Author: Kellie

Venus fly traps require unique care to live, they won’t usually survive in standard houseplant conditions.

I have grown Venus fly traps for over 5 years and have a method to plant, grow and care for Venus fly traps that ensures success.

Follow the steps below to successfully grow a Venus Fly trap and watch this video to view the process 😉

1- Gather distilled water, carnivorous plant soil, and a plastic pot

Assuming you already have a Venus fly trap, the most common first step is to plant and grow one of these plants is to gather the appropriate materials:

• One gallon of distilled, reverse osmosis or rain water (distilled water is available in grocery stores)
• Carnivorous plant soil: https://amzn.to/3uVbg39
• Tall plastic pot (at least 5 inches in depth):  https://amzn.to/34Q6byu
• Small trimmer or scissors: https://amzn.to/3H2mfzZ

Venus fly traps require special water and soil to stay healthy.

The water must be either distilled, reverse osmosis water or rainwater. I recommend distilled water as it is easily accessible in most super markets for one to two dollars a gallon.

One gallon of distilled water will be enough to pot your plant for the first time.

Regarding the potting media, Venus fly traps can’t be planted in standard potting soil, such as potting mixes, cactus soil, succulent soil, etc. Instead, you need to find nutrient-free, mineral free soil. carnivorous plant soil is made up of moss, perlite, and sand, and it is perfect for Venus fly traps.

I have an article where I teach you how to make carnivorous plant soil which you can read. Also, carnivorous plant soil is available for purchase in Amazon for less than 15$, you can use the link to check the current price. One single bag of that mix is usually enough to pot a single plant.

Finally, the pot consideration, Venus fly traps are not too picky regarding the pot. However, it is preferred to use tall containers to promote growth. Also, plastic, glazed ceramic, and Styrofoam containers are the recommended materials.

2.- Remove the Venus fly trap from its original packaging

Most Venus fly traps are sold in very shallow and tiny containers. Those are great for transporting the plants, but not optimal for growing them.

For best results growing your Venus fly trap, you should pot your plant into fresh soil and a larger pot.

Start by removing the fly trap from the soil.

Use the distilled water to moisten the soil slightly. Then, press the pot’s sides at different locations to separate the soil from the pot.

After repeating these actions multiple times you should be able to flip the pot while you hold the Venus fly trap and remove the plant with some of the soil from the pot.

Now your plant is almost ready to be potted and we need to prepare the new container for it.

If you struggle removing the Venus fly trap from the container, use more water and remove some of the soil in the edges to help separate.

3- Moisten the soil and place in the pot

Now, it is time to prepare the container for your plant.

Start by moistening the carnivorous plant soil with distilled water. Moisten the soil until is humid all around.

Then, place the soil inside the container until it is at the desired level.Make sure you have some left over soil to set the plant later on.

Put some slight pressure in the ground to ensure there are no gaps in the soil.

Then, use your finger, or preferably a pen to make a hole in the middle of the pot. The hole should be at least 3/4 of an inch in width.

Here is an example of when I planted a bunch of Venus fly traps in styrofoam cups.

Venus fly traps have very long roots. The hole will ensure they can start expanding vertically from the beginning.

4- Rinse and trim your plant

Before planting your Venus fly trap, take the time to rinse and trim your plant.

Start by using distilled water to rinse the roots and remove any excess soil. There is no need to remove all dirt, but instead focus on larger chucks which will be on the way while planting.

Also, now that your plant is bare root, it is the optimal time to trim the dead leaves.

It is not a requirements, but it does promote growth and makes your plant look great.

I personally use a pair of scissors or tiny trimmer to cut off any black leaves as close to the base as possible.

Here are some of my plants. When I got them they were bare root and I took advantage of that to remove all dead leaves before planting.

4- Introduce your Venus fly trap into the soil

To plant your Venus fly trap. Start by placing the roots inside the vertical hole in the soil and push the soil together to secure the plant.

The white part of the build should remain underground as the sun will damaged it if exposed.

Here is a picture that help you understand the depth to plant your Venus fly trap.

Burry the build, but do not burry the green areas of the plant.

5- Secure your plant into the ground by watering

You might need to use the additional soil you have to set the plant into place. Do it, and ensure there are no holes in the soil left to fill.

After the plant is relatively set into its new media, you must water the plant.

Use the distilled water to water the plant from the top and exert pressure in all the soil throughout.

The water will help compress the soil slightly and secure the plant.

6- Use the water tray method to water perfectly

Venus fly traps require substantial amounts of water to stay healthy.

The soil from a Venus fly trap must be humid at all times and never go dry. However, flooding the soil is not good as it can cause root rot.

To ensure the prefect watering amount at all times, I recommend the water tray method. It is so easy and convenient! 🙂

Place your potted plant inside a tray, it can be standard plant tray or a container that is at least 3 inches in depth.

Then, fill up the container with to 2 inches of distilled water. The pot will slowly start absorbing that water from the bottom over the next few days.

Depending on the weather and the size of your plant, such amount of water can last for a few to many days.

The guidance is to refill the water as soon as the tray dries out. Once the tray is dry, refill.

Using this method ensures the soil is humid, never dry and never flooded. Also it promotes root growth.

7- Give your plant a few weeks to acclimate

Now that you plant is potted, it is time to start caring for them.

After repotting, Venus fly traps are often down for a few weeks. During this time, avoid feeding, fertilizing or repotting again. Your plant needs some time to adapt to a new location.

Optimally, Venus fly traps require tons of lighting. However, introducing your plant to bright direct sunlight on day one is not a good practice. The abrupt change can end up killing it.

Instead, introduce your plant to lighting over the course of 2-3 weeks.

Start by placing your plant in a location with 2-3 hours of direct lighting, then increase an hour of direct sunlight every 2-3 days until you get to over 10 hours of light or more.

During the acclimation process, you might notice some leaves turn red, that is a sign you might be going too fast and the leaves are burning due to heat exposure.

When properly acclimated Venus fly traps can withstand bright direct sunlight for 12+ hours in up to 100 F heat.

Here is a complete guide on lighting. Mastering is key to keep your plant healthy.

8- Transition your Venus fly trap to a bright location

Venus fly traps need to live in bright locations to start healthy.

Optimally Venus fly traps need 4-6 hours of direct sunlight to survive. An optimal of 10h hours works best for Venus fly traps.

To ensure success when growing Venus fly traps, ensure you locate a bright location for your plants. It either needs direct sunlight or grow lights.

Indirect sunlight can be a supplement to grow Venus fly trap, but it won’t be enough.

For best results grow Venus fly traps outdoors exposing the plant to 10+ hours of bright sunlight during the growing season. Grow light can also do the trick, but you will need to build a set up.

In this article I explain all you need to know on grow lights and how to use them for carnivorous plants.I have grown Venus fly traps in a small apartment with little to no access to light for a long time. It takes some planning but it is doable.

9- Ensure your plant goes dormant in the winter

During the winter months Venus fly traps go dormant.

It is a process similar to hibernation when the plants look down, lose many of their leaves and rest for a few months. The cold weather and shorter days prompts the plant to go dormant.

Dormancy is critical for Venus flytraps, as they will die if they don’t experience their yearly dormancy.

For that reason it is critical that your plant lives in a cold location during the winter months, where it can experience temperatures below 45F for at least five weeks.

There are also alternate methods to ensure your plant goes dormant, even when a winter climate is not available. You can view my complete guide to dormancy here.

Additional Venus Fly Trap Care Advice

I hope you found this article to be useful. I have a several article on Venus fly trap care, including this complete guide.

Follow the advice below and read the guide to learn more about Venus fly trap care. Happy growing 😀

• Light: Venus flytraps need exposure to plenty of light. Optimally they should receive 12 hours of sunlight, and the minimum is 6 hours of light.
• Watering: Venus flytraps must be watered only with rainwater, distilled water, and reverse osmosis water. The soil of the plant must always remain moist. 
• Soil: Employ nutrient-free soil for carnivorous plants. Never employ enriched soil full of fertilizers. This article covers many soil options for Venus flytraps.
• Feeding: Venus flytraps do not need to capture insects to survive, but they benefit from them greatly. This article has a complete list of what you should and shouldn’t feed a Venus fly trap.
• Suitable pots: Do not place Venus flytraps in enclosed containers. Venus flytraps prefer standard plant pots with drainage holes. Depending on the plant’s size, choose a plastic or glazed ceramic container about 2-6 inches in diameter.
• Repotting: repot the plant once a year to avoid soil compression, fungus, and mold.
• Trimming: Remove black leaves once they dry out completely.
• Fertilizers: Do not fertilize Venus flytraps. The chemicals in the fertilizers can hurt the plant.
• Temperature: Keep Venus flytraps in temperatures within this range: 32 F – 95 F (0 C – 35 C). Do not burn them in the summer, and do not let them freeze solid in the winter.
• Dormancy: Venus flytraps must undergo a dormancy period of 2-3 months during the winter. Ensure your plant will experience this yearly resting period by placing them in a cold location. 
• Here are some tips on how to grow big venus fly traps.

Recommended Products for Growing Carnivorous Plants

Finding the best pots, lights, and soil for carnivorous plants is difficult. I have grown carnivorous plants for over 5 years, and these are the products I use. The links will take you to Amazon to view the prices and full specs:

• Carnivorous Plant Soil
  • Carnivorous plant soil: https://amzn.to/3uVbg39
• Artificial Lighting
  • Small plant light for 1-2 plants: https://amzn.to/2RsGlxr
  • T8 LED light fixture for multiple plants (6500k Cool White): https://amzn.to/3uWoeh2
• Pots and Miscellaneus
  • Nursery pots for single plants: https://amzn.to/34Q6byu
• TDS meter to measure water quality: https://amzn.to/3g8VKLI
• Dried crickets to feed carnivorous plants: https://amzn.to/34QEnKv

Growing Venus fly traps successfully is different from growing most house plants. I have grown Venus fly traps for over 5 years and can tell you it is not extremely hard, but it does require you to follow some very unique instructions.

In this blog you will learn step by step how to keep your Venus fly trap healthy and most importantly, alive 😉

Select the carnivorous plant soil for your Venus fly trap

Venus fly traps require an specific type of soil to survive.

In the wild, they live in very poor conditions, with ground that lacks all the nutrients. For that reason, they have developed an intolerance to standard nutrients and fertilizers.

Potting your Venus fly traps in standard potting soil like Miracle Grow will kill your plant. Most cactus soil, succulent soil, garden bed soil, or even potting soil is jam packed with fertilizers and additives (which are great for most plants) that can herm Venus fly traps.

Venus fly traps required nutrient-free soil to stay alive. Carnivorous plant soil mixes are a common solution. These mixes are made up of pure peat moss or long fiber sphagnum moss with silica sand or perlite. All of the ingredients must be pure, without any additives.

You can buy moss and perlite or sand in your gardening store, you just need to make sure it is nutrient-free version. Also, you can buy carnivorous plant soil online.

You can also buy already made carnivorous plant soil. With this strategy, you ensure the medium is appropriate.

Do a quick search for carnivorous plant soil and you will find many options online. Just keep an eye on the reviews to verify the authenticity. A quart of carnivorous plant soil costs on $5-10 a quart.

This is an example of an affordable and effective carnivorous plant soil mix I personally use. It usually costs less than 10 dollars for a quart. Follow the link to confirm the price on Amazon.com.

This article teaches you how to make your own soil and how to pot your plant: Soil and Potting for Venus fly traps.

Besides choosing the appropriate soil, pay attention to the pot you use. Some materials leach minerals into the ground. Here are my Venus fly trap pot recommendations.

Get distilled, RO or rain water for watering

Venus fly traps are very sensitives to minerals in the water they consume.

For optimal result use distilled water, never osmosis water or rainwater for Venus flytraps. Those three options are completely safe for Venus fly traps. Avoid tap water and bottled water as it usually contains a high amount of minerals and electrolytes that are harmful for carnivorous plants.

The easiest way to find the appropriate water is to buy distilled water in the grocery store, not all chains carry it, but the majority of larger stores do sell distilled water in jugs of a gallon for less than $1.5.

If you are in the US, Walmart, Kroger, Fry’s and the vast majority of groceries will carry distilled water.

Filtered water can also appropriate for a Venus fly trap, depending on what water filter you use. I have tried a few, and the only one that met the specs was Zero water. Zero Water filters remove all particles from the water, which is optimal for carnivorous plants. 

You check out the specs and price of the zero-water filter here (the link will take you to Amazon.com). I have used it successfully for my plants for years (change the filter every few months 🙂 )

Sometimes tao water or bottled water are within the acceptable range for Venus fly traps, but you will have to test the mineral content. This article teaches you how to asses your water for carnivorous plant use.

Place your Venus flytrap in a bright location with at least six hours of direct sunlight

Not providing enough lighting is one of the most common mistakes for new Venus fly trap owners.

Venus fly traps thrive in sunny locations.

Optimally, a Venus fly trap should grow under over 10 daily hours of direct sunlights. They can survive with 4-6 hour of direct sunlight, if the brightness is sufficient, but they will thrive in extremely sunny locations.

If you just got your plant from a shop, introduce it to sunlight slowly.

First to a couple of hours, ad a couple of hours after a few days. And slowly transition into the full 10 plus hours. Do not be afraid of placing your plant under full sunlight.

Venus fly traps thrive in sunny weather.

Here is a complete guide on lighting. Mastering is key to keep your plant healthy.

Growing Venus fly traps indoors is also possible. However, the lighting is a lot more challenging.

Do your best to find a location with sunlight, maybe a sunny windowsill. You can use artificial lights if sunlight is not enough.

When employing artificial lights for Venus fly traps, choose LED or fluorescent lights of at least 1500 lumens and 6500K. Place the artificial lights 10-12 inches from the Venus fly traps and run the lights for 10-16 hours a day.

Selecting the most appropriate indoor light for Venus fly traps can be difficult. And getting it wrong can kill your plant.

These lights have helped me provide lighting for two of my plants when I first got started. Eventually, I switched to a larger lighting setup, but this light is perfect if you are just getting started or just have a few plants.

Also, this article can help you select an appropriate light for your plant, with lot’s of options.

Master the watering frequency to keep the soil moist at all times

Venus fly traps are great plants in terms of watering. They are extremely hard to overwater.

Water Venus fly traps every 2-5 days to keep them alive. The soil of a Venus fly trap must be humid at all times. Still, you should avoid flooding the soil, it must be humid, but not damped.

Venus fly traps love humid locations. I water my plants every few days and use this easy trick to ensure I am not under or overwatering. touch the soil after watering. the soil should be overall humid, not flooded (muddy consistency) or half dry.

I recommend using the water tray method to water your plant effectively every single time. Place your pot in a twater tray. Add water to the tray, usually 1-2 inched of water is enough. This will keep the soil humid by watering from the bottom.

The plant will consume the water. Do not add more water until the tray dries out. Once it is dry. Refill with a couple of inches of water. This method is gold to keep the watering to the perfect amount.

Select a tall plastic or glazed ceramic pot for your Venus flytrap

Some pots are made of materials that leach minerals to the ground. Those minerals are harmful for Venus fly traps, For that reason you should avoid unglazed ceramic, metal, and terra cotta pots.

Venus fly traps thrive in 5-inch tall plastic or glazed ceramic pots. Plastic and glazed ceramic pots do not leach minerals to the ground and provide great insulation.

Personally, I buy white pots for my plants growing outdoors. it helps control the heat.

Here is an example of pots that are great for Venus flytraps: https://amzn.to/3IYVGKU. 

Learn how to feed your plant to keep it healthy

Venus fly traps capture insects to gather key nutrients they can’t find in the soil.

If you own a Venus fly trap, there is no need to feed it. Plants growing outdoors capture their own bugs.

Also, the nutrients they extract are just a supplement to their diet. You do not need to feed your plant at all at it will stay alive. However, feeding your plant can provide benefits like expedited growth.

Feed your Venus fly trap by providing a single insect every 2 to 6 weeks. A single bug has enough nutrients for the whole plant. The size of the insect is very important. Select a bug that is 1/3 of the size of the trap or smaller.

And at all costs, do NOT use human food to feed your plant. This article has a complete list of what you should and shouldn’t feed a Venus fly trap.

If you are new to Venus fly traps, this article is a step by step guide of the feeding process. Doing it incorrectly won’t kill your plant, but can cause it to be unhealthy.

Avoid any type of fertilizers

Venus fly traps suffer greatly when exposed to nutrients in the soil or the water.

Fertilizing Venus fly traps can kill them very quickly.

the only type of fertilizers they can withstand is Maxsea, but in a diluted form and only in the leaves.

If you are a beginner grower, forget about fertilizing your plants. It is not necessary and it can be harmful if you don’t do it right. instead, feed your plant, that should provide more than enough nutrients.

Remove any stress from the environment

Venus fly traps can turn black and lose leaves when they encounter stress. Stress won’t kill your plant right away, but can be a debilitating factor.

Here are some tips to avoid causing stress to your plant:

• Do not trigger the traps of your plant unless you are feeding it
• Repot your plant once a year, more is unnecessary
• Avoid constantly changing the location of your plant and take your time to acclimate your fly trap
• Place your plant in a quiet location where pets and humans are not constantly poking it

Learn about the winter dormancy and apply it

Venus flytraps live through winters every year in the wild. When the temperature drops Venus flytraps go dormant (similar to hibernation).

Dormancy is key for Venus fly traps to stay alive for years.

Venus flytraps must go dormant for 3 to 4 months, every year. If they do not experience this period of inactivity the plant will die. Venus flytraps go dormant when they experience cold weather of less than 45F (7C) for a minimum of three months. There are methods to achieve dormancy indoors and outdoors.

If properly taken care of Venus fly traps can live for about 20 years. Dormancy is a requirement to keep them healthy for that long.

This article can walk you though the details of how dormancy work’s and how to achieve it.

Growing Venus fly traps and carnivorous plants is very rewarding. When I first got started I was concerned it would be too hard. To my pleasant surprise, I discovered that growing Venus fly traps is attainable to almost anyone, regarding of your climate.

Venus flytraps require significant amounts of pure water (distilled or rainwater), carnivorous plant soil, and lots of sunlight to thrive. They don’t need to be fed and they are best grown outdoors under direct sunlight.

After growing Venus fly traps and carnivorous plants for over 5 years, I would say that Venus fly traps are an intermediate difficulty plant. It does have some very specific requirements, but it is also very resilient. It is difficult to overwater and it can adapt to varied climates. And, healthy Venus fly traps can live for about 20 years without issues! 🙂

Now, if you really want to grow Venus fly traps at home, you can follow these instructions to ensure success. Best of luck!

Venus Fly Trap Care at Home 101 Summary

– Water your plant only with Distilled, reverse osmosis or rain water and keep the soil humid at all times.
– Employ carnivorous plant soil for Venus fly traps, never use standard potting soil.
– Provide plenty of sunlight, at least 4 -6 hours of direct sunlight 9more is recommended 😉 )
– Feed a single insect every 2 to 6 years if growing them indoors. Outdoor Venus fly trap do not require feeding.
– Do not feed human food to your Venus Fly trap

If you are currently struggling with a plant, this article can help you: How to Save Your Venus Fly Trap.

Watering:

First, watering Venus fly traps can be a bit tricky. You can’t use standard tapster or bottled water. You will need pure, mineral-free water.

Use distilled water, reverse osmosis water or rainwater to water Venus flytraps. Most standard tap-water or bottled water will kill Venus flytraps, make sure to avoid at all costs.

This article can give you the complete list of safe and unsafe water types.

Second, Venus fly traps thrive is high humidity. You will need to water your plant often to keep them alive.

Water Venus fly traps every 2 to 5 days ensuring the soil is always humid, but never flooded. The soil should never go completely dry as this can harm and kill Venus fly traps.

For best results, water Venus fly traps from the bottom by placing them in a tray with 1-3 inches of water and let the plant consume the water. Once the water is gone from the tray, refill it right away.

The tray method is effective when growing them indoors or outdoors. Also, it helps increase the overall humidity.

Soil

Venus fly traps are very sensitive to minerals, for that reason they can’t be grown in standard potting soil like Miracle grow.

Cactus soil, succulent soil, and the vast majority of soil is unsuitable for Venus fly traps. the nutrients will burn the leaves and end up killing the plant.

Venus fly trap require nutrient-free soil that can retain moisture and promote drainage. Carnivorous plant potting mixes are available to meet this requirements and are made up of a combination of moss and perlite or sand.

You can buy carnivorous plant soil or make it yourself. This is an example of an affordable and effective carnivorous plant soil mix. It usually costs less than 10 dollars for a quart. Follow the link to confirm the price on Amazon.com.

When selecting the soil, make you find the correct type. Here is a guide that lists the best soil options.

Lighting

Venus fly traps thrive in bright lighting. they actually require tons of light to survive.

Grow Venus fly traps in a bright location with at least 4 to 6 hours of direct lights. Optimally they should receive 10 or 12 hours of bright direct sunlight. Indirect sunlight is also beneficial as a supplement, but in most cases not enough as a single source of light.

Sunlight works best for Venus fly traps due to its intensity. However, Venus fly traps can also grow indoors at home.

Indoors, Venus fly traps will still require plenty of lighting. Some plants grow well in bright windowsills or under artificial lights,

Venus flytraps can remain healthy if exposed to more than 6 hours of artificial lighting. For optimal results, provide over 10 hours of artificial lights with LEDs or fluorescent bulbs of at least 1500 lumens.

Artificial light can also be used as an addition if sunlight is not enough.

Healthy Venus fly traps will exhibit large traps with bright colors and will often divide and propagate. Without proper lighting, Venus fly traps sometimes lose their colors and the traps tend to shrink or deformed. To grow healthy leaves back you can follow these instructions.

Here is a complete guide on lighting. Mastering is key to keep your plant healthy 🙂

Feeding

In the wild, Venus fly traps capture insects to extract nutrients and boost their diet. However, they don’t need to catch bugs to survive.

Growing Venus flytraps outdoors ensure they will have access to insects. However, indoor Venus fly traps will sometimes struggle.

Feed indoor Venus fly traps once every 2 to 6 weeks to boost their growth. A single insects for the whole path is enough to provide key nutrients.

Avoid feeding any type of human food to Venus fly traps. They won’t be able to consume it.

Most insects or spiders are suitable for Venus fly traps. Select a bug that can fit completely inside the leaf of your plant. As a rule of thumb, prey that is maximum 1/3 of the size of the leaf are suitable.

Flies, ants, spiders, mealworms, small crickets, bloodworms and other insects are very nutritious for Venus fly traps.

This article has a complete list of what you should and shouldn’t feed a Venus fly trap.

Never feed human food to Venus fly traps (these options are much better). The plant won’t be able to digest it and it might attract mold.

This article can help you learn how to feed Venus fly traps and avoid black leaves plus there is a helpful video for a visual guide.

Climate: Temperature + Humidity

Venus fly traps can adapt to a variety of climates. In their natural habitat they live in high humidity and go through all four seasons with very sunny summers.

Venus fly traps can grow at room temperature in your house through the growing season. However, they do require a dormancy period. A few months of close to freezing temperatures and shorter days to go dormant and get ready for blooming in the spring.

The optimal temperature range for Venus flytraps during the summer months is 70-95 F. Above 95 to 100 F; Venus flytraps are at risk of drying up and dying. 

During the winter, Venus flytraps also require a particular temperature to stay healthy.

20-45 F is the optimal temperature range for Venus flytraps during the winter. Venus flytraps require cold weather to achieve dormancy, essential for their survival. To complete a full dormancy, temperatures must remain below 50 F for at least three months.

In terms of humidity, Venus fly traps prefer high humidity environments (over 50%), however they can grow in almost any humidity. I grow mine in an arid climate and my plants have adapted 🙂

Venus fly traps do not need terrariums or misting. Instead, water your plant to keep the soil humid at all times.

Additional Care Considerations

Flowering:

When a Venus fly trap is mature, they produce flowers. The flowering process can drain energy from the plant (which can kill it) and slow down growth. You can learn more about the flowering process and what to do with this article.

Suitable pots: 

Do not place Venus flytraps in enclosed containers. Venus flytraps prefer standard open plant pots with drainage holes.

Use plastic or glazed ceramic posts for Venus flytraps. Depending on the plant’s size, choose a container of about 2-6 inches in diameter. Tall containers of over 4 inches in depth work best as the roots of Venus flytraps grow to be very lengthy.

Avoid terra cotta or unglazed ceramic pots as those leach harmful minerals for Venus flytrap.

Repotting: 

Repot the plant once a year to avoid soil compression, fungus, and mold. Empty the old soil and replace with fresh soil. For best results repot at the end of the dormancy period.

Trimming: 

When leaves in a Venus flytrap dry up, they turn black. Remove them once they dry out completely.

A couple of dry leaves are not a sign of poor growing conditions. Dead leaves are completely normal. Only worry if you notice a sudden increase in black leaves or if you plant is running our of healthy growth.

Fertilizers: 

Do not fertilize Venus flytraps. The chemicals and overall nutrients in the fertilizers can hurt the plant.

Stress: 

Do not play with the traps of your plant; it causes stress. Triggering the traps to close without food is discouraged.

Size:

You can encourage fast growth in your plant by feeding it, using tall pots, and following these tips on how to grow big venus fly traps.

Dormancy: 

Venus flytraps must undergo a dormancy period of 2-3 months during the winter. Ensure your plant will experience this yearly resting period by placing them in a cold location. 

Achieving dormancy inside your home will be challenging unless you have an unheated garage or porch. To ensure your plant goes dormant, you will in most cases need to place your plant outside in the cold.

Venus flytraps are carnivorous plants. They capture bugs and extract important nutrients for their wellbeing. However, feeding a Venus fly trap is often not required.

Venus fly traps can live their whole life without ever consuming an insect. The insects they capture provide nutrients that enhance the plant’s diet, but are not critical as Venus fly traps produce nutrients through photosynthesis.

If you own a Venus fly trap I would recommend feeding your plant to stimulate growth and several other benefits, but it is not a requirement. I always like to make that clear to avoid discouraging people from getting a Venus fly trap.

As a general rule, use a single insect to feed Venus fly trap once every 2 to 6 weeks. Feed a single trap and repeat once the bug is fully consumed. The portion recommendation is a bug that is no larger than 1/3 of the size of the trap.

Providing a single bug every few weeks will provide enough nutrients to stimulate growth, promote divisions and the production of flowers in the spring.

Venus flytraps do not need to be fed when grown outdoors. They are designed to capture prey and they are very effective.

So, if you grow them outdoors, feeding them manually is something you do NOT need to worry about 😉

Outdoors they will likely capture several insects a month, that is completely normal and healthy for them.

Venus fly traps will take a few weeks digesting a single insect. I recommend only feeding your plant again once it finished consuming the previous meal. Also, skip feeding during dormancy or if your plant is recovering from pests or acclimating to the environment.

Keep on reading to learn more about the best food options for your plant. Live bugs are one great options, but others are a bit more practical 😉

Signs of Overfeeding Venus flytrap

Overfeeding is usually due to feeding too often or too much. Regarding the quantity a single small insects that fits within the leaf is enough. Large insects will most likely cause dying leaves.

Technically you can feed your plant multiple bugs at the same time. However, you run the risk of losing leaves.

Sometimes when feeding leaves turn black and die. If you feed every single leaf in your plant you run the risk of killing the plant altogether. For that reason, the recommendation is to feed only one or two leaves.

Signs of UnderFeeding Venus flytrap

Venus fly traps won’t suffer if they do not capture insects. They will develop just fine. However, feeding Venus flytraps accelerates growth significantly and will promote propagation through divisions or seeds.

Best Food Options for Venus Fly Traps

You can feed your Venus fly trap with pretty much any insect or spider that is small enough to fit within a trap (this will vary greatly depending on your plant ie., baby Venus fly trap vs a mature plant).

Also, you are able to use live or dead insects for your plant. However, using dead insects requires an extra effort I will explain below in the “How to feed a Venus flytrap” section.

Here is a list of live insects you can use for feeding your plant, plus some options you can buy in pet stores or online:

Live insects

• Flies
• Crickets
• Mealworms
• Bloodworms
• Fruit flies
• Gnats
• Ants
• Spiders
• Beetles

Store bought options

• Fish pellets
• freeze dried mealworms, crickets
• Live crickets
• Live fruit flies

I buy these freeze-dried bugs in the pet store as they are very affordable, can last you for years, and are extremely nutritious. The link will take you to Amazon to review the prize, they are usually less than $10.

Freeze-dried bugs are dead bugs, so you will have to follow a specific method for feeding, but it is overall very practical. There is no need to go hunting for insects at the park lol.

For a complete list of all food options and more links on where to buy them, go to this article: Best Food Options for Venus Fly Trap (complete list).

What Not to feed Your Venus Fly trap

With so much misinformation in the internet about what to feed Venus flytraps. I felt highly compelled to emphasize what you should never feed your Venus flytrap.

Please avoid using any type of human food like the following to feed your carnivorous plants:

• Hamburger
• Chicken
• Sausage
• Salami
• Raw meat
• Candy
• Fruit
• Steak
• Hotdog
• Cheese

Also, avoid feeding any animal that is not a spider or insects. Using any other animal regardless of its size will most; likely harm the plant and cause rotting. Venus fly traps are not build to consume larger animals.

How to Feed Venus Fly trap

Now, let’s get into details of how to feed a Venus flytrap. You can watch this video or follow the instructions below:

1.- Get the food ready: Start by finding a proper insect or spider. It can be dead or alive. Make sure the insects can fit inside the trap. The rule of thumb is to select an insects that is 1/3 of the size of the trap pr less.

2.- Prepare the prey: Once you have the bug, you must get it ready. Live bugs are ready to go from the start. Just make sure you are careful, they usually try to escape!

Dried-freeze insects must be rehydrated with distilled water. Just add a few drops of water to the dead bug and let it absorb the water.

3.- Select the trap you intend to feed. Tip: selecting larger and younger traps tends to be more effective.

4.- Locate the trigger hairs: Observe the inside of the trap and locate the three trigger hairs in each lobe. The filaments are thin, and are located in the center of the lobes. The picture below shows their location.

When feeding a Venus flytrap, you must touch them twice within a few seconds for them to close. 

5.- Insert the bug: Grab the insect and place it inside the trap. Make sure the insect touches the trigger hairs by placing it in the center of the trap. Live insects will make contact with the trigger hairs right away, and the trap will close on them.

With dead prey, you must stimulate the trigger hairs yourself. I follow this effective strategy: grab the bug with chopsticks and place it inside the traps with a brushing motion. Touch the trigger hairs with that motion and drop the bug.

6.- Continue to stimulate: Now, the trap should have closed. If it is not closed, just touch the trigger hairs one more time.

Venus flytraps take their time to close their leaves completely and start digesting. The plant must first confirm it caught live prey.

When you employ a live insect, the bug will try to fight for its life. But, its movement inside the trap will prone the plant to close completely and start consuming it.

For dead bugs, you must complete an additional action: stimulate the leaves. Press the sides of the trap gently in a tapping motion for 30 seconds. If it does not close, continue to stimulate for another 30 seconds or until the trap is sealed shut.

After the leaf is completely closed, the plant will produce digestive enzymes and start consuming the insect.

At this stage all the work is done! Just leave your plant to consume the food. it usually take from a few days to up to 3 weeks.

For more photos and complete instruction on the feeding process, make sure to read this feeding guide. Mastering how to feed your fly trap correctly will prevent black leaves.

Venus Fly Trap Care Instructions

Venus fly traps are not extremely hard to care for, but they don require some unique care. Here is a brief overview of Venus fly trap care:

• Light: Venus flytraps need exposure to plenty of light. Optimally they should receive 12 hours of sunlight, and the minimum is 6 hours of light. The light source might be natural light or artificial lighting.
• Watering: Venus flytraps must be watered only with rainwater, distilled water, and reverse osmosis water. Tap water and bottled water kill carnivorous plants. Also, the soil of the plant must always remain moist. 
• Soil: Employ nutrient-free soil for carnivorous plants. Never employ enriched soil full of fertilizers. This article covers many soil options for Venus flytraps.
• Feeding: Venus flytraps do not need to capture insects to survive, but they benefit from them greatly. This article has a complete list of what you should and shouldn’t feed a Venus fly trap.
• Suitable pots: Do not place Venus flytraps in enclosed containers. Venus flytraps prefer standard plant pots with drainage holes. Depending on the plant’s size, choose a plastic or glazed ceramic container about 2-6 inches in diameter. Also, preferably employ a tall container. 
• Repotting: repot the plant once a year to avoid soil compression, fungus, and mold.
• Trimming: When leaves in a Venus flytrap dry up, they turn black. Remove them once they dry out completely.
• Fertilizers: Do not fertilize Venus flytraps. The chemicals in the fertilizers can hurt the plant.
• Temperature: Keep Venus flytraps in temperatures within this range: 32 F – 95 F (0 C – 35 C). Do not burn them in the summer, and do not let them freeze solid in the winter.
• Humidity: Venus flytraps prefer humid climates but can adapt to dry environments.
• Stress: Do not play with the traps of your plant; it causes stress for the plant.
• Dormancy: Venus flytraps must undergo a dormancy period of 2-3 months during the winter. Ensure your plant will experience this yearly resting period by placing them in a cold location. 

I hope the article was helpful to you. For more information, make sure to browse around the site or visit my YouTube channel: Venus flytrap World.

When growing Venus fly traps, leaves will often turn black. In some cases leaves die due to age. In other it is due to common mistakes. In this article you will learn the most common reasons a Venus fly trap will lose leaves, plus tips for prevention.

Black leaves or yellow leaves in a Venus fly trap are simply leaves that are dying. Like with any other plant, losing a single leaf is not a problem. However, when it becomes systematic and you continue getting black leaves and not enough new leaves, then, it becomes a concern.

A single Venus fly trap plant will produce up to 7 to 9 leaves at a time. If your plant only has a couple of leaves, that can be an issue.

This is a list of common causes for black leaves.

Keep on reading for complete explanations below:

Black Leaves Due to Improper Feeding

Venus fly traps capture insects with their leaves and consume key nutrients. Depending in the prey and prey size, some leaves turn black after feeding.

The Bug Was Too Big or Hard to Digest

Venus fly traps consume insects of varied sizes, but optimally they would consume bugs that can fit completely within a trap. As a rule of thumb, insects that are 1/3 of the size of the trap are a good choice for feeding. Of course, in the wild, Venus fly traps eat any bug that becomes trapped.

When a bug is too big or difficult to consume the plant might abandon the digestion process and just let the leaf wither and turn black.

Bugs with hard shells or bigger than the trap are difficult to consume with the enzymes Venus fly traps produce. This article contains a list of the best food options for Venus fly traps.

Incorrect Food

In their natural habitat, Venus fly traps consume insects or spiders, nothing else. At home, people often experiment with human food. Feeding their plant candy, meat, fruit, cheese etc.

Venus fly traps are unable to digest human food. Feeding any type of human food to the plant will cause a black leaf and the food will rot.

Overfeeding

Venus fly traps will capture their own prey when living outdoors. Plants growing indoors will find a hard time finding bugs. It is encouraged to feed indoor plants. However, you must always consider the frequency.

Feed your plant once or twice a month. Underfeeding does not have any negative effects. However, overfeeding your Venus fly trap causes black leaves.

Poor Growing Conditions

When Venus fly traps are suffering due to challenging growing conditions, the plant will exhibit an increase in black leaves. These are the most common mistakes:

Not Enough Lighting

Venus fly traps require extended hours of strong lighting to stay healthy.

Optimally they should receive over 12 hours of direct sunlight and a minimum of 6 hours.

Venus fly traps that do not receive enough lighting will debilitate, wither and eventually die. Droopy leaves and withering leaves are a sign of improper growing conditions, often caused by lack of enough sunlight. Also, here are more reasons why your Venus fly trap is droopy.

Lack of Watering

Keeping the soil humid at all times is essential to caring for a Venus fly trap.

The media for Venus flytraps should never dry out. Arid or dry soil causes great stress to the plant which translated into black leaves.

To prevent loosing leaves, ensure the soil is always humid. it does not have to be flooded, but humid.

Watering with Tap Water or Bottled Water

Watering Venus fly traps with most tap water and bottled water will produce harm.

Most water contains minerals, which are harmless for people and most plants, but deadly for Venus fly traps.

Employing water that contains minerals will cause mineral burns in the leaves. The damage often looks like yellow spots, or yellowing of the traps. After yellowing, the leaves turn black and wither completely.

Only water Venus fly traps with the following to prevent mineral damage:

• Distilled water
• Ro water
• Rainwater

Employing the incorrect water will eventually kill the plant.

Improper Soil

Venus fly traps must be potted with carnivorous plant media exclusively.

Most potting soil is unsuitable for Venus fly traps as it contains an extensive number of minerals and additives that are harmful for Venus flytraps.

MiracleGro and other common brands of soil, kill Venus fly traps. Causing the improper media will kill the plant. First, you might notice only a few black leaves. Then, the plant will continue to decay.

Stress

There are many ways you could be creating stress for your plant that translates into an increased production of black leaves:

• Triggering the traps constantly. The leaves have the trapping mechanism to capture bugs. Activating the leaves for no reason drains the plant’s energy and generates stress
• Constant repotting: repotting once a year is enough for Venus fly traps. Additional Repotting is unnecessary.

Dormancy

In their natural environments, Venus flytraps live through winters every year. When the temperature drops Venus flytraps go dormant (similar to hibernation). During dormancy Venus fly traps will often produce a high amount of black leaves. However, this is completely safe and normal.

Venus flytraps go dormant when they experience cold weather of less than 45F (7C) for couple of weeks. They remain dormant until the temperatures rise again in the spring.

An increase in black leaves is completely normal during this period. Do not be overly worried about the changes in your plant. Some plants will experience drastic changes and others very mild ones. For some people, their plant dies completely during winter and comes back to live in the spring.

The worst thing you can do is overreact and try to change things in your setup. Instead, I recommend following the dormancy care instructions that you can find here. Continue to be patient and wait as the weeks and months go by. When the temperatures start to rise you will notice significant changes in your plant. New leaves will start to grow and your plant might even produce some flowers.

Removing Black Leaves in Venus Fly Traps

Once a Venus fly trap has black leaves what should you do? Here is some guidance:

There is no need to remove the dead leaves in a Venus fly trap. However, removing the foliage does give the plant more space to grow and promotes growth.

To remove the black leaves follow these easy steps:

Separate the black leaf from the healthy leaves and employ scissors to cut the dead leaf as close to the base as possible. If the leaf is fully dried, you could also remove the trap by simply pulling it out.

Venus Fly Trap Care 101

Here is a brief overview of Venus fly trap care:

• Light: Venus flytraps need exposure to plenty of light. Optimally they should receive 12 hours of sunlight, and the minimum is 6 hours of light. The light source might be natural light or artificial lighting.
• Watering: Venus flytraps must be watered only with rainwater, distilled water, and reverse osmosis water. Tap water and bottled water kill carnivorous plants. Also, the soil of the plant must always remain moist. 
• Soil: Employ nutrient-free soil for carnivorous plants. Never employ enriched soil full of fertilizers. This article covers many soil options for Venus flytraps.
• Feeding: Venus flytraps do not need to capture insects to survive, but they benefit from them greatly. 
• Suitable pots: Do not place Venus flytraps in enclosed containers. Venus flytraps prefer standard plant pots with drainage halls. Depending on the plant’s size, choose a plastic or glazed ceramic container about 2-6 inches in diameter. Also, preferably employ a tall container. 
• Repotting: repot the plant once a year to avoid soil compression, fungus, and mold.
• Trimming: When leaves in a Venus flytrap dry up, they turn black. Remove them once they dry out completely.
• Fertilizers: Do not fertilize Venus flytraps. The chemicals in the fertilizers can hurt the plant.
• Temperature: Keep Venus flytraps in temperatures within this range: 32 F – 95 F (0 C – 35 C). Do not burn them in the summer, and do not let them freeze solid in the winter.
• Humidity: Venus flytraps prefer humid climates but can adapt to dry environments.
• Stress: Do not play with the traps of your plant; it causes stress for the plant.
• Dormancy: Venus flytraps must undergo a dormancy period of 2-3 months during the winter. Ensure your plant will experience this yearly resting period by placing them in a cold location. 

Using the correct water for your Venus fly trap is critical to keep the plant healthy and alive. Some water will harm Venus fly trap while other is entirely safe, and all has to do with the mineral content. In this article, I share what water is safe, how to obtain it, and general tips.

Venus fly traps need pure water, such as distilled, reverse osmosis or rainwater. Minerals present in most tap water, bottled water, and spring water are very harmful to Venus fly traps.

The following table lists different types of water and whether they are suitable for carnivorous plants. Keep reading to learn more about each and where to obtain water for your plant.

Why do Venus fly trap need special water?
Venus fly trap grow in very poor soil that lacks nutrients. Due to the challenging conditions surrounding them in the wild, these plants developed a trapping mechanism to capture bugs and extract critical nutrients. Also, they developed an intolerance to nutrients. Minerals in most water affect venus fly traps as they prefer pure water without any nutrients.

Water VFTs only with:
Distilled water
Reverse Osmosis water or
Rainwater

The Best Water for Venus Fly Trap

Distilled Water

Where to purchase: grocery store, pharmacy, water store

How to make: You can follow this easy method to make distilled water at home.

How to shop for distilled water: Most grocery chains and pharmacies sell plain distilled water. I usually buy the 1-gallon jugs labeled as distilled water in Walmart or Kroger. When selecting a jug of distilled water, read the label. The filtered water must be completely pure. If the bottle says something like “enriched,” “added mineral for flavor,” or “minerals,” then it is not pure and can kill your Venus fly trap.

This distilled water is safe for Venus fly traps.

Reverse Osmosis Water

Where to purchase: Water stores and some pharmacies will carry RO water.

How to make: You need to have a reverse osmosis system to make RO water

How to select: make sure to ask for pure reverse osmosis water. It is helpful to ask if it has additives or minerals for taste. The answer to all those questions should be “No.” Bottled water is commonly purified through reverse osmosis, but minerals are added. For that reason, most bottled RO water is unsafe for Venus fly traps.

Rainwater

Rainwater is the only free option available if you have access to enough rain throughout the year. If you collect rain, do not store it in clay or metal containers. Those materials can leach minerals to the ground.

Filtered Water

Filtered water can be appropriate for a Venus fly trap, depending on what water you are filtering and the water filter you use. I have tried a few, and the only one that met the specs was Zero water. Zero Water filters remove all particles from the water and output 0 parts per million (ppm) water, which is optimal for carnivorous plants.

You check out the specs and price of the zero-water filter here (the link will take you to Amazon.com). I have used it successfully for my plants without any issues, you need to change the filter once it reaches its limit and the filtration efficiency decreases.

The ZeroWater filter was the only one that reduced the ppm measurement enough to make the water safe for carnivorous plants. If the tap water in your home is close to pure, then the Brita and PUR filters might be suitable. But you will have to verify by using a TDS meter to measure it. A TDS meter is straightforward and helps you measure the ppm content; if it is under 50ppm, you are safe. You can buy any TDS meter like this one for under $20 and ensure your plant is healthy.

Water That Kills Venus Fly Trap

The minerals and additives present in most water will kill Venus fly traps.

Venus fly traps are intolerant to nutrients, and any additives in the water will slowly poison them.

On some specific occasions, bottled water or tap water could be pure enough for carnivorous plants. However, it is impossible to determine this by tasting it or reading the label.

You will need a TDS meter to measure the number of dissolved solids in the water. Testing the water with a TDS meter takes only a few seconds.

Generally, water of 50 parts per million (ppm) or less is safe for Venus flytrap. Anything above can produce mineral buildup and cause mineral burns. Optimally, you should try to use water of 0 ppm to avoid all minerals.

This is me testing the tap water at home. The ppm measure is way above 50 ppm and, therefore, unsafe for the Venus fly trap. I also tried some bottled water.

Not all bottled water will be the same. However, the vast majority won’t be 100% pure. Most drinking water contains additives for taste and electrolytes that harm carnivorous plants.

Smart Water does not have a lot of additives. The ppm measure is close to 20 ppm, which is not optimal for a Venus fly trap, but within the acceptable range.

How to Water a Venus Fly Trap

Venus flytraps are native to the Carolinas in the United States. In the wild, they live in high humidity levels year-round and plenty of rainfall. When growing Venus flytraps at home, you must try replicating its native habitat, including the watering frequency.

Venus flytraps must be watered often until the soil is humid. Then, once the soil is slightly less humid, water again. Never allow the soil to dry out completely; Venus fly traps suffer in dry ground.

After watering a Venus flytrap, you should be able to press the soil and sense the humidity throughout without it being soaked. If the soil feels muddy, you watered too much. If the soil is still dry, water again.

Overwatering and underwatering Venus flytraps are dangerous for the health of the plant. However, underwatering is a lot more common.

Most people will water Venus fly trap every 2 to 3 days. However, the specific watering frequency varies significantly with different environmental conditions.

I live in an area with extremely hot summers (110 F+). During the summer months, I water my plants almost every day. But, in mild weather or indoors, you might only need to water your plant several times a week.

During winter, you will also need to lower the watering frequency.

This article can guide you and teach you how to determine how much water your plant needs. Also, it can help you examine if your plant might be under or over-watered: How often to water Venus fly trap to keep them alive.

How to water a Venus Fly trap 101

• Only use pure-water: distilled, reverse osmosis or rainwater
• Avoid tap water or bottled water at all costs
• Water often to keep the soil humid
• Never let the soil dry out
• Do not flood the soil. Venus fly traps are not bog plants.
• Decrease watering if algae or mold appear
• Lower watering during dormancy
• Consider watering your plant with the very effective tray method

Should Venus Fly Trap Sit In Water

Placing Venus flytraps in trays of water is a common practice to water a Venus fly trap.

Venus flytraps require humid soil at all times, which is hard to accomplish by simply watering every few days.

Even though leaving Venus fly trap sitting in water is a common and acceptable practice, it shouldn’t be done for extensive periods.

Venus flytraps can sit in water for short periods, but they should not sit there for multiple days. Place the Venus fly trap in a tray with a water depth of 1-2 inches. Then, wait until the water is consumed before refilling.

When you let Venus flytraps sit in water, you water the plant from the bottom. The potting media is slowly soaking the moisture, and the roots strengthen to reach the bottom of the pot and have access to water.

This is how you water your plant from the bottom:

1. Gather your Venus flytrap in its pot, a gallon of distilled water ( you can employ rainwater or reverse osmosis water, too), and a shallow tray big enough to fit the plant’s pot.
2. Place the plant pot on top of the shallow tray.
3. Pour the pure water into the tray. Fill up the trap until the water is 1 inch deep.
4. Do not water again until the tray has dried up. Then, fill up the tray again to reach a maximum of one inch.
5. Repeat the process.

The tray does not need to be anything fancy. Any container will be appropriate. For this plant, I reused a plastic container filled with water every few days.

Watering your plant from the bottom offesignificanteat benefits. You can read this article to go over step by step and determine how much water your Venus fly trap needs and how to accomplish it.