Removing dead leaves vs compost?

[jhaluska]

As I've stated before, I've been pretty lazy with my latest VFT but still have had good luck.

Is it detrimental to remove the dead leaves for aesthetics? On one hand it looks better without them. On the other hand, don't the leaves decompose to provide the soil with more nutrients?

 

[vft guy in SJ]

I believe the general consensus is that decaying leaves promote fungal growth. Although I'm sure that many people do not remove their dead leaves (noone comes and clips em off in the wild...). Personaly I remove them for aesthetic reasons and my plants seem no worse for wear. Perhaps if you have 2 plants you could experiment with this?  Trim on 1 and leave the other to grow "wild" and see what differences you can find?

Good luck
Steve

 

[NickHubbell]

It is best to remove the dead leaves and traps. There are big differences between plants that are growing in the wild and plants that are grown in and around our homes. These cultivated plants are stressed to some degree that their wild brethren are not. Be it light, water, temperature, air quality, etc. When dead matter is allowed to decay in the pots of our carnivorous plants, that matter invites a host of pathogens to have a field day.

Even if a fungus does not appear to be hurting the living tissue, allowed to continue, that fungus will run out of dead matter to feed on and may move onto the living tissue.