I finally did it everyone! I am selling my own soil now. I just watched this video and how long I have come since my shaky and very "um" beginnings. See how to buy my soil below! Please support my small business! Buy Soil For Your Carnivorous Plants carnivorousplantshub.myshopify.com/products/venus-flytrap-soil-mix Or it comes in a kit with a planter carnivorousplantshub.myshopify.com/products/copy-of-premium-venus-flytrap-soil-mix-also-for-pinguicula-sundews-sarracenia-other-carnivorous-plants You can get 10% off when you use CPHUB at checkout. They have an amazing selection of incredible venus flytrap cultivars and other amazing carnivorous plants. Go check out their collections now, Peat Moss & Sphagnum Moss Mix - www.californiacarnivores.com/collections/growing-supplies?aff=7 Carnivorous Plant Collections - www.californiacarnivores.com/collections?aff=7
For those who are lazy to watch the video this is his mixture ratio: 5 parts peat moss, 3 parts silica sand, 2 parts perlite. Please watch the whole video though, it has a lot of very good information. This is my 3rd time coming back to it for my repotting my Sarracenia.
I know this video is 3 years old, but I felt the need to comment on one thing that you slightly touched upon. When mixing perlite always do it outdoors, perlite dust is dangerous if inhaled and perlite is very dusty.
Great video! I just had a shopping spree at Walmart’s and saw the little Flytraps and of course the person that I am took one, realizing in the car that I have no idea how to take care of it 😅 I’m having trouble finding the right soil so I wish to do the mixture myself and this video helped me a lot thank you 😁 Also my Flytrap doesn’t have any pink on it is it due to lack of sunlight?
Not all venus flytraps have red or pink colors, some are just green. With that being said, a lot of light/sun is what helps them turn an even darker red/green. But, its always possible you just have a more green cultivar. Get it in full sun once it's acclimated and It will likely start to turn a bit pink/red.
I have learned from my friend to just put the perlite and sphagnum moss in an eco-friendly bag and soak them in a basin of distilled water. After about 30 to 120 minutes, lift the bag of perlite and moss and squeeze the bag dry.
That is a common practice for people who live in warmer climates. I touch on refridgerator dormancy on an article in wrote on dormancy. Check it out! www.carnivorousplantshub.com/venus-flytrap-dormancy/
Just ordered the carnivorous soil from Amazon. Hope it does well for my plant! Is there anything else I need to order “other” than the plant mix or is that all I’ll need to repot?
You dont want to use regular soil or water. You need a Peat Moss mixed with perlite. The sand depends as some regular sand can leach minerals into the peat. Regular dirt has nutrients that can burn the roots and kill the plant. Regular water is the same. The minerals in water will kill the roots. You want the peat and perlite mix (no miracle grow or additives in the peat). Use only distilled water as it has no minerals.
You might be able to, but you need to know what the sand is made out of. You need it to be silica or quarts, the reason is they are hard minerals that do not leach. The wrong type of sand could leach into the substrate killing the carnivorous plant. Also, the sand should be a larger grade or it just clumps together and doesn't help a lot. If you know it's quarts based,. you are probably good to go as long as you rinse it really well!
I admit that the mesh/size is awfully confusing when researching sand... I recommend at least a size 20, you can go to a 16 or 12 which is a little better, but a 20 works. That's the size of normal pool filter sand and can be somewhat easy to find.
No, definitely not. They add fertilizer to their mixes. Which isn't a bad thing for normal plants, but a huge no no for carnivorous plants. You want to get perlite and peat moss that have 0 additives.
Peat alone tends to get really compact and hard. The perlite and sand are used to help keep the mixture loose to allow good air and water flow. You can probably use straight peat, but will want to repot more frequent due to how compact it gets over time.
What brand of perlite is that? I am using the Miracle Gro version of perlite. I had to hand pick and isolate the perlite substrate from the fertilizer nuggets. Then, I had to chemically leach out the fertilizer from perlite using 0 ppm distilled water (from Walmart) several times until the ppm of perlite went bellow 50 ppm. According to research 50 ppm and bellow is an acceptable level for a venus fly trap's root health.
I would stay away from miracle grow anything. I can't remember the brand I was using here but I think it started with a V and was in lowes. I just rinse it really well and make sure it's perlite with no additives.
Question regarding the measurements, and sorry if this sounds dumb. I am new to this and still learning. If I need to use a 50-50 mix of peat moss and perlite, in terms of measurements, does that mean for example 1 cup and 1 cup?
I would avoid river sand as it will leach minerals into the soil. I use silica sand and perlite in my mix, makes it very light and easy for water to travel through. The petite helps retain some water and slowly release it. If you have no choice other than river sand make sure and rince with distilled water thoroughly before adding to your peat. Hope that helps!
Yes, you can make a peat and perlite mix without the silica sand. The sand just helps keep it aeriated and gives the substrate better water flow. Without the sand, you may notice that the mix compacts faster and repotting will need to be done more frequently. But it absolutely can be used without the sand.
@@CarnivorousPlantsHub Actually perlite doesn’t hold water well, it does more draining than holding, and prevents compaction. You’re thinking of vermiculite, this will absorb water and is not needed for VFTs because the peat does that already. and vermiculite can contain minerals. The main problem with perlite I have is that over time it will float to the top since it is buoyant.
Thank you so much for the info (I don't subscribe to anything but was compelled to subscribe)!! I'd lost 2 or 3 flytraps many years ago (way back in the 70's) as the care guides were virtually non-existent back then...I couldn't help myself last summer so bought 2 after reading up a bit on their care and actually had one throw out a flower stalk a few weeks ago! I did cut the stalk (after taking pics for bragging rights) but have been dreading repotting because I didn't want to throw a monkey wrench into an already well oiled machine. I live in northwest Florida, keep them inside my small greenhouse under a T5 grow light (shady yard) and exclusively use rainwater for my succulents...with your video, the planets are aligned and I have the confidence to take that plunge!! That being said, can I use cleaned 3/8" pumice vs the perlite?? Thank you again for the info!!
Thank you so much for subscribing. It means so much! I also thank you for your kind words. Pumice is a perfectly acceptable substitute for perlite! I hope your plants continue to do amazing! Again, thank you for your support!
With all due respect, coco peat and peat moss are not equal for carnivorous plants. Coco peat is made from coconut husk and contains a lot of salt. To use Coco peat you need to rinse it for days in some cases. I've recently done research on this very topic and plan on doing a video all about it. Even after a good soak and rinse, someone that was running a test ended up removing their flytraps due to salt burns. This was a slow process, over like 6 months. There is a good reason more people do not use coco peat for carnivorous plants. The salt in the husk is super high. I'm trying to find some coco peat that has lower salt, but it's difficult, especially online in the US. I plan on doing some tests with coco peat, but for now, I'd recommend people do not use it as an alternative to peat moss for carnivorous plants. Unless you are very experienced and understand PPM levels. For beginner growers, it's a really bad idea.
@@CarnivorousPlantsHub I’ve been able to find cocoa peat near me that tests 70ppm out of the package, after 3-4 rinses and 20 minutes I can get at quarter cup testing 0-5ppm consistently. I have been using it on my pings, drosera and fly traps for over 2 years. I don’t think that a $10 TDS and 15 minutes of reading online requires “experience”. Sorry but in my eyes there is no justification for using peat moss other than being ignorant of the source, or just not caring.
The problem is that your results are not typical. Most coco peat is harvested close to the ocean and has a super high salt content. I've read about some people being able to get their hands on coco peat that is harvested further away from the ocean with lower amounts of salt. The problem seems to be finding a distributer that has enough to sell to the masses. The majority of coco peat that people have access to has a very high amount of salt, 300 plus readings with the TDS meter. Still at over 150 after 24 hour soaks. I'm really happy that you have found some that works for you, unfortunately thats not the case for the majority. I'm going to start testing it from different sources to see if we can find something that is sustainable for venus flytraps. People have been testing coco peat for years with unsatisfactory results. A little bit of research and you will be able to see that. It's really not ignorance or the lack of caring, simply the lack of high grade coco peat with low salt contents.
You can use the 20 mesh they sell at lowes and home depot for concrete. Some also sell it as pool filter sand. If you can't find the sand, the perlite and peat moss mix will work without it! Just not quite as good.
Is there a way to find the peat moss/substitute it. I live in an area where moss throws a lot and am just wondering if I could find anything appropriate outside
I'm not sure what you could find outside naturally. I'm not an expert on all the mosses. I only know of sphagnum moss or sphagnum peat moss working as a substrate. People are constantly trying new substrates but it seems like most come short in the long run. If I ever find anything that works as a good alternative, I will definitely make a video about it.
I got a an 8 quart from Home Depot, distilled water from Wally World. Just hope I can bring this thing back to it’s glory days lol. Any tips for a newbie?
They can be a bit tricky to get used to, but once you figure it out it's smooth sailing. Just make sure you give them enough water but not too much. Most importantly, make sure they are in a place where they get as much sun as possible, outside is better. If you keep them outside, don't worry about feeding them bugs, they will naturally catch a lot, just make sure they get enough sun. Don't add any fertilizers they will burn the roots and probably kill the plant, the bugs are like it's fertilizer. Make sure and allow them to go into a winter dormancy once winter rolls around. Do some research on how to put them into dormancy based on your weather. You may need to give them more protection if temps go below freezing in your area during winter. If growing inside, there are many more rules with grow lights and such. Just make sure to do your research and maybe join a group on social media where you can ask questions. You can also throw questions in here too and I'm happy to help! Good luck my friend!
Where are you from....I ask because you mentioned how hard it is to grow them in your area.... I'm from Phoenix Arizona zone 9 B....just bought some from Walmart...I really love plants.... they're so cool
I would not use ABG soil. It's a tropical plant mix, venus flytraps are not tropical. it has Tree fern fiber and orchid bark. Nether of which are necessary for venus flytraps and may leach unnecessary dissolved solids into the soil that are harmful to venus flytraps. I'd stick with a peat and perlite mix, with sand if posisble!
Yes, silica sand because it's inert. You want a larger grade which I admit can be hard to find. Which is why you can just go with a peat and perlite/pumice mix.
I have seen some people have success but others claim it doesnt work long term. There are so many factors as to why a CP might die apart from substrate. It's really hard to say. All I can tell you is that I've never personally tested it myself, so I cant give an honest account.
Found a channel.. Tropical plants at 53 degrees he claims its possible if you wash it first..i got plenty of it..so guess it wont hurt to try...thanks for the reply
Try to stay away from miracle grow. They put additives into the peat as fertilizer that will slowly kill your plants. I would just avoid anything that is miracle grow. Fertilizers are had for CPs.
Miracle gro has minerals. Any fertilizer is bad for carnivorous plants. They make fertilizer from food and maniacal in water and fertilizer can kill the roots
I bought HOLLANDBASICS peat moss and perlite mix from Amazon, it's about a 2-1 peat moss to perlite, which I supplemented with some silica sand. My flytraps seem to like it
I have personally never used it and have only seen 3rd party accounts from people I don't really know. Seems to be a mixed bag. One person said it worked fine, but the other said their plants died after a few months. With carnivorous plants, it's really hard to say if it was the substrate that killed the plants or something else. I'm sorry, I wish I had more info on that substrate for you, I have just never grown with it before. I might consider growing some VFT's in a coconut coir mix and document it!
Very helpful video. I’m trying to find some good pots I can buy in bulk for my sundews and flytraps. Are 3.5 inch deep pots good, or would you go with a depth of 4 inches deep.
Thank you! 3.5 would be okay for sundews however, I would go maybe even up to 5-6 for venus flytraps. Their roots like to stretch out and grow straight down.
Great video! Liked and subscribed. I got a venus flytrap from the same company as you. How important is it to make a new potting mix for it? Do you think it will be okay in the original mix from the nursery? Thanks!
Alan, thank you so much for the sub! I recommend changing out the soil mix as soon as possible. I also recommend getting a bigger pot to plant them in. It doesn't have to be super big, something 5 inches deep should be plenty. I actually just bought 3 more from Walmart and kept them in their little planter for 2 days which was fine, but you could tell they needed repotted. I'll be posting that new video here in the next couple days, so stay tuned! The biggest tell was the roots were growing through the holes in the bottom. Those little death cubes are made as temporary homes, not permanent. The sooner you can get a new planter with fresh soil and repot them the better. If you don't want to mess with making your own soil mix, you can definitely check the description of my video and check out the pre mix you can buy on Amazon. But ya, get it repotted as soon as you can!
Thank you! I have never used liqui-dirt but it does say it contains vitamins and minerals, which is what you want to avoid with distilled water and peat moss / sphagnum moss mixes. I cant say with 100% certainty, but I would not use it and I've never heard of anyone using it. All the people I know that fertilize use maxsea.
The only fertilizers VFTs can receive is through foliar applications, if it leeches into the soil, it will burn your VFTs. And you can only use a small amount. These are not necessary, best way to fertilize them is by feeding them.
Are you still using this mix ratio? @carnivorousplantshub Considering all of the recipes out there, what made you decide on these ratios? I’m a curious sort and just like a to learn how/why things work. 🤔
I stopped actually measuring my soil a while back, but it's really close to this. It doesn't have to be an exact science. The perlite and sand help keep the peat moss from getting to hard and bricking up. If you don't use the amendments the peat moss just turns into a brick over time and makes it hard for the flytraps to thrive.
Cloudy is okay, just make sure that the TDS is low with a TDS meter. I have cloudy water measure under 10 PPM. Cloudy just means it's dirty, which makes sense since you are rinsing dirt. Flushing will still get rid of dissolved solids.
You definitely can. Lots of people use sphagnum moss and perlite. It's more common in Nepenthes, but it should work just fine for a Sarracenia. I would pack it down a little more than I normally would with a Nepenthes to help the Sarracenia stay upright.
How do I get the green stuff on the surface of my soil because i see so many pictures of the moss looking things growing on top and i wonder how to i get that because i like the look. Does it have to be a certain type of soil or do i have to buy it?
There are a lot of mosses you can grow with your carnivorous plant. It can be a little harder to keep some moss alive as it needs more humidity. If you go to Brad's Greenhouse he sells live sphagnum moss in a couple different colors that you can buy to put with your carnivorous plants. It's something I also want to do at some point. I love the way they look with moss growing!
I see a green patch of moss growing on your soil near your plants. Thats kind of the idea im talking about. How did you get it to grow there? It looks dope.
Hello Felicia, parts just means the same amount. So, if you want to use cups, you would use 5 cups peat and 3 cups perlite. The amount you decide to make, just make sure parts are the same amount. If you wanted to make a lot, use 5 gallons peat and 3 gallons peat. Hope that makes a little more sense.
MrGoji, I read that they are pretty tolerant plants and can thrive with a mix like this. I do agree that most places say to use sphagnum moss but I read from several different places that the peat moss and perlite mix work fine for a Nepenthes Ventrata. I can honestly say that the plant is thriving. It's in the processing of growing a brand new pitcher and I haven't lost any of the old pitchers. It also has a new leaf coming out of the top with another little pitcher on it. So far, so good. If I start to see any regression, i'll definitely repot it in spagnum moss. I'll upload an update video soon so you can take a look at it!
@@CarnivorousPlantsHub mine came in some kind of orchid bark - it's doing fine. Most hybrid nepenthes are tolerant. I want to try coco coir/perlite 1/1 to do away with peat moss, but afraid to try is.
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I finally did it everyone! I am selling my own soil now. I just watched this video and how long I have come since my shaky and very "um" beginnings. See how to buy my soil below!
Please support my small business! Buy Soil For Your Carnivorous Plants
carnivorousplantshub.myshopify.com/products/venus-flytrap-soil-mix
Or it comes in a kit with a planter
carnivorousplantshub.myshopify.com/products/copy-of-premium-venus-flytrap-soil-mix-also-for-pinguicula-sundews-sarracenia-other-carnivorous-plants
You can get 10% off when you use CPHUB at checkout. They have an amazing selection of incredible venus flytrap cultivars and other
amazing carnivorous plants.
Go check out their collections now,
Peat Moss & Sphagnum Moss Mix - www.californiacarnivores.com/collections/growing-supplies?aff=7
Carnivorous Plant Collections - www.californiacarnivores.com/collections?aff=7
Thx mate
For those who are lazy to watch the video this is his mixture ratio:
5 parts peat moss, 3 parts silica sand, 2 parts perlite.
Please watch the whole video though, it has a lot of very good information. This is my 3rd time coming back to it for my repotting my Sarracenia.
Thank you Brian!
This is one of the best videos I have ever seen-just terrific!! Thank you
Ha! Thank you! I've come a long way since then. A new soil video is due and in the works!
I know this video is 3 years old, but I felt the need to comment on one thing that you slightly touched upon. When mixing perlite always do it outdoors, perlite dust is dangerous if inhaled and perlite is very dusty.
Thank you for all the help with your videos! ❤❤❤❤
Can I use river sand instead of silica sand please, that's what I can find in my country. Thanks
FINALLY got a new pot and soil mix for Herbert. Watching this, hoping I have everything
Woo hoo, lets go Herbert! Hope it turns out awesome!
Great video! I just had a shopping spree at Walmart’s and saw the little Flytraps and of course the person that I am took one, realizing in the car that I have no idea how to take care of it 😅 I’m having trouble finding the right soil so I wish to do the mixture myself and this video helped me a lot thank you 😁 Also my Flytrap doesn’t have any pink on it is it due to lack of sunlight?
Not all venus flytraps have red or pink colors, some are just green. With that being said, a lot of light/sun is what helps them turn an even darker red/green. But, its always possible you just have a more green cultivar. Get it in full sun once it's acclimated and It will likely start to turn a bit pink/red.
I have learned from my friend to just put the perlite and sphagnum moss in an eco-friendly bag and soak them in a basin of distilled water. After about 30 to 120 minutes, lift the bag of perlite and moss and squeeze the bag dry.
That's an awesome tip!! I think I'll do that next time, much easier than the mess I am making! Lol.
@@CarnivorousPlantsHub Lol. You're welcome. I am new to carnvirous plants. Glad my enabler is generous in giving tips like this.
That's exactly what I did for my new plant. Hoping for the best.
About the vtf. If we living in the tropical region, what should we do for dormant time? Put the vft into refrig, or what?
That is a common practice for people who live in warmer climates. I touch on refridgerator dormancy on an article in wrote on dormancy. Check it out!
www.carnivorousplantshub.com/venus-flytrap-dormancy/
@@CarnivorousPlantsHub OK thx
Warm water will rehydrate peat most much quicker than room temperature or cold water will
Interesting! I've never tried warm up ng the water. I'll try that next time.
Thanks for the help!
Of course!
This is a great video i own a nepenthes tobaica pitcher plant and i was wondering what soil I should use but also i subscribed to your channel.
Just ordered the carnivorous soil from Amazon. Hope it does well for my plant! Is there anything else I need to order “other” than the plant mix or is that all I’ll need to repot?
Just make sure you use a plastic planter and only distilled, reverse osmosis or tested rainwater.
What do I do. I don’t have anything. Can I just mix sand and dirt with water.
You dont want to use regular soil or water. You need a Peat Moss mixed with perlite. The sand depends as some regular sand can leach minerals into the peat. Regular dirt has nutrients that can burn the roots and kill the plant. Regular water is the same. The minerals in water will kill the roots. You want the peat and perlite mix (no miracle grow or additives in the peat). Use only distilled water as it has no minerals.
Can I just use normal sand and wash it really well and use it?
You might be able to, but you need to know what the sand is made out of. You need it to be silica or quarts, the reason is they are hard minerals that do not leach. The wrong type of sand could leach into the substrate killing the carnivorous plant. Also, the sand should be a larger grade or it just clumps together and doesn't help a lot. If you know it's quarts based,. you are probably good to go as long as you rinse it really well!
@@CarnivorousPlantsHub it clumps together. And i don't know the brand. It is sold in recycled cement bags. I think i'll be fine
Great info. 👍
Thank you my friend!
Hello. Do you have any article on this topic? It'd be easier for me to understand. My English listening skill isn't the best so
I do! Check out my website!
www.carnivorousplantshub.com/venus-flytrap-soil-mix/
I love these things.
Me too!
How coarse should the silica sand be? Its sold by mesh units and I have no idea what size mesh to get…
I admit that the mesh/size is awfully confusing when researching sand... I recommend at least a size 20, you can go to a 16 or 12 which is a little better, but a 20 works. That's the size of normal pool filter sand and can be somewhat easy to find.
I’m having a bit of a hard time finding out what silica sand is appropriate for carnivorous plants
Did you use horticultural perlite, if you didn’t pls tell me where to get it.
Where did you get that square drip tray and pots? I can’t find anything like it. Please share the brand if you can. Thanks for the video!
Hello, if I use miracle grow perlite and peat moss would that be ok ?
No, definitely not. They add fertilizer to their mixes. Which isn't a bad thing for normal plants, but a huge no no for carnivorous plants. You want to get perlite and peat moss that have 0 additives.
@@CarnivorousPlantsHub Thanks a lot ! 👍
Any silica sand recommendations?
Is it possible to let them in just peat moss
Peat alone tends to get really compact and hard. The perlite and sand are used to help keep the mixture loose to allow good air and water flow. You can probably use straight peat, but will want to repot more frequent due to how compact it gets over time.
Thanks so much for replying! One more quick question, how often do you think I should repot it? (And I love carnivorous plants and your videos😁)
Where can I get the silica sand? I’ve seen the course but not fine kind. Please and thank you
Course is better, I actually wish mine was a little more course. I use pool filter sand from like Lowes, home depot or Ace Hardware.
What brand of perlite is that? I am using the Miracle Gro version of perlite. I had to hand pick and isolate the perlite substrate from the fertilizer nuggets. Then, I had to chemically leach out the fertilizer from perlite using 0 ppm distilled water (from Walmart) several times until the ppm of perlite went bellow 50 ppm. According to research 50 ppm and bellow is an acceptable level for a venus fly trap's root health.
I would stay away from miracle grow anything. I can't remember the brand I was using here but I think it started with a V and was in lowes. I just rinse it really well and make sure it's perlite with no additives.
Question regarding the measurements, and sorry if this sounds dumb. I am new to this and still learning. If I need to use a 50-50 mix of peat moss and perlite, in terms of measurements, does that mean for example 1 cup and 1 cup?
That's right! You will see 50/50 or 1 part peat, 1 part perlite. You can even probably go 30 perlite and 70 peat. It's not an exact science.
Thx info
Of course!
can i use river sand insted perlite?
I would avoid river sand as it will leach minerals into the soil. I use silica sand and perlite in my mix, makes it very light and easy for water to travel through. The petite helps retain some water and slowly release it. If you have no choice other than river sand make sure and rince with distilled water thoroughly before adding to your peat. Hope that helps!
You can't, perlite's whole purpose is for the root's aeration. It will defeat it's whole purpose.
Weird question. But is this soil mix great for fruit trees as well? Will you know the ph on this soil mix ? Thank you !
Is it okay to use only perlite and peat? And how often should I repot? Thanks for the video btw!
Yes, you can make a peat and perlite mix without the silica sand. The sand just helps keep it aeriated and gives the substrate better water flow. Without the sand, you may notice that the mix compacts faster and repotting will need to be done more frequently. But it absolutely can be used without the sand.
@@CarnivorousPlantsHub thanks for clarifying brother.
@@CarnivorousPlantsHub Actually perlite doesn’t hold water well, it does more draining than holding, and prevents compaction. You’re thinking of vermiculite, this will absorb water and is not needed for VFTs because the peat does that already. and vermiculite can contain minerals. The main problem with perlite I have is that over time it will float to the top since it is buoyant.
@@CarnivorousPlantsHub thank you so much for the information
Hey I clicked on the silica sand link and it’s not working anymore is there a name for it ??
Thank you for the heads up! I'd use something similar to this, amzn.to/3wnWpBH
How low is the PPM?
hi can I use sand and peat moss mix for Venus fly trap
You sure can, I'd try to get some perlite too though. It helps keep it from bricking too bad.
Thank you so much for the info (I don't subscribe to anything but was compelled to subscribe)!! I'd lost 2 or 3 flytraps many years ago (way back in the 70's) as the care guides were virtually non-existent back then...I couldn't help myself last summer so bought 2 after reading up a bit on their care and actually had one throw out a flower stalk a few weeks ago! I did cut the stalk (after taking pics for bragging rights) but have been dreading repotting because I didn't want to throw a monkey wrench into an already well oiled machine. I live in northwest Florida, keep them inside my small greenhouse under a T5 grow light (shady yard) and exclusively use rainwater for my succulents...with your video, the planets are aligned and I have the confidence to take that plunge!! That being said, can I use cleaned 3/8" pumice vs the perlite?? Thank you again for the info!!
Thank you so much for subscribing. It means so much! I also thank you for your kind words. Pumice is a perfectly acceptable substitute for perlite! I hope your plants continue to do amazing! Again, thank you for your support!
The best time to repot is in late winter spring and even early summer.
What silica sand do you buy ?
There is a great pool sand at Ace Hardware, but I've noticed not every location sells it.
I use an old platic container with a screw on lid to mix my soil. Also cocoa peat is renewable, peat moss is not. They work identically
With all due respect, coco peat and peat moss are not equal for carnivorous plants. Coco peat is made from coconut husk and contains a lot of salt. To use Coco peat you need to rinse it for days in some cases. I've recently done research on this very topic and plan on doing a video all about it. Even after a good soak and rinse, someone that was running a test ended up removing their flytraps due to salt burns. This was a slow process, over like 6 months. There is a good reason more people do not use coco peat for carnivorous plants. The salt in the husk is super high. I'm trying to find some coco peat that has lower salt, but it's difficult, especially online in the US. I plan on doing some tests with coco peat, but for now, I'd recommend people do not use it as an alternative to peat moss for carnivorous plants. Unless you are very experienced and understand PPM levels. For beginner growers, it's a really bad idea.
@@CarnivorousPlantsHub I’ve been able to find cocoa peat near me that tests 70ppm out of the package, after 3-4 rinses and 20 minutes I can get at quarter cup testing 0-5ppm consistently. I have been using it on my pings, drosera and fly traps for over 2 years. I don’t think that a $10 TDS and 15 minutes of reading online requires “experience”. Sorry but in my eyes there is no justification for using peat moss other than being ignorant of the source, or just not caring.
The problem is that your results are not typical. Most coco peat is harvested close to the ocean and has a super high salt content. I've read about some people being able to get their hands on coco peat that is harvested further away from the ocean with lower amounts of salt. The problem seems to be finding a distributer that has enough to sell to the masses. The majority of coco peat that people have access to has a very high amount of salt, 300 plus readings with the TDS meter. Still at over 150 after 24 hour soaks. I'm really happy that you have found some that works for you, unfortunately thats not the case for the majority. I'm going to start testing it from different sources to see if we can find something that is sustainable for venus flytraps. People have been testing coco peat for years with unsatisfactory results. A little bit of research and you will be able to see that. It's really not ignorance or the lack of caring, simply the lack of high grade coco peat with low salt contents.
Where do you find silica sand? I got some coarse all-purpose sand from Lowe's and I'm hoping it works out alright 😅
You can use the 20 mesh they sell at lowes and home depot for concrete. Some also sell it as pool filter sand. If you can't find the sand, the perlite and peat moss mix will work without it! Just not quite as good.
@@CarnivorousPlantsHub I used the all-purpose sand they have in the garden section. It's pretty coarse. I did wash it beforehand
Is there a way to find the peat moss/substitute it. I live in an area where moss throws a lot and am just wondering if I could find anything appropriate outside
I'm not sure what you could find outside naturally. I'm not an expert on all the mosses. I only know of sphagnum moss or sphagnum peat moss working as a substrate. People are constantly trying new substrates but it seems like most come short in the long run. If I ever find anything that works as a good alternative, I will definitely make a video about it.
I need to repot my flytrap. It’s getting small.( the pot)
the pot is getting smaller? did you put it in the dryer?
Does that brand of perlite have additives???
No, it does not. Make sure to get a brand that does NOT have additives. Miracle Grow is a strong no.
I got a an 8 quart from Home Depot, distilled water from Wally World. Just hope I can bring this thing back to it’s glory days lol. Any tips for a newbie?
They can be a bit tricky to get used to, but once you figure it out it's smooth sailing. Just make sure you give them enough water but not too much. Most importantly, make sure they are in a place where they get as much sun as possible, outside is better. If you keep them outside, don't worry about feeding them bugs, they will naturally catch a lot, just make sure they get enough sun. Don't add any fertilizers they will burn the roots and probably kill the plant, the bugs are like it's fertilizer. Make sure and allow them to go into a winter dormancy once winter rolls around. Do some research on how to put them into dormancy based on your weather. You may need to give them more protection if temps go below freezing in your area during winter. If growing inside, there are many more rules with grow lights and such. Just make sure to do your research and maybe join a group on social media where you can ask questions. You can also throw questions in here too and I'm happy to help! Good luck my friend!
For water a quarter of your pot height will be enough
Is Perfect Plants a good brand of peat moss to use for Venus Fly Traps?
Yes, that should be fine. Just make sure to rinse the mix really well and flush it before use.
Where are you from....I ask because you mentioned how hard it is to grow them in your area.... I'm from Phoenix Arizona zone 9 B....just bought some from Walmart...I really love plants.... they're so cool
I live in North Idaho. We have opposite growing problems! Lol.
what about rain water?
Can we use abg soil???
I would not use ABG soil. It's a tropical plant mix, venus flytraps are not tropical. it has Tree fern fiber and orchid bark. Nether of which are necessary for venus flytraps and may leach unnecessary dissolved solids into the soil that are harmful to venus flytraps. I'd stick with a peat and perlite mix, with sand if posisble!
@@CarnivorousPlantsHub peat, perlite, and silica sand???
Yes, silica sand because it's inert. You want a larger grade which I admit can be hard to find. Which is why you can just go with a peat and perlite/pumice mix.
Can you use coco coir?
I have seen some people have success but others claim it doesnt work long term. There are so many factors as to why a CP might die apart from substrate. It's really hard to say. All I can tell you is that I've never personally tested it myself, so I cant give an honest account.
Found a channel.. Tropical plants at 53 degrees he claims its possible if you wash it first..i got plenty of it..so guess it wont hurt to try...thanks for the reply
Hello old friend.
flytrap plant keep right shade place???
You want to keep the flytrap in the sun if possible. Usually as much direct sun as possible.
The Miracle grow peat moss and perelite seems good so far.
Try to stay away from miracle grow. They put additives into the peat as fertilizer that will slowly kill your plants. I would just avoid anything that is miracle grow. Fertilizers are had for CPs.
Miracle gro has minerals. Any fertilizer is bad for carnivorous plants. They make fertilizer from food and maniacal in water and fertilizer can kill the roots
I bought HOLLANDBASICS peat moss and perlite mix from Amazon, it's about a 2-1 peat moss to perlite, which I supplemented with some silica sand. My flytraps seem to like it
Do you think coconut coir x vermiculite is a good mix?
I have personally never used it and have only seen 3rd party accounts from people I don't really know. Seems to be a mixed bag. One person said it worked fine, but the other said their plants died after a few months. With carnivorous plants, it's really hard to say if it was the substrate that killed the plants or something else. I'm sorry, I wish I had more info on that substrate for you, I have just never grown with it before. I might consider growing some VFT's in a coconut coir mix and document it!
Try asking California Carnivores or Sarracenia Northwest to check and see.
Ratio of sand to moss 1:1 ?
Very helpful video. I’m trying to find some good pots I can buy in bulk for my sundews and flytraps. Are 3.5 inch deep pots good, or would you go with a depth of 4 inches deep.
Thank you! 3.5 would be okay for sundews however, I would go maybe even up to 5-6 for venus flytraps. Their roots like to stretch out and grow straight down.
@@CarnivorousPlantsHub thank you much👍
Try putting the soil all together in a cooler and pour boiling water to kill off any bugs let it sit until it dries up
Hmm, I've never tried boiling the distilled water to kill insects, that's an interesting tactic. I might give that a shot!
Great video! Liked and subscribed. I got a venus flytrap from the same company as you. How important is it to make a new potting mix for it? Do you think it will be okay in the original mix from the nursery? Thanks!
Alan, thank you so much for the sub! I recommend changing out the soil mix as soon as possible. I also recommend getting a bigger pot to plant them in. It doesn't have to be super big, something 5 inches deep should be plenty. I actually just bought 3 more from Walmart and kept them in their little planter for 2 days which was fine, but you could tell they needed repotted. I'll be posting that new video here in the next couple days, so stay tuned! The biggest tell was the roots were growing through the holes in the bottom. Those little death cubes are made as temporary homes, not permanent. The sooner you can get a new planter with fresh soil and repot them the better. If you don't want to mess with making your own soil mix, you can definitely check the description of my video and check out the pre mix you can buy on Amazon. But ya, get it repotted as soon as you can!
@@CarnivorousPlantsHub Thanks for the speedy reply and good luck with your channel and your dream!
@@AlanDong Thank you my friend!
Hi there! 👋 I recently subscribed 😊 great content! What are your thoughts on liqui-dirt plant food? Do you recommend for cp's?
Thank you! I have never used liqui-dirt but it does say it contains vitamins and minerals, which is what you want to avoid with distilled water and peat moss / sphagnum moss mixes. I cant say with 100% certainty, but I would not use it and I've never heard of anyone using it. All the people I know that fertilize use maxsea.
The only fertilizers VFTs can receive is through foliar applications, if it leeches into the soil, it will burn your VFTs. And you can only use a small amount. These are not necessary, best way to fertilize them is by feeding them.
plane water???
Make sure and use distilled, reverse osmosis or rain water. It just has to be pure and have low or no minerals.
Are you still using this mix ratio? @carnivorousplantshub
Considering all of the recipes out there, what made you decide on these ratios? I’m a curious sort and just like a to learn how/why things work. 🤔
I stopped actually measuring my soil a while back, but it's really close to this. It doesn't have to be an exact science. The perlite and sand help keep the peat moss from getting to hard and bricking up. If you don't use the amendments the peat moss just turns into a brick over time and makes it hard for the flytraps to thrive.
@@CarnivorousPlantsHub thanks!
No matter how many times I rinse this stuff it's still cloudy hopefully it's okay
Cloudy is okay, just make sure that the TDS is low with a TDS meter. I have cloudy water measure under 10 PPM. Cloudy just means it's dirty, which makes sense since you are rinsing dirt. Flushing will still get rid of dissolved solids.
Can I use sphagnum moss x perlite? The soil from my sarracenia is molding and I don't have peat moss
You definitely can. Lots of people use sphagnum moss and perlite. It's more common in Nepenthes, but it should work just fine for a Sarracenia. I would pack it down a little more than I normally would with a Nepenthes to help the Sarracenia stay upright.
How do I get the green stuff on the surface of my soil because i see so many pictures of the moss looking things growing on top and i wonder how to i get that because i like the look. Does it have to be a certain type of soil or do i have to buy it?
There are a lot of mosses you can grow with your carnivorous plant. It can be a little harder to keep some moss alive as it needs more humidity. If you go to Brad's Greenhouse he sells live sphagnum moss in a couple different colors that you can buy to put with your carnivorous plants. It's something I also want to do at some point. I love the way they look with moss growing!
I see a green patch of moss growing on your soil near your plants. Thats kind of the idea im talking about. How did you get it to grow there? It looks dope.
It’s live moss you can buy on Amazon
Corelle...not just for casseroles anymore.
Hi
Hello
When you say 5 parts this and 3 parts that what do you mean by parts ? Lol cups ? Handfuls? Idk 🤷🏻♀️
Hello Felicia, parts just means the same amount. So, if you want to use cups, you would use 5 cups peat and 3 cups perlite. The amount you decide to make, just make sure parts are the same amount. If you wanted to make a lot, use 5 gallons peat and 3 gallons peat. Hope that makes a little more sense.
Definitely Not For Pitcher Plants By The Way! Peat Moss And Perlite Is Not Good For Pitchers And They Would Prefer Sphagnum Moss
MrGoji, I read that they are pretty tolerant plants and can thrive with a mix like this. I do agree that most places say to use sphagnum moss but I read from several different places that the peat moss and perlite mix work fine for a Nepenthes Ventrata. I can honestly say that the plant is thriving. It's in the processing of growing a brand new pitcher and I haven't lost any of the old pitchers. It also has a new leaf coming out of the top with another little pitcher on it. So far, so good. If I start to see any regression, i'll definitely repot it in spagnum moss. I'll upload an update video soon so you can take a look at it!
@@CarnivorousPlantsHub the scarrecenia or how ever you spell it. You should use peat moss on it but for the nepenthes use Sphagnum
The Nepenthes has been doing better than the other 2. Seems to be doing really well in the peat moss, perlite and silica sand mix.
@@CarnivorousPlantsHub mine came in some kind of orchid bark - it's doing fine. Most hybrid nepenthes are tolerant. I want to try coco coir/perlite 1/1 to do away with peat moss, but afraid to try is.
@@dirty_diver I had zero success with coir. I would avoid, for carnivorous plants.