Pretty cool-looking flowers ypu think? They finally decided they want some fun and sun too. So they all came out at once! But beware, not all is what it seems. Behind the scene lurks a killer.
They're not there anymore but every spring spiders will raise their young on silky threads all up and down the stalks. Then the wind comes and blows the little guys away to their new homes. Looking into the pitcher plants revealed numerous baby spiders waiting to be digested.
But this is what nature intended it to be. See, carnivorous plants grow very tall flowers so when the insects come to pollinate, the chances of them getting eaten is narrowed down. Unfortunately, some of the insects get drawn into the trap. Fortunately, 90% of the baby spiders made it out alive!
Oh nice! Yeah I had some Droceras too. I had them under LED lights that I modded up. First time growing it and eventually it died. Yeah I was gonna repot it into a bigger pot but it’s too late now.
I was gonna say why don’t you collect rain water but I remembered you live in the desert. I collect rain water in a drum and use that for the plants.
That’s one of the reasons I got into carnivorous plants to control the mosquitoes and such. I definitely see way less ever since I got the plants.
Thanks for the link! I'll check them out for sure. Flytraps are quite small and they hibernate too. During winter, they go dormant and wake up again during spring.
I'm actually looking to add more plants so as to control the mosquitoes. I have to check the plants every day because anything can get caught in there. I just saved a Ladybug just a moment ago! I got it out and it's okay now.
Basically, any carnivorous plants like racoon mentioned will help. A bunch here and there and it'll be like the Iron Dome Defense System. The thing to remember though is to use rain water or distilled when watering. If you water a Venus Flytrap regular tap water, it's gonna eventually die.
That's right, Venus Flytraps are native to the Carolinas. That's cool that it's just south of the border and native! I hear they have a problem with poaching and I think they have a program to counter that nowadays? I usually go to a local wholesale farm where they specialize in tropical plants. They carry different varieties of tropical plants such as Droseras, Succulents, Flytraps, Pitcher plants, etc. http://hawaiianbotanicals.com/index.html
When I started, I actually was growing them inside with a DIY red/blue LED setup. They grew quite well actually and even had a cactus flower one time. Decided to grow them outside one day and there they remained ever since.
That price is awesome for the little guys. I got my pitcher plant from Home Depot actually. I was getting some bolts and saw them at the checkout! Those pitcher plants can get quite big actually as you've seen. Some of them are almost up to hip level!
This year my Honeydews didn't survive the winter. I had lost hope that some might come out later during Springtime. None came out and took my losses and left it at that. Then this morning I went to check out the Venus Flytrap and lo and behold a tiny Honeydew has started to sprout!
Lol yeah, I meant Sundews. :person_facepalming: Oh, thanks for the Facebook tip! I’m gonna go check it out for sure and hopefully get more some cool plants. Must be a whole lot of plant varieties that’ll show up. Plus I have a big bag of Peat moss sitting at home waiting to be used. :+1:
I believe my Sundews are supposed to be in Zone 10-11. My Sundews did survive a few winters ago but I think the last one was colder. I.m gonna insulate the pot this time around.
There is a new species just discovered a few days ago upon the mountains. It's a pretty white flower and its stalks are sticky. Quite interesting when I found this out.
Oh thanks and cool plants too! They take a little more work but quite worth it.
Yes, I do have some have houseplants that I grow. I saw some at the local tropical outlet already. I actually like sundews a lot as they have got nice shapes and really intense colors.
But the thing that bugs me atm is where that sundew I saw in the flytrap pot come from? Like why did it sprout so late in the summer? My original sundew pot was beside it all last year but none of them bloomed this spring. Then I went to empty the pot over some grass patch I was seedling. I think maybe a dormant seed somewhere around the table blew into the flytrap pot last week or so??
I collect rain water in a drum and use that for the plants.
The thing to remember though is to use rain water or distilled when watering. If you water a Venus Flytrap regular tap water, it's gonna eventually die.
Plus I have a big bag of Peat moss sitting at home waiting to be used. :+1: