Welcome to the carnivorous plant free seedbank growing instruction page.
Materials Needed
Here is the way I grow most of my carnivorous plants. What works well for me may not work as well for you. Other growers have different suggestions so you can see, there is quite a bit of room for experimentation.
I use plastic pots about 6 inches in diameter and 6 inches deep. This gives the roots plenty of room. I prefer white or light colored pots. This will help keep the roots cool if the pot is put in direct sunlight. I use self watering pots if I can find them. They have a water reservoir and a wick to draw the water up into the pot to keep the soil at just the right moisture level. With a self watering pot you don't have to sit the pot in a tray or dish of water.
Carnivorous plants need an acidic environment. To get this I grow them in Sphagnum Peat Moss. This comes from the garden in bags or bales and is dry. It will not absorb water easily. You have to mix two parts (by volume) peat moss with one part water and knead it like bread dough until the water is absorbed. It will now easily absorb water when you water it. Many growers mix peat moss with sand or long fiber Sphagnum Moss. Others add Perlite or Vermiculite to the moss. I prefer adding nothing. Fill up the pot to the top and sprinkle the seeds on top of the moss. I usually repot my plants with fresh moss every two or three years.
Most of these plants come from very wet areas with little or no nutrient in their soil. They get their nutrients from their prey and from photosynthesis. Never Never Never fetilize them! I grow my plants outside in spring, summer, and fall. I bring them inside in winter. I let them catch their own bugs. I do not feed my plants and suggest that you do not either. They get enough nutrition from their summers catch to last them all year long.
Another requirement for good growing is pure water. Rain water is the best. Distilled water is also very good. Your local city water may work if it is neutral or slightly acidic. I use city water in Milwaukee Wisconsin but I let the water sit overnight in a bucket before I use it. This allows any gases in the water to dissipate. Water treated with a water softener should not be used. Put your pot in a one inch deep water dish. Keep the water dish half full. Remember these are swamp plants. The soil should always be moist but not sopping wet.
Light is the next thing you have to consider. Natural sun light is best. The more light you give them, the happier your plants will be. They can take full direct sunlight and they will color up brilliantly. A south window is the best for growing them inside. You can grow them under fluorescent lights but for best results, the plants almost have to be touching the bulbs. A light fixture with two four foot long tubes is the smallest I reccomend.
Your plants enjoy the same range of temperatures that you do. Most of the seeds I have available are from plants that will grow all year long. Some plants require a definite dormant or resting period. These are more difficult to grow. Seeds take from a month to several months to germinate. Most of the seeds I give away take 4 to 6 weeks. Be patient. They will sprout and grow. It will take from 1 to 2 years before your plants are mature. When they do mature they will flower and produce seed. Then you can give it away to other people and they can grow their own "Man Eating Plants".
When you get your package of seeds in the mail open it carefully. They are tiny! The seeds will look like black dust specks. One sneeze and they are gone. Get your pot full of wet Peat moss and scatter the seeds on top.
If you have any questions or comments, please drop me a note.
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