Venus flytrap - home care

Venus flytrap is a carnivorous plant of the genus Dionea. Scientifically it is called dionaea muscipula. The plant received such a name by mistake of a botanist, because it is translated from Latin as a mousetrap. The birthplace of the flower is the marshlands of Carolina, USA. It is endangered. Now the flycatcher is grown at home, it is popular with flower growers.

Growing

In order for a healthy Dionea to please at home, home care must begin with choosing the optimal place for growing.

Venus flytrap

Seat selection

The Dionea flycatcher needs bright light, it must be diffused. Also, during the day, the plant needs to take sun baths for 4-5 hours. Therefore, the best place for a flower is a window sill in the east or west of the apartment. On the north side, it can be comfortable only with additional lighting with special lamps.

Watering and humidity

Watering is recommended through a tray in which there is a pot with a predatory flytrap flower. The holes made in the bottom of the flowerpot must be submerged in water. This is necessary so that the plant can get saturated with moisture when it needs it.

Since the plant originally grew among swamps, it needs high air humidity. Otherwise, the flower will start to fade. To create comfortable conditions, an aquarium is used, at the bottom of which a container with a flycatcher is placed.

Temperature and lighting

In spring and summer, Dionea is comfortable at temperatures up to 30 degrees. At the same time, it is recommended to keep the minimum value around 20. In winter, the plant is dormant, so it is transferred to a cool place with a temperature of about 10 degrees.

Soil for a predatory flower

For a resident of swampy areas, a special soil is prepared, consisting of:

• peat;
• sand;
• perlite.

Ingredients must be taken in a 4: 2: 1 ratio. Perlite is a volcanic rock. It has neutral acidity, moisture-absorbing and retains its shape and properties for a long time. In plant growing, it is replaced with polystyrene, sand, broken brick or small expanded clay. Often the soil is sprinkled with moss to create additional moisture.

Plant soil

The flycatcher plant prefers a nitrogen-depleted soil that easily absorbs moisture. Therefore, in order to plant a flower, you can purchase a soil intended for cacti, add perlite or its substitute.

Fertilization and feeding

The plant does not require fertilization in the presence of protein foods. Flies, mosquitoes, spiders are usually used as top dressing. Fertilizers are used no more than 2 times per season; in excess, they can harm the roots of the plant.

Pests and diseases

Some insects can kill the plant, usually spider mites and aphids. With proper care and timely treatment, you can quickly get rid of pests. The tick is very small, almost invisible to humans. It is almost transparent and can have a reddish or orange tint.It starts if the plant does not provide sufficient moisture. You need to deal with it by spraying mite repellent.

Waterlogging is also dangerous for the plant. It can lead to the appearance of a sooty fungus, which appears as dark spots on the leaves of the flower. Gray fluff resembling cotton wool is often seen on the plant. This indicates the spread of another fungus - gray rot. In any case, you need to get rid of the affected areas of the flower and conduct a course of treatment.

With proper care, creating the optimal temperature and the necessary humidity, growing a plant will only bring pleasure, pests and diseases will not bother.

Content during dormancy

In the fall, the flycatcher begins to prepare for wintering. It is necessary to reduce the amount of watering and not leave water under the pot. Then transfer the flower to a cool place and keep it until March at a temperature of about 10 degrees.

Blackened Flycatcher

At this time, the plant does not require:

• bright light, the flower exists comfortably in partial shade;
• constant watering;
• feeding and fertilizing.

It is sometimes necessary to moisten the soil. It is not necessary to remove the wilted parts of the plant, only if they begin to rot. Traps that survived the winter are cut at the end of hibernation.

With the onset of spring, the plant is sent to live in an ordinary lit place and begin to water. Gradually return to the Venus flytrap care regimen at home.

Insect feeding

The flycatcher flower is a predator, so periodically it needs to be fed with insects. It is not recommended to get carried away with this, otherwise the plant may die, as well as without the absence of additional food.

Suitable insects

You need to use small insects for feeding:

• flies;
• spiders;
• mosquitoes.

They must be alive, only then the trap will work and slam shut. If the insects are large, the flower will not be able to "chew" them. Part of the victim will remain outside the trap, which will lead to her death. After a while, it will wither and turn black.

How to feed insects

Only a completely healthy plant can eat insects. You do not need to do this after transplanting, during wintering. They also refuse insects if the flower has been in conditions of high humidity and low light for a long time.

Usually fed once every 2 weeks, insects are given one or two traps. They die off after every seventh digestion of insects, possibly more often. It is better to remove the weakened plant from the bush immediately so that new leaves appear, and all forces are directed to their growth.

Interesting facts about the flower

The surface of each plant trap is colored with red pigments. This is what makes the flower attractive to insects. They are necessary for the plant in order to receive substances that are absent in the soil. So, swampy areas, in which flycatchers are used to living, are depleted in nitrogen, it is his flower that gets it, chewing food.

Trapped insect

The description of the trap operation process consists of several stages:

1. The victim is trapped and trapped on a slippery surface. It is a type of protein secreted by the plant. Insects crawl along it, licking the substance, and touch the trigger hairs. Thanks to this, the Venus flytrap receives a signal to slam.When an insect touches several hairs at once or touches the same one repeatedly, the trap closes instantly. Fastness is characteristic of a healthy plant. Scientists have found an interesting fact that collapse occurs as a result of the plant pushing water into the leaf after the hairs move. Therefore, it is always necessary for a flower to be freely available under the pot;
2. After slamming, the victim begins to squeeze. An insect that is too small can escape by slipping between the hairs. Then the next stage does not take place. Also, it will not happen if, for example, a person puts his finger between the flaps. For some time, the flower will open again;
3. Successful compression is followed by sealing. The lobules of the flycatcher close tightly, the teeth stop intertwining and move forward. Digestion begins. The duration depends on the age of the trap and the state of the environment. The rate of release of the enzymes needed to digest insects increases with increasing temperature. The trap is usually closed for 1–2 weeks;
   

   Dionea bloom

4. After the flower receives the necessary substances, disclosure takes place. Only the skeleton remains of the insect. In its natural environment, it serves as a bait for a new victim.

Plant propagation at home

Venus flytrap can reproduce:

• dividing the bush;
• seeds.

The first method is simpler and requires less time and effort.

Dividing the bush

Several growth points can be found on an adult Dionea. In the place where the roots have grown together, they are cut to be transplanted into new flowerpots or containers. Before dividing, the flower is removed from the pot in order to remove excess soil and not damage the plant. After transplantation, they begin to look after like an adult flycatcher.

Seeds

In spring or early summer, Dionea begins to bloom, only after that traps appear. You can pollinate the plant manually, then you can get the seeds necessary for reproduction. It will take about a month for small boxes to form.

Flycatcher flowers are small, white, and resemble stars in shape.

Three months after pollination, flycatcher seeds can be planted in prepared soil. It consists of 70 percent sphagnum moss, sand is added to it. When kept in a greenhouse characterized by high humidity, seedlings appear in 2-3 weeks.

The main thing is to constantly moisten the soil so that it does not dry out. When the seedlings grow up, they are transplanted into containers so that the plants feel more free. It will take 2-3 years to grow an adult flycatcher.

Venus flytrap is a predatory plant that chooses swampy soils for life. Now they grow it at home, creating the microclimate required for a flower. The flycatcher prefers sun and moisture, but is unable to withstand frost. Although in its homeland, in its natural environment, it is experiencing snowfall. In order for a flower to feel comfortable, it is necessary to provide it with insects that make up for the lack of substances necessary for growth and development.