JamestheJiant
New member
In looking around I couldn't really find much about carnivorous plants on IC. I remember as a kid my uncle having a flytrap and I was fascinated by it, but I totally forgot about it until last night.
One of the problems I encountered in my last box was that some how either when the door was open, or through an air vent, stupid little @%$!*&# gnats would get inside and bug (pun intended) the shit out of me. I don't think they caused any harm. But I do know I almost tipped the whole damn box over trying to smash them.
So I did a bit of research last night and found out first that Venus flytraps are NOT (necessarily) tropical plants. Here's some copy and paste info on them.
Height of Adult Plant: 5 inches
Flowering Maturity: 2 - 3 years from seed.
Type of Plant: Temperate perennial for outdoor growing. (Venus Flytraps are NOT tropical plants.)
Natural Habitat: North Carolina
Sunlight: Full sun. (Full sun = healthy flytrap; Shade = sickly flytrap.)
Growing Season: April through November.
Frost Tolerance: Zone 8. Mulch in colder regions.
The full sun thing was the part that got me. It seems like although the soil they are in should be kept moist they seem like a perfect in box plant to aid in the capture and destruction of insects. Also I found out that they also use a 18-6 12-12 light cycle when they flower (yes they flower, and it looks bad ass).
The Sundew is the plant I am most interested in because it seems like gnats would prefer this plants longer arms with many trich like sticky digestive nubs.
Some Sundews arms actually curl up around the insects that land on them.
Height of Adult Plant: 8 inches.
Type of Plant: Temperate perennial for outdoor growing.
Natural Habitat: Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Sunlight: Full sun.
Growing Season: April through October.
Frost Tolerance: Zone 5. Mulch is strongly recommended in zones 7 or less.
I also read that with sundews they either pollinate themselves or shoot up other sister plants like strawberries do, I can't remember which it is.
So although both of these plants are listed as full sunlight plants, I don't know how many hours of full sunlight they should have a day. I remember reading they might only need 4-6 hours and then indirect light will suffice, but seeing as that you can order all these plants online for less than $20 delivered it isn't too bad of an investment if you want to get rid of little pests.
Who knows, maybe they can cure the borg if you get (quite) a few of them. I really have no idea. But I do intend on using them in my next cab plan. I'll keep you guys updated on what works and if they die real easy. If anyone else has experience with these plants I would love to hear about it.
Peace,
James
Oh yeah, there are quite a few varieties of sundews and a couple of different flytraps, so one variety might be better than another.
One of the problems I encountered in my last box was that some how either when the door was open, or through an air vent, stupid little @%$!*&# gnats would get inside and bug (pun intended) the shit out of me. I don't think they caused any harm. But I do know I almost tipped the whole damn box over trying to smash them.
So I did a bit of research last night and found out first that Venus flytraps are NOT (necessarily) tropical plants. Here's some copy and paste info on them.
Height of Adult Plant: 5 inches
Flowering Maturity: 2 - 3 years from seed.
Type of Plant: Temperate perennial for outdoor growing. (Venus Flytraps are NOT tropical plants.)
Natural Habitat: North Carolina
Sunlight: Full sun. (Full sun = healthy flytrap; Shade = sickly flytrap.)
Growing Season: April through November.
Frost Tolerance: Zone 8. Mulch in colder regions.
The full sun thing was the part that got me. It seems like although the soil they are in should be kept moist they seem like a perfect in box plant to aid in the capture and destruction of insects. Also I found out that they also use a 18-6 12-12 light cycle when they flower (yes they flower, and it looks bad ass).
The Sundew is the plant I am most interested in because it seems like gnats would prefer this plants longer arms with many trich like sticky digestive nubs.
Some Sundews arms actually curl up around the insects that land on them.
Height of Adult Plant: 8 inches.
Type of Plant: Temperate perennial for outdoor growing.
Natural Habitat: Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Sunlight: Full sun.
Growing Season: April through October.
Frost Tolerance: Zone 5. Mulch is strongly recommended in zones 7 or less.
I also read that with sundews they either pollinate themselves or shoot up other sister plants like strawberries do, I can't remember which it is.
So although both of these plants are listed as full sunlight plants, I don't know how many hours of full sunlight they should have a day. I remember reading they might only need 4-6 hours and then indirect light will suffice, but seeing as that you can order all these plants online for less than $20 delivered it isn't too bad of an investment if you want to get rid of little pests.
Who knows, maybe they can cure the borg if you get (quite) a few of them. I really have no idea. But I do intend on using them in my next cab plan. I'll keep you guys updated on what works and if they die real easy. If anyone else has experience with these plants I would love to hear about it.
Peace,
James
Oh yeah, there are quite a few varieties of sundews and a couple of different flytraps, so one variety might be better than another.