Beginners Guide To Carnivorous Plant Cultivation
Dec 29, 2016 23:01:19 GMT -5
bonfield, Seymour, and 10 more like this
Post by Dennis Z on Dec 29, 2016 23:01:19 GMT -5
Hey guys, with our growing community of carnivorous plant growers, I thought I would make a brief guide for any enthusiasts looking to get started in this hobby. Hopefully they'll read this this guide and have any or all of their questioned answered. Please chime in if any of the information is wrong or if there is anything that should be added in. 
Introduction to Carnivorous Plants
Carnivorous plants are undoubtedly one of the most unique group of plants that exist on our planet. The reason why we call them carnivorous is because they all have a feature in common: a mechanism to trap and digest other organisms. This peculiar feature is an evolutionary adaptation developed by the plants so they can access nutrients vital for growth (E.g. Nitrogen) since their natural environment lacks the essential molecules for proper plant growth.
The genus' of carnivorous plants include: Sarracenia (North American Pitcher plants), Nepenthes (Tropical Pitcher Plants), Drosera (Sundew Plants), Pinguicula (Butterworts), Utricularia (Bladdarworts), Genlisea (Corkscrew Plants), Darlingtonia (Cobra Lilies), Cephalotus (Australian Pitcher Plants), Heliamphora (Sun Pitcher Plants), Dionea (Venus Fly Traps), Drosophyllum (Portuguese Sundew), Aldrovanda (Water-wheel Plants), Byblis (Rainbow Plant), Stylidium (Trigger plant)
To some lesser degree there are other plants that are on the borderline of whether they should be considered carnivorous or not. Part of the declaration of "carnivorous nature" is that a plant has to have some sort of mechanism to digest their prey. This is typically noted by the presence of digestive enzymes secreted by glands on the plant. Some plants, do not rely on their own digestive enzymes rather, they may form symbiotic relationships with other organisms that help break down the organic matter for them and thus, it proves some controversy on whether they should be categorised as "carnivorous". These plants include: Roridula (No common name), Catopsis (No common name), Brocchinia (Carnivorous Bromeliad),
As growers, we also like to divide up the different genus' of carnivorous plants into 2 generalised categories:
Temperate: g
These carnivorous plants are found where winter occurs. They require a dormancy period for long-term success. In this category, it includes all members of the Sarracenia, Dionea, and Darlingtonia genus and a few members of the Drosera genus (D. rotundifolia, D. intermedia, D. anglica, D. filiformis var tracyi, D. linearis) and Utricularia genus (U. intermedia, etc).
Tropical:
These are the most diverse group of carnivorous plants and to the experienced growers, an extremely generalised category. There are many plants that fall under this category that have specific needs such as a dry-dormancy but to keep things simple, all the plants mentioned above that are not listed under the temperate section can fall under this category. You will just have to understand that tropical carnivorous plants do not need a cold dormancy like temperate plants and as a matter of fact, a cold dormancy will most likely kill these plants.
Watering
This is the most crucial part of keeping carnivorous plants. In their natural environment, the soil they grow in is devoid of nutrients and typically acidic. Carnivorous plants have very sensitive roots and they will not tolerate water with large amounts of dissolved solids or nutrients. They will perish overtime if you water them with TDS (total dissolved solids)- high water so you'll need to find a source of low-TDS water.
This can include:
Distilled Water
Rain Water
Tap Water (if the TDS is under 100 ppm)
RO (reverse osmosis) water
Do not use:
Bottled water
Boiled water
Hard Tap Water
In addition, different plants will require different amounts of water. Typically, bog-plants such as Sarracenia and Dionea like to sit in water while other plants such as Nepenthes or epiphytic Utricularia like to be moist but not waterlogged. Depending on the carnivorous plant you decide to acquire, some research should be done to see what moisture levels it likes.
Lighting
Light is essential for the proper growth of plants. Photons from light excite electrons in the plant which is crucial in generating energy for the plant to utilise in growth and reproduction. There are 2 ways we can deliver light to our plants, and this is through artificial lighting or natural light. Carnivorous plants typically like bright light for optimal growth. Again, there are always different lighting preferences from plant to plant so not every plant will thrive under bright light.
Natural light:
The sun has the perfect spectrum for plants to grow however depending on where you live, it may be too intense for most plants. Temperate carnivorous plants tend to do well in full direct sunlight while tropical carnivorous plants such as Nepenthes will need some shading. West or South facing windows are best for high-light requiring plants while east facing windows are better for lower-light requiring plants.
Artificial light:
Many hobbyists use artificial lighting to grow their plants simply because it is more consistent and drastically cooler in temperature in comparison to the sun. Artificial light can be delivered through a variety of different lighting set-ups but the ones that work well are T8s, T5HOs, and, LEDs. When we talk about artificial lighting it is important to note that plants can only utilise light in the red spectrum and blue spectrum so we typically aim to provide a mixture of those colours or keep one colour temperature as blue or red. Florescent light (T8s, T5HOs, etc) can be obtained from any home-department store marketed as "shop lights" and the 6500K T8 shoplights work exceptionally well for growing plants. LEDs, should be obtained from a reputable source as this type of lighting will only work well if it is the proper spectrum and intensity for plants. Also note that lighting intensity decreases the further away it is from a plant. Generally you should aim for around 30 cm of space between the light and the plant, but this can differ depending on the intensity of your light or light requirements of your plant.
Humidity
Humidity is an important factor for many tropical carnivorous plants. Generally, temperate carnivorous plants will thrive in almost any humidity condition given that they have enough water. Many tropical carnivorous plants lack a thick cuticle(wax layer) on the surface of their leaves and will desiccate in low humidity. There are many methods you can provide humidity for your plants. Some include:
Greenhouse- If you have a greenhouse, this should not be a huge issue for you.
Terrarium/vivarium- This acts as a mini-greenhouse. The only issue is that air will become stagnant in this small enclosed space and ventilation is required (e.g. computer fans). In addition, do not place this type of set-up next to a window as the sun will overheat your plants inside.
Ultrasonic Fogger- You can purchase this from almost any home-decor or department store. It will slightly increase the humidity in the room and be beneficial for plants such as Nepenthes.
Any plant that is grown in a humid environment will need to be acclimated slowly if you plant to grow the plant in ambient room humidity. You can do this by covering the plant with a plastic bag and slowly poking holes in the bag until the humidity inside the bag becomes similar to your ambient room humidity. Symptoms of desiccation include: Loss of dew, leaf curling, desiccated leaves.
Soil/Media
There are a variety of media choices for carnivorous plants which satisfy the conditions of being inert or acidic. These materials include:
Peatmoss (Premier brand works)
Long-Fibered Sphagnum Moss
Perlite (without added fertilisers AKA: don't use the miracle-grow stuff)
Course Grit Silica Sand
Coconut Coir (Wash it well since it tends to be high in salt content. Should be tested.)
There are many ways you can mix media and it really is just dependant on each plant's specific needs. There have been success stories on a variety of media combinations so there really isn't a right answer to the best medium for carnivorous plants. It is important to note that if you want to use sand, it should not be fine (e.g. playsand) as this will compact overtime and devoid roots from oxygen. In addition the sand must be inert. You can toss the sand into some acid (e.g. vinegar) to see if it will react. If it does, it is not a suitable medium for your plants.
Feeding/Fertilising
Some carnivorous plants will thrive without feeding while other species will die if they are not fed enough. Feeding will always have benefits however, it is important to not over-feed as it can either cause "burns" or mould issues. Here are the methods you can do to fertilise your plants:
Insect Food Items - Appropriately sized crickets or other large insects can be placed into the traps of a venus flytrap or pitcher plant. Smaller insects such as fruit flies or fungus gnats are better suited for dew-trapping plants such as Drosera or Pinguicula. Do not feed insects bigger than the traps can handle.
Fish Food- Fish pellets or freeze-dried blood worms can be fed whole to pitcher plants or venus fly traps. These items should to grounded into a fine powder for dew-trapping plants.
Dilute fertiliser solution- A VERY dilute solution can be finely misted onto the dew or poured into the pitcher of plants. Use orchid fertilisers for this as regular fertilisers will be too strong. 20-10-10 (Nitrogen: Phosphorous: Potassium) works well.
Coffee- Plain, black coffee can be used ONLY for Nepenthes. Nepenthes benefit from the increased acidity and nitrogen content from coffee. The coffee should be diluted with distilled water in a 1:1 ratio and cooled to room-temperature before watering. In addition, you should flush the pots out after a few days with distilled water but this usually is not a huge issue since routine watering will flush the pot.
Sources for Carnivorous Plants
There are retailers outside of Canada for carnivorous plants such as Wistuba (http://www.wistuba.com/) or Best Carnivorous plants ( www.bestcarnivorousplants.net/) however there are many hobbyists on this forum that can be trusted to acquire your first plants from. It is usually better to acquire plants from hobbyists in your area as those plants will be better acclimated for growth in your home or greenhouse.
Beginners: It is not recommended to take any carnivorous plants from the wild. Most of the plants you will have access to can be easily obtained (e.g. S. purpurea) and collected plants typically do poorly.
Introduction to Carnivorous Plants
Carnivorous plants are undoubtedly one of the most unique group of plants that exist on our planet. The reason why we call them carnivorous is because they all have a feature in common: a mechanism to trap and digest other organisms. This peculiar feature is an evolutionary adaptation developed by the plants so they can access nutrients vital for growth (E.g. Nitrogen) since their natural environment lacks the essential molecules for proper plant growth.
The genus' of carnivorous plants include: Sarracenia (North American Pitcher plants), Nepenthes (Tropical Pitcher Plants), Drosera (Sundew Plants), Pinguicula (Butterworts), Utricularia (Bladdarworts), Genlisea (Corkscrew Plants), Darlingtonia (Cobra Lilies), Cephalotus (Australian Pitcher Plants), Heliamphora (Sun Pitcher Plants), Dionea (Venus Fly Traps), Drosophyllum (Portuguese Sundew), Aldrovanda (Water-wheel Plants), Byblis (Rainbow Plant), Stylidium (Trigger plant)
To some lesser degree there are other plants that are on the borderline of whether they should be considered carnivorous or not. Part of the declaration of "carnivorous nature" is that a plant has to have some sort of mechanism to digest their prey. This is typically noted by the presence of digestive enzymes secreted by glands on the plant. Some plants, do not rely on their own digestive enzymes rather, they may form symbiotic relationships with other organisms that help break down the organic matter for them and thus, it proves some controversy on whether they should be categorised as "carnivorous". These plants include: Roridula (No common name), Catopsis (No common name), Brocchinia (Carnivorous Bromeliad),
As growers, we also like to divide up the different genus' of carnivorous plants into 2 generalised categories:
Temperate: g
These carnivorous plants are found where winter occurs. They require a dormancy period for long-term success. In this category, it includes all members of the Sarracenia, Dionea, and Darlingtonia genus and a few members of the Drosera genus (D. rotundifolia, D. intermedia, D. anglica, D. filiformis var tracyi, D. linearis) and Utricularia genus (U. intermedia, etc).
Tropical:
These are the most diverse group of carnivorous plants and to the experienced growers, an extremely generalised category. There are many plants that fall under this category that have specific needs such as a dry-dormancy but to keep things simple, all the plants mentioned above that are not listed under the temperate section can fall under this category. You will just have to understand that tropical carnivorous plants do not need a cold dormancy like temperate plants and as a matter of fact, a cold dormancy will most likely kill these plants.
Watering
This is the most crucial part of keeping carnivorous plants. In their natural environment, the soil they grow in is devoid of nutrients and typically acidic. Carnivorous plants have very sensitive roots and they will not tolerate water with large amounts of dissolved solids or nutrients. They will perish overtime if you water them with TDS (total dissolved solids)- high water so you'll need to find a source of low-TDS water.
This can include:
Distilled Water
Rain Water
Tap Water (if the TDS is under 100 ppm)
RO (reverse osmosis) water
Do not use:
Bottled water
Boiled water
Hard Tap Water
In addition, different plants will require different amounts of water. Typically, bog-plants such as Sarracenia and Dionea like to sit in water while other plants such as Nepenthes or epiphytic Utricularia like to be moist but not waterlogged. Depending on the carnivorous plant you decide to acquire, some research should be done to see what moisture levels it likes.
Lighting
Light is essential for the proper growth of plants. Photons from light excite electrons in the plant which is crucial in generating energy for the plant to utilise in growth and reproduction. There are 2 ways we can deliver light to our plants, and this is through artificial lighting or natural light. Carnivorous plants typically like bright light for optimal growth. Again, there are always different lighting preferences from plant to plant so not every plant will thrive under bright light.
Natural light:
The sun has the perfect spectrum for plants to grow however depending on where you live, it may be too intense for most plants. Temperate carnivorous plants tend to do well in full direct sunlight while tropical carnivorous plants such as Nepenthes will need some shading. West or South facing windows are best for high-light requiring plants while east facing windows are better for lower-light requiring plants.
Artificial light:
Many hobbyists use artificial lighting to grow their plants simply because it is more consistent and drastically cooler in temperature in comparison to the sun. Artificial light can be delivered through a variety of different lighting set-ups but the ones that work well are T8s, T5HOs, and, LEDs. When we talk about artificial lighting it is important to note that plants can only utilise light in the red spectrum and blue spectrum so we typically aim to provide a mixture of those colours or keep one colour temperature as blue or red. Florescent light (T8s, T5HOs, etc) can be obtained from any home-department store marketed as "shop lights" and the 6500K T8 shoplights work exceptionally well for growing plants. LEDs, should be obtained from a reputable source as this type of lighting will only work well if it is the proper spectrum and intensity for plants. Also note that lighting intensity decreases the further away it is from a plant. Generally you should aim for around 30 cm of space between the light and the plant, but this can differ depending on the intensity of your light or light requirements of your plant.
Humidity
Humidity is an important factor for many tropical carnivorous plants. Generally, temperate carnivorous plants will thrive in almost any humidity condition given that they have enough water. Many tropical carnivorous plants lack a thick cuticle(wax layer) on the surface of their leaves and will desiccate in low humidity. There are many methods you can provide humidity for your plants. Some include:
Greenhouse- If you have a greenhouse, this should not be a huge issue for you.
Terrarium/vivarium- This acts as a mini-greenhouse. The only issue is that air will become stagnant in this small enclosed space and ventilation is required (e.g. computer fans). In addition, do not place this type of set-up next to a window as the sun will overheat your plants inside.
Ultrasonic Fogger- You can purchase this from almost any home-decor or department store. It will slightly increase the humidity in the room and be beneficial for plants such as Nepenthes.
Any plant that is grown in a humid environment will need to be acclimated slowly if you plant to grow the plant in ambient room humidity. You can do this by covering the plant with a plastic bag and slowly poking holes in the bag until the humidity inside the bag becomes similar to your ambient room humidity. Symptoms of desiccation include: Loss of dew, leaf curling, desiccated leaves.
Soil/Media
There are a variety of media choices for carnivorous plants which satisfy the conditions of being inert or acidic. These materials include:
Peatmoss (Premier brand works)
Long-Fibered Sphagnum Moss
Perlite (without added fertilisers AKA: don't use the miracle-grow stuff)
Course Grit Silica Sand
Coconut Coir (Wash it well since it tends to be high in salt content. Should be tested.)
There are many ways you can mix media and it really is just dependant on each plant's specific needs. There have been success stories on a variety of media combinations so there really isn't a right answer to the best medium for carnivorous plants. It is important to note that if you want to use sand, it should not be fine (e.g. playsand) as this will compact overtime and devoid roots from oxygen. In addition the sand must be inert. You can toss the sand into some acid (e.g. vinegar) to see if it will react. If it does, it is not a suitable medium for your plants.
Feeding/Fertilising
Some carnivorous plants will thrive without feeding while other species will die if they are not fed enough. Feeding will always have benefits however, it is important to not over-feed as it can either cause "burns" or mould issues. Here are the methods you can do to fertilise your plants:
Insect Food Items - Appropriately sized crickets or other large insects can be placed into the traps of a venus flytrap or pitcher plant. Smaller insects such as fruit flies or fungus gnats are better suited for dew-trapping plants such as Drosera or Pinguicula. Do not feed insects bigger than the traps can handle.
Fish Food- Fish pellets or freeze-dried blood worms can be fed whole to pitcher plants or venus fly traps. These items should to grounded into a fine powder for dew-trapping plants.
Dilute fertiliser solution- A VERY dilute solution can be finely misted onto the dew or poured into the pitcher of plants. Use orchid fertilisers for this as regular fertilisers will be too strong. 20-10-10 (Nitrogen: Phosphorous: Potassium) works well.
Coffee- Plain, black coffee can be used ONLY for Nepenthes. Nepenthes benefit from the increased acidity and nitrogen content from coffee. The coffee should be diluted with distilled water in a 1:1 ratio and cooled to room-temperature before watering. In addition, you should flush the pots out after a few days with distilled water but this usually is not a huge issue since routine watering will flush the pot.
Sources for Carnivorous Plants
There are retailers outside of Canada for carnivorous plants such as Wistuba (http://www.wistuba.com/) or Best Carnivorous plants ( www.bestcarnivorousplants.net/) however there are many hobbyists on this forum that can be trusted to acquire your first plants from. It is usually better to acquire plants from hobbyists in your area as those plants will be better acclimated for growth in your home or greenhouse.
Beginners: It is not recommended to take any carnivorous plants from the wild. Most of the plants you will have access to can be easily obtained (e.g. S. purpurea) and collected plants typically do poorly.
