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Plant Planter

The Most Uncreative Name in the History of Ever
Hello, everyone, I am Plant Planter, and (surprise!) I have another question which I have not had success finding consistent answers for. (I have so many questions. :p)
Can I fertilize my Venus Flytrap (in any way, shape, or form), and if so, with what?
You see, my lovely typical Venus flytrap is creating a lovely flower stalk that is so far about three inches tall, and I, being who I am, decided to let it flower and see what happened. Unfortunately, my flytrap receives no nutrition whatsoever other than from a 16-hour-long photoperiod each day. Would this impact my plant negatively, and if so, could I avoid the side effects of flowering with a diluted fertilizer?
Quick stats on my plant:
Photoperiod: 16 hours per day under a cool yellow fluorescent bulb.
Water: Tray method utilizing rainwater shared with my other plants.
Humidity: Very low, probably about 10%.
Media: 100% peat moss.
Coloration: Moderately dark pink.
Trap size: Medium-large at first but only medium now.
Nutrition choices: Light.
I greatly would appreciate any facts, opinions, or personal anecdotes about fertilizing these magnificent plants! :D
(End of 5-minute abnormal formality. :p)
 
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I spray fertilize mine, but it won't be enough to make up for the flowering.
 
Try fertilizing with insects in the traps? :)
 
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I can't speak for adult plants or your particular situation as my plants are just a few years old and seed grown. However, I've been using mild doses of maxicrop seaweed extract for my youngsters and it makes a dramatic change in their growth rate. It's been safe for me - just a little bit every now and then. Afterwards I water from above for a little while and go back to tray method.
 
Okay, I've super-diluted some Miracle-Gro fertilizer in distilled water and put it in my plant's trays. I guess now I'll just wait and see what happens. It probably will help my "Cupped Trap" plant more than any, since that one is the smallest and youngest.
 
Just the thought of Miracle Grow with a VFT makes me cringe. I hope it works out for you, it sounds like too much TLC.
 
I'm a bit worried too. Miracle-Gro makes some pretty strong fertilizers. I sure hope I diluted it enough. I think I did. It was maybe a sixth of a teaspoon dissolved in maybe one and a half or two cups of distilled water, not to mention that I just put a few syringefuls of it into the water my plants already had in the tray. I think that's enough. Time to sit back and wait for the effects. :sleep:
 
I spray fine mist mine with Maxsea 16-16-16 once a week with no problems. Thats me, all growing conditions are different. I don't grow them in terrariums. Dilute as needed. As with all fertilizers do research if not sure dilute. To little is always better than to much.

Regards :water:
 
Miracle Gro is the LAST thing I would want anywhere near any of my CPs; that stuff is poison.
 
  • #10
wow, seems like you could barely wait to add fertilizer. why even start a thread asking when you really should have just said HEY EVERYBODY IM GOING TO PUT MIRACLEGRO ON MY PLANTS JUST TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS AND I DONT CARE WHAT YOU TELL ME

did you even try feeding them first?
 
  • #11
Hey, I'm on a time limit! My plant adds another quarter inch to the flower stalk every two days.
As for feeding, there are no bugs out, and I'm about as much for feeding them preserved bugs as you are for fertilizing.
And none of my plants are showing any signs of poisoning.
 
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  • #12
You can always feed them fish food if you have that laying around.
 
  • #13
Well, this is wonderful. All the fertilizer DID was speed up the flower stalk's growth! Although my "Dentate Traps" plant's stalk did get a noticeable amount of growth. There's hope for my plants yet.
Anyhow, I sure hope my flytrap gets through this all right.
 
  • #14
Good news! The first flower of my plant has bloomed, I've stuck it outside for the past two days in the sun, it hasn't been burned, it's eaten a fly and a spider, and best of all, IT'S NOT DEAD! :D
 
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