Foam/Sponge for substrate

[larry]

I bought a vft from Home Depot several months ago.  I was going to repot it, but notice the substrate wasn't moss.  The plant was growing on a big sponge the size and shape of the 3" pot.  Needless to say, I was kinda shocked.  Not wanting to fix what wasn't broke, i replanted in in a larger pot, sponge and all.  Its been growing wonderfully.  My question is, is sponge a suitable substrate?  Will my vft be adversely affected if I continue to grow it in this sponge?  



larry

 

[CP2k]

The sponge is probably rockwool. Just leave the flytrap as it is in the pot with peat:sand and rockwool etc. There should be no problems with the flytrap in rockwool. I have heard that quite a few people use rockwool as the rooting medium for cuttings of nepenthe(tropical pitcher plant). When the nepenthes grow roots they just pot the rockwool in a pot with soil.

 

[nepenthes gracilis]

It hurts me to see what is becoming of CP's in stores that neglect them.

But if it is rockwool GREAT! Someone out there cares and knows something about CP'S!

 

[Stefano1]

is rock wool good for CP's?

 

[larry]

What does rockwool look like? This seems to be a common brown sponge.

larry

 

[Mondo]

LOL if your vft is going strong why wreck a good thing? Just leave it the way it is if it is going fine...and don't worry so much.

 

[nepenthes gracilis]

Hmm.....if it is just brown it is probably a common sponge. Well I see no problem with planting a VFT in a sponge as it stays miost and no nutrients are bieng sdded to the VFT. So what I would do is plant the whole thing in a peat/perlite mix. Or leave it and replent this early spring.

 

[unknownclown]

Personally I would just leave it. VFTs have very sensitive roots and if they are wrapped around or into the spores (pores whatever) of the sponge you may end up damaging them trying to get it out. If youfeel for some reason you need to repot (although I dont know why you would) repot it sponge and all don't even try to seperate the two.

 

[CP2k]

Rockwool is basically molten rock that is spun into fibers. It looks like a sponge, but it has a different texture. Rockwool cannot be pushed down and return to its orignal shape.