I have never had luck growing carnivorous plants. Lord knows, I have tried my share of Venus' flytraps, pitcher plants and those so-called "Dutchman's pipes." These plants are usually available at local nurseries and can often be found at the supermarket floral department and in plant displays at big-box stores. They are so different that they tempt me despite my utter lack of success over the past 50 years or so of trying.
Recently I had a rare opportunity to spend time with a fellow who wholesales these plants, and after picking his brain, I am ready to try again.
There was a whole lot to learn.
Let's start with growing conditions. Carnivorous plants, at least those available in Alaska, are bog plants. This means they need to be wet all the time -- not damp, not moist, but wet. The way to accomplish this is to put their containers on a shallow tray that should always be full of water. When the water level gets low, simply refill the tray.
Ah, but this is not all when it comes to watering. The next trick is to always water the plant by adding water to the tray and not to the soil, nor by pouring water onto the plant, many of which have a sticky mucilage that can be washed away. Moreover, watering plants like flytraps can cause a false alarm, making them expend valuable energy closing their traps without any return of energy from trapped food.
In addition, the type of water matters a lot. Bog plants grow in soils and soil materials such as sphagnum moss that are extremely deficient in nutrients and minerals. Mineralized water, the kind that comes from the tap, overfertilizes the plant and can actually burn its roots, as if you were applying a high concentrate of plant food.
The trick here is to always use mineral-free water. Who knew? Bog plants will do best if you use distilled or rain water. You can buy distilled water.
Bog plants not only need water; they also should be grown in high humidity. Keeping the plant's growing medium wet helps, using a humidifier near the plant also helps, but what works best is growing the plants in a container that can be partially closed to keep the evaporating water in. The problem here is that if you don't let some air in and out, fungi can take control and kill the plants. Use a cover that can be opened slightly.
As for light, lots of it is the best. Carnivorous plants grow in bogs that are devoid of bushes and trees, thus the plants are in direct sun. Give yours 12 to 14 hours. Fluorescent lights work great, as will a good south-facing window. Incandescent bulbs produce too much heat. Most of the commercially available plants do just fine at room temperatures.
Next, in keeping with the bog theme, carnivorous plants should be grown in a mixture of horticultural grade sand and sphagnum peat. Beach sand, in case you have any around, is too salty, and contractor's sand, for use in making cement, is too full of dust, clay and other minerals. Use one part sand and one part sphagnum peat. I was told that flytraps like more sand and pitcher plants like more sphagnum.
OK, here is where it gets complicated. Ever wonder how those sundew plants in the Alyeska bog make it through the winter. Like most other carnivorous plants grown in temperate climes, they go dormant. As winter approaches, many lose their leaves and others form winter leaves. What this means is that when the fall approaches, you should hold back on water a bit while still keeping the plants' growing medium moist. Reduce light if you are growing yours under lights and put them where the temperatures are lower for three or four months. That cool basement or crawl space where you keep your fuchsias (for the first time this year, it's "fewk-see-a") or even your refrigerator will be ideal. They don't need light during this dormancy.
Finally, there is the issue of feeding carnivorous plants. If these plants are grown where there is access to insects, they will do just fine on their own. If you don't have natural insects, such as those fungus gnats about which you are always complaining, you can get them from pet stores, which often sell freeze-dried insects. You can also find dead flies, spiders and the like in lightbulb covers and on windowsills between screen and window.
You can grow your own fruit flies by putting citrus peels in a container with a bit of soil. Don't overdo it -- just a few insects a month should do it. And when it comes to that old idea of feeding Venus' flytraps little bits of hamburger, forget it. Plants don't eat meat.
Jeff Lowenfels is a member of the Garden Writers Hall of Fame. You can reach him at www.gardenerjeff.com or by joining the "Garden Party" radio show from 10 a.m. to noon Saturdays on KBYR 700 AM.
Garden calendar
• SEEDS TO START UNDER LIGHTS: portulaca, pelargonium
• FORCED SPRING-FLOWERING BULBS: You should have them out in the light and warmth by now.
• FUCHSIAS: Retrieve stored fuchsias. Remove dead leaves and soak in water for half an hour. After draining, bring the plant into light -- and wait for shoots to sprout.
• HOUSEPLANTS: Pick off dead leaves.
JEFF LOWENFELS
GARDENING