only in a limited one in the southern United States. If the carnivorous plant receives too many nutrients, it dies. It is therefore better never to fertilize Venus flytraps.
The Venus flytrap provides itself with nutrients
Never fertilize Venus flytraps
One of the most common care mistakes when keeping Venus flytraps is regular fertilizing of the carnivorous plant. Additional fertilizers are not only superfluous, but often also lead to the plant dying.
Even if it is often recommended to give the plants a little diluted orchid fertilizer from time to time, this is not advisable. In most cases, there are more than enough nutrients in the plant concentrate. With additional fertilizer there is a risk of over-fertilization.
Venus flytraps also get their nutrients from the insects they capture with their trapping flaps.
Feed Venus fly traps additionally?
Many beginners believe that it is necessary to regularly feed a Venus flytrap. That is not necessary either. Even if there are no insects in winter, for example, the nutrient supply in the substrate is more than sufficient.
Venus flytraps store nutrients in the leaves. They release them when there are not enough insects.
If you do want to feed the plant, use only live insects that are not too large. Don't feed too much at once. Note that the trapping flaps of a Venus flytrap will open at most seven times and then die.
Regular repotting ensures sufficient nutrients
Even if the roots of a Venus flytrap are not very pronounced, you should regularly place the plant in fresh plant substrate. Since this consists largely of peat, it decomposes over the months and has to be replaced.
Repot the carnivorous plant in early spring.
- Fill the clean pot with fresh substrate
- moisten well
- Carefully unpot the plant
- remove old substrate as completely as possible
- Put the plant in a new pot
- fill with substrate
By changing the substrate, you provide the Venus flytrap with new nutrients.
tips
The Venus flytrap receives important minerals with the irrigation water. Always water only with rainwater, as hard water is not tolerated at all. As a substitute, use still mineral water and only in exceptional cases distilled water.