Don't Let Your Fly Trap Rot Away

In this video we explain and go over ways in which your VFT could rot away.
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Those links? Here they are:
amzn.to/30PGX2H - Big spray bottle
amzn.to/3cydH42 - Pre-made CP soil
amzn.to/2Av25R0 - Fine tip scissors
amzn.to/2MTPpph - Jiffy pots
amzn.to/2zqcFbn - Maxsea fertilizer
amzn.to/3eEFkI2 - Osmocote
amzn.to/3cLExV5 - Peat (Bulk)
amzn.to/3fcrHAP - Peat (Hoffman)
amzn.to/2zkd7b9 - Perlite
amzn.to/3kIuZPQ - Perlite x2
amzn.to/3f4hfvs - Reverse osmosis kit (make sure you do your research :))
amzn.to/2XOt2aV - Silica sand
amzn.to/2Aolcw1 - Small spray bottle
amzn.to/2AtRrJZ - TDS meter
amzn.to/37AnFQ8 - The savage garden
amzn.to/2YtKyAu - Watering can
amzn.to/37jWOHN - Zero Water Pitcher (Clean water for your plants :) )
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Keywords:
how to care for a venus fly trap, caring for venus fly trap, venus fly trap care, venus flytrap care guide, basic care for a venus flytrap, venus flytrap care, why is my venus fly trap black, why is my venus fly trap turning black, why is my venus fly trap turning, why is my venus fly trap not eating, the flytrap garden, venus flytrap, venus fly trap, carnivorous plants, dionaea muscipula, carnivorous plant, how to look after a venus fly trap, how to grow a venus flytrap

[@WCiossek]

I have a Venusflytrap since 1970. I have them very wet because in my country it is raining nearly every day. They standing always in water and they don't rot away. I have observed that they thrive very well when left very wet and then allowed to dry out so that the substrate is only slightly damp. A very short dry period causes the rhizome to grow deeper and more vigorously. The plant has produced several thousand offshoots over the past fifty years! It's carnivorous weed!

[@eventerminator1382]

I haven’t had this issue. I believe taller pots mitigate this issue. Root rot is caused when the plants roots are constantly drowned in water. I never really let the tray dry because it turned the soil into the Sahara desert and killed my plants. I just let the water stay around a 1mm high unless it’s very hot.

[@TheFlytrapGarden]

😂😂😂😂 the Sahara. Yes a taller pot makes everything more stable, my plants in the big colony pots are way happier

[@wassimezzeddine560]

1

[@Bullboy_Adventures]

I have heard that watering only from the top and never using the tray method also causes rot, but not by the roots, by the base of the plant. So this is basically a summary of what I found out: only water from the top once a month and make sure it's enough until water comes out from the bottom of the pot. Use the tray technique, as it's your friend. Only use distilled water, reverse osmosis water, or rain water. Fill the tray with water until its less than half of the pots length. Keep it there for two to three days or until you see the soil on top moist. Repeat this method if you see the peat turn brown, or is no longer moist to the touch. Hopefully this will keep mine alive at least.

[@thadevilzadvocate]

I hear all kinds of things I water from top or bottom works for me I do what works for me.

[@thetruthchannel7073]

Spot on really even in nature you'll get fluctuations of damp damper wet and dry periods

[@ScooterMcGraw]

Looking forward to seeing how you keep your VFTs alive in England because it's a bloomin' nightmare!!

[@TheFlytrapGarden]

Thanks 🤣 it’s been 4 months and they’re doing pretty well you can check out their pictures on my Instagram stories 😁

[@ScooterMcGraw]

@@TheFlytrapGarden Hi. I don't do Insta - will you be doing a KZbin vid on keeping VFTs alive in Blighty anytime soon?

[@TheFlytrapGarden]

@@ScooterMcGraw hi mate, my newest videos from the past few months have all been filmed within England, so you can check those and subscribe to see future videos that I make. I’m actually working on a short video of a venusflytrap of mine that ate a spider, so that should be up soon too

[@JamesEndo1]

6:41 how dry and how long can it stay dry? It should take a while before the soil will dry out in a pot. Good content, short is good too. Content request-the right size pots for VFT, when to upsize or aeparate.

[@Jude13able]

I have never had root rot but my climate zone is similar to South Carolina too. What I have started to do is leave my plant outside and do as little to it as possible besides sitting it on the south side of the house and making it easier for rain water to get into the plant from on top. I basically treat it as if it is in the wild. And sometimes I let it go 2 to 3 days without adding water and make the roots search for water and grow longer

[@Roxrock]

I’ve kept a variety of carnivorous plants for over a year now. Out of all of them, Venus fly traps have been the hardest for me to care for. Out of the 15 plants I’ve kept, 4 have died and 3 of them were flytraps. (The 4th was an African sundew that wasn’t even mentioned in the savage garden, and it flowered before dying) The only one I have left, my B-52, isn’t doing as good as it usually does in the summer. The reasons I thought it’s been dying included my plant light having to be manually turned on and off (its timer stopped working), failure to emulate colder temperatures and reduced sun in the winter for dormancy, not feeding it enough, not trimming away dead traps enough, or failure to eliminate a wired group of pests that have been growing in its soil (I haven’t seen them eating the plant, and I think they’re just springtails. However, now that I think about it, these might be what’s going on. I use long fibered spagnum and the tray method, and never let the water drop below half full. I’m honestly starting to loose faith in the tray system, as it’s the same setup which killed my sundew. All of the (supposedly) more difficult plants I have, such as my heliamphora, several nepenthes, and forked sundew, have grown very well in a terrarium setup with peat and live spagnum under grow lights.

[@jasminesharp7589]

I’ve had my Venus for a good few months now and I’ve noticed he doesn’t get red on the inside of the mouth! He just stays bright green which I’m not complaining about but is it normal for the plant to not have that nice red color in the middle of the head?

[@reidmock2165]

In general, venus flytraps turn red in proper sun, and will be more green when they aren't getting enough. People growing venus flytraps indoors might notice a complete absence of red. I seriously recommend keeping your flytrap outdoors in full sun, they really love it. Mine thrive under 12 hours of direct sunlight every day. Furthermore, they won't be as red during their fall/winter dormancy All of this is assuming you don't have a weird cultivar that doesn't develop any red coloration. (not common but these do exist)

[@bill-2018]

I'm surprised you say keep it in 2/3 way up the pot then let the water go right down before adding it again. After three failures 50 or so years ago I'm doing what I did with my fourth which I had for four years, keep the base moist and the top pretty dry. I think re-potting it into a taller pot will help to regulate it better. The instructions back then said never let them dry out so I kept them in about a half inch of water. All three rotted as I found when I dug up the third one to see why it died..

[@HH-hy8ph]

I am hoping that the soil had gone bad but the plant itself is okay because I caught it early. I only discovered the problem because I was repotting a new flytrap. It wasn’t that bad and I didn’t smell the rot once I rinsed away the soil.

[@goncalo1234_]

Towards the 10000 subscribers!! 😁

[@TheFlytrapGarden]

Thank you!

[@nordattack]

I have seedlings. I lightly mist them once a day. Is that sufficient water for them and a good way to water them?

[@TheFlytrapGarden]

It’s good supplementation but nothing is better than having the pot sitting in water. Treat seedlings like adult plants

[@peterphan227]

I check the top layer of soil medium every day. If it's moist or dark, I don't worry if the tray is dried out. Yes, the color of the peat is a good indicator. Also, I figure that even if the top is a bit dried out, the middle and lower layers are still moist. I use somewhat flexible/soft pots, so what I like to do is flex, squeeze and squish my pots around the middle from time to time. My logic is that this helps loosen and break up the soil to help get air deeper into the pot. I'm not sure if it really works, but I figure it can't hurt.

[@TheFlytrapGarden]

Be careful with that, as it may damage and displace roots :)

[@danielledewitt1]

Are you trying to damage the roots?

[@peterphan227]

@@danielledewitt1 Have you seen VFT roots? They aren't made of tissue paper. They are quite hardy, strong and resilient.

[@danielledewitt1]

@@peterphan227 Yes I have. Your method can hurt.

[@jakobcawley5271]

What species of Venus fly trap is that??? It’s HUGE!!!

[@LezBob]

John? John Snow!!!!

[@3RAN7ON]

4:03 we never got a follow up video from the peet vs. sphagnum soil video you made...which one was better for growth?

[@TheFlytrapGarden]

I did do a comparison in one video, the peat turned out to be better

[@ninobercilla1071]

That's why some growers are using tall pots🤔

[@TheFlytrapGarden]

Yes :)

[@ninobercilla1071]

@@TheFlytrapGarden ohh ok I didn't notice that the first time I try to grow VFT I always submerged their pots until to reach their soil that's why they got Root rot🤦🏻‍♂️

[@janacmilnakova1635]

Black death hahaha love this guy

[@stormygorilla1084]

How long do you leave your plants to dry out in summer? Is it just a couple of hours?

[@TheFlytrapGarden]

Yes just 6-8 hours. For example today I see the table will be dry tomorrow, so I leave it till I go out tomorrow around 10 am

[@stevefromlondon9175]

Thank you again great video & info Regards Steve UK London

[@TheFlytrapGarden]

Thank you, Steve!

[@frkifrk]

mine got black spots 5-6mm in diameter at leafs also catchers

[@frkifrk]

can you kill plant with just one sprinkle of tap water?

[@goncalo1234_]

Thank you for the information! 🙏

[@TheFlytrapGarden]

It’s a pleasure :)

[@LGEquipment3427]

ware do you get your plans

[@TheFlytrapGarden]

I grew them all from seeds

[@lauraswihart4816]

Help! 🌱

[@wassimezzeddine560]

what if my plant has crown rot in a tall glass tube😢

[@Weston-ir3jb]

i have a question my venus flytrap isnt looking too good. it still has its ryzome can it still recover his name is wall-e

[@DJJumpdancer]

what is better ? fill the tray the pot is in with water and let the soil soak the water up or just put the water in next to the plant and let it sicker down the pot

[@TheFlytrapGarden]

The plant should sit in a bowl of water until that water has completely evaporated or nearly completely finished before topping that bowl back up

[@m.hoffman2889]

while Sarracenia usually dont care if they are flooded, venus flytraps are much more divas concerning water level

[@nielsmit2947]

I recently got a plant and my plant is inside in my window, which only gets maybe 2 hours sunlight a day but is pretty brightthe whole day. Is it fine to keep te plant like this in my window or should I rather keep it outside. I live in south africa which is very hot especially now that it is summer.

[@iLLuminatedWithDren]

Is it dead yet

[@MrReyRey]

What about southern arizona full sunlight 111 fahrenheit or 44 celsius with low humidity and a UV Index of 11+ will it take that full sunlight?

[@TheFlytrapGarden]

When I was growing them in Australia they were outside in 45+ celsius with 20% humidity and who knows what UV index they did fine, however providing them shade from the afternoon sun may be a good idea as that can really heat up the water and soil pots especially if the pots are small. Also please bare in mind that my plants were used to that environment after a while of acclimation, if you put them straight outside and they don't acclimate they can end up dying so do be careful. I understand what you're trying to say, yes be careful if you're growing them in extreme environments, however it is possible - and take precautions :)

[@MrReyRey]

@@TheFlytrapGarden thanks i was worried because of the after noon sun flags every thing and i didnt want to give it to much sun or shade so im thinking shade it off at around 1pm 4pm being the hottest point of the day in arizona its seems like where i live and Australia weather have something in common.

[@TheFlytrapGarden]

@@MrReyRey I would give it 6 hours morning sun everything after that shade it and keep the water tray very full if i were in your situation. I had mine in a flood table which held a couple hundred liters of water and they only got a few hours of direct sun In their spot the rest was just bright light but so so damn hot 🥵 there are a few growers in AZ that grow outside under shade, I think they also have a Facebook group

[@RafaelSwit]

What if you were to remove all soil, and just keep it in an aquaponic setup in gravel or pumice, where water is well oxygenated?

[@TheFlytrapGarden]

I haven’t tried it myself, but a few people in the hobby have done it and they reported success for about 2 years and then they stopped making posts about their plants. I think it could definitely work but there’s a bit of research to be done as it isn’t something that has a lot of people testing the best methods as far as I know

[@donaldmaley4539]

I have traps but when I feed a trap a fly that trap turns black is that normal

[@TheFlytrapGarden]

In some cases it is normal

[@guydreamr]

It usually means the prey is too big for the trap to digest properly. The half-digested prey rots and kills the trap. A good rule of thumb is to feed the traps insects which are no bigger than around 1/3 the size of the trap.

[@elsonjulesgalinato3404]

I've recently tried keeping a VFT. Followed this but failed to take account the amount of rain that happens in my tropical country. Will try again soon but this time, indoors. How many watts does a grow light for a VFT require?

[@TheFlytrapGarden]

Im terrible with grow lights, but I hear the Yescom lights are very good. So something like that, or the spider (something something) lights are good too. :)

[@vivianhong2376]

Can you use purified water?

[@louel9272]

No. Only distilled or rainwater

[@JonVlogs123]

Only if it is Reversd Osmosis (RO) filtered and the TDS reads 0.

[@louisehughes2866]

I put my Venus fly trap in direct sunlight in summer time and the bastard thing got cremated couldn’t believe it 🥺

[@UfrankTube]

Just get a pitcher plant. Much easier to maintain.

[@UfrankTube]

@@user-lh5fg5hz4p yes. Florida.

[@philipbrookins9200]

Many of my pitcher plants are rotting...ugh.

[@TheFlytrapGarden]

😢😢

[@vivimannequin]

Nepenthes?

[@brucecampbell6035]

why do flytrap leaves go yellow thank you for sharing your knowledge you make it easy

[@ralphralpherson9441]

I tried to rescue a VFT from Whole Foods. They were all in death cubes and looked pretty sorry. I picked the best one, repotted in some sphanum I had lying around (it was good quality stuff, no nutrients and the only peat I had access to was Miricle Grow with food added)... but after 3 days, the leaves started blackening at the edges... and now even the new growth is getting black along the edges of the leave part (not the heads). Im worried I have crown rot going on but when I repotted, the rhizome looked decent, nice and whitish-yellow like it should. Im confused and hope the plant is just in shock and not dying.

[@THR368]

Got my third Venus flytrap a month ago (when I was 10 my first) and now try to do my best this time. There is also a flower coming up that I will cut off or maybe take cuttings. thanks for all the tips you share! I even learned from you how to cut the flower 😂

[@TheFlytrapGarden]

Lol I’m glad I could help! Good luck

[@danielledewitt1]

Never cut the flower.

[@tobiasware]

I'm redesigning my tiny backyard carnivorous plant sanctuary and will be adding a water-table. My VFTs are small but healthy. Can I use a couple of black plastic garden bags over a large tray to form the water-table?

[@TheFlytrapGarden]

You could, I’m not sure what you mean exactly. I use pond liner in my table

[@tobiasware]

@@TheFlytrapGarden that's OK, pond liner us what I'll be attempting to emulate with garden-grade plastic bags.

[@TheFlytrapGarden]

@@tobiasware sounds good!

[@Vikface1978]

Can I put a VFT in a floating basket in a wildlife pond? It’s in a pond with about 12 native pond plants, clear water and no fish. Oxygen Aerators in pond as well. Thanks

[@DiGioia1988]

Hi I was wondering if Venus fly trap like the glass dome? Do they like humidity? Please let me know, thank you!

[@candydecker1091]

I can't find a yellow jacket mine caught about 6 days ago i seen it before bed an the trap was almost open woke up traps open bugs gone I don't think the yellow jacket could live 6 days in it could it .

[@TheFlytrapGarden]

Wind often blows the exoskeleton out

[@Jesus-eg3yb]

So how should a beginner water in the winter? I’m in California. I’ve been too watering them now as we near dormancy. I have a moisture meter I check the soil with, and as it nears “dry” now that it’s colder I top water them again and let them drain through the holes.

[@TheFlytrapGarden]

Water them the same as always via the tray method. Just leave one day between when the tray is dry to when you fill it up again in winter

[@judyperkins4509]

Thank you

[@rudyrudelaemmerhirt]

It can be very rainy and humid in my environment, I’m just a tad north of where they originate from. I’m wondering if adding some nice moss around my flytraps will help prevent rot in the future. Just before I go down KZbins moss rabbit-hole; do you have a moss you prefer to plant in your pots? they look very nice!

[@nielsmit2947]

Another question, if the leaves start turning black , is it fine because there are other traps starting to open, or should I be worried?

[@annaycox4973]

But I did that and they turned black. It’s now the end of November. All the leaves are gone.

[@TheFlytrapGarden]

If you are living in the northern hemisphere they are probably dormant :)

[@tinapitts6222]

I’m dealing with it right now…GAWD…lol

[@TheFlytrapGarden]

Oof 😅

[@lyonscultivars]

What's your preferance bud. Saturated capilery matting or 1-3cm of water

[@TheFlytrapGarden]

I’m not too sure what your question is?

[@lyonscultivars]

@@TheFlytrapGarden your preferance on bottom watering pal

[@TheFlytrapGarden]

Bottom watering is what I do and always have done. What do you mean by saturated capillary though?

[@lyonscultivars]

@@TheFlytrapGarden as apposed to ha I g standing water upto 1inch or have capilery matting witch can alow for less water to be used on large water trays. It's somthing I use as helps save water usage. Just means the bottom of each pot gets water without there being a pool of water

[@lyonscultivars]

@@TheFlytrapGarden are you on Facebook. If so let me know ile just speak on there. Easier and can add photos.

[@davidmg1925]

What's with the eye makeup pal.

[@TheFlytrapGarden]

I don’t wear make up 👍🏼

[@Vikface1978]

What? I can’t see any make up, he’s got dark eyelashes that’s all. Lucky guy ❤

[@SuperLinot]

can u make a guide on aphids ? I'm getting tons of them and i cant get rid of it ... any good advices ?

[@TheFlytrapGarden]

I’ll do that next week. I have done an old video on it before