Grow Exotic Venus Flytraps in Your Deck Gardens

Most people know about Venus Flytraps. They’re bug eating carnivorous plants that have inspired several science fiction movies about carnivorous plants that of course, eat humans. You might think that an exotic plant like the Venus Flytrap lives in equally exotic places in the world, and that growing and caring for them in your deck gardens is out of the question.

However, you will be pleasantly surprised to learn that yes, you can grow them in your deck gardens. It turns out that these plants are native to a quite ordinary area: North and South Carolina, USA. Their natural habitat is boggy areas with poor soil. The plant’s “taste” for bugs is an adaptation to the poor soil conditions. Like most plants, it gets its energy from the sun but occasionally snacks on a bug for its mineral needs.

Growing The Venus Flytrap

The best place to grow Venus Flytraps is outdoors in your deck gardens, in a pot or container in a sunny spot. If your deck gardens get at least 6 or more hours of direct sunlight, then it’s perfect. While the plants thrive in areas with warm humid summers, they can be grown in more arid areas provided you limit their sun exposure to 4-6 hours in the morning. Beyond that, they will require shade. To avoid overheating their roots, their pots should be white or have a sun reflective covering.

Take care to keep the soil moist. Larger pots that are 6-8 inches deep will retain moisture for longer periods. Never allow the soil to dry out as this will cause their roots to over-heat. This happens when the soil temperature reaches 110 degrees F. In their natural environment, bog moisture keeps the roots cool.

The plants need mineral free water. Avoid using tap water which may be too alkaline and contain unwanted minerals. Distilled or rain water works best. Unlike other plants, their soil should not have nutrients. Remember that they get their nutrients from bugs and attempting to add minerals and nutrients to their soil will kill them. This means you should not use fertilizer, compost, or potting soil. Use a mixture of 50% peat moss and 50% perlite.

During the winter, Venus Flytraps become dormant for three or four months. They require this resting period and will appear dead. Keep their soil moist and the ambient temperature between 35 to 50 degrees F. If you live in climate zones 8 or colder, they will require winter care. This is best achieved by bringing them inside.

Since you are keeping your Venus Flytraps outdoors on your deck, there’s no need to feed them because they are quite capable of feeding themselves. They only require a couple of bugs per month during their growing season. They only eat bugs, and attempting to feed them anything else will harm them. Never “trick” the traps into closing because it will wear them out and they won’t be able to feed. “Food” that’s too large for their traps will cause bacteria and mold infections.

For more deck garden ideas and information, contact us.

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