A Complete Guide to Caring for Your Dormant Venus Flytrap Kit

Venus flytrap kits containing dormant plants are popular gifts and fun, educational projects for kids and plant lovers alike. While taking care of these intriguing carnivorous plants may seem daunting, with the proper care, your dormant Venus flytrap can thrive. This comprehensive guide will walk you through how to successfully grow your Venus flytrap from a dormant state into a lively, bug-eating plant.

What to Expect with a Dormant Venus Flytrap Kit

Venus flytrap kits often contain dormant flytraps and sometimes other carnivorous plants like pitcher plants Dormant Venus flytraps are dried up and brown and look quite different from their usual green, open-mouthed appearance Don’t let their shriveled state fool you – with the right care, these tiny brown nubs will transform into bug-catching plants in no time!

Kits usually contain peat or sphagnum moss, planting soil, and a plastic growing container or greenhouse box. Some also include planting and care instructions. The plants arrive in dry peat moss or soil.

Getting Your Kit Set Up

After unboxing your Venus flytrap kit, it’s time to get your plants set up for growth. Here are the steps:

Locate the dormant Venus flytraps. They will look like small, dried up brown clumps in the soil. Gently pick them out and set them aside.

Fill the growing container with soil. Pack it down well.

Place the dormant flytraps on the soil surface Try to position them right-side up if possible,

Top with moistened sphagnum moss. This helps retain moisture and humidity.

Mist gently. Thoroughly moisten the moss. Avoid getting water on the flytraps directly.

Place the container in the included greenhouse box. This helps keep things warm and humid

Position in a sunny spot. A south facing window is ideal.

Now it’s time to wait for growth! It can take several weeks for dormant flytraps to show signs of life. Have patience and keep soil moist.

Caring for Your Venus Flytrap as it Wakes Up

As your Venus flytrap awakens from dormancy, it will start to grow. Here are some care tips:

• Keep the moss moist. Don’t let it dry out completely.

• Provide bright, indirect light. At least 4 hours of sunshine daily.

• Mist occasionally. Increase humidity but avoid water collecting on leaves.

• Remove dead leaves and traps with scissors as needed.

• Transition to distilled or rain water. Once there is new growth, stop using tap water which has minerals that can harm the sensitive flytraps.

• Open greenhouse vents to slowly acclimate to lower humidity levels.

• Repot in fresh soil once roots establish. Use a special soil blend formulated for carnivorous plants.

• Begin feeding traps bugs. Once the traps are fully open and working, you can start dropping in small insects for your plant to eat!

Achieving Dormancy Each Year

Venus flytraps require a winter dormancy period each year to survive long term. They need 3-4 months of temperatures below 45°F to properly go dormant. Here are dormancy options:

• Allow flytraps to experience natural winter conditions outdoors if you live in an appropriate climate.

• Place potted flytraps in an unheated garage, porch, or basement to experience cooler temperatures.

• Refrigerate flytrap in its pot or bare root for 12-16 weeks. Check moisture levels regularly.

• Skip dormancy for a season if the plant is very young. But dormancy is required for long term health.

When dormancy ends in spring, gradually increase light levels and temperatures over several weeks. Then enjoy vigorous summer growth!

Common Problems to Avoid

Venus flytraps are adapted to specific growing conditions. By understanding their preferences, you can avoid common problems:

• Using tap water or hard water causes mineral buildup that will kill the plants. Use purified or distilled water only.

• Allowing moss to dry out causes plants to desiccate and die. Keep moss lightly moist at all times.

• Exposing plants to high temperatures above 85°F can cook the sensitive flytraps. Keep them cool.

• Failing to provide dormancy will weaken and eventually kill Venus flytraps. Follow dormancy guidelines each winter.

• Sitting in waterlogged soil leads to rot. Allow soil to dry out between waterings.

With proper care following the recommendations above, your dormant Venus flytrap kit can thrive into a fascinating carnivorous houseplant. Flytraps make unique and unusual additions to any indoor plant collection. Just be sure to do your research and have patience as your plants wake up from dormancy. Happy growing!