Plastic or glazed ceramic pots are best for all carnivorous plants.  Unglazed terracotta pots are very porous and dry the soil out quickly.  Also, they may leach salts out into the soil with time.  We prefer small plastic pots with holes in the bottom, so that the tray method may be used.  You can use undrained containers but be prepared to water frequently.

Carnivorous plants evolved to catch insects to get the fertilizers that are lacking in their soil.  There are virtually no nutrients available in their planting media, so carnivores need to eat.  Healthy plants that have access to lots of prey probably don't need any fertilizing, although it would still be beneficial.  Most fertilizers are too strong for our plants and may severely damage or even kill them.  

We have found Max-Sea fertilizer to be the most gentle and effective. We lightly sprinkle all of our carnivores once a month with a solution of 1/4 teaspoon MaxSea diluted in one gallon of water.  MaxSea may be used on all of our plants from seedlings to mature specimens.  Apply to the leaves only, do not pour through the soil.  Use caution and lower concentrations when fertilizing more finicky South African sundews like Drosera regia, glabripes and slackii.

You can also add a pellet of Osmocote slow release fertilizer to pitcher plants; Sarracenia, Cephalotus and Nepenthes. Put one pellet into each pitcher.  Sarracenia do not need to be fertilized but you can use the Osmocote in them as well; sometimes they do lightly burn the sides of the Sarracenia where they come to rest inside the pitchers but this is not harmful long term. 

Unfortunately and ironically, carnivorous plants may be afflicted with almost all of the same pests as normal plants.  Luckily all of these little plant parasites are treatable.  Our plants can be damaged by some pesticides and many are very toxic, but we have a few things that we know are safe for the plants.  Before you spray, isolate the infected plants.

• APHIDS: The constant sap sucking of aphids will cause the new leaves of sundews and pitcher plants to twist and contort as they grow.  You can spray your plants with "Take Down"; the active ingredients are canola oil and pyrethrin, which comes from a daisy relative.  It is organic and has almost no odor.  Make sure and cover every surface of the infected plant.  You will need to treat the plant at least twice, 1 week apart.  Continue until they're all gone.  Avoid contact with skin and eyes.  Organic does not mean non-toxic.

• MEALYBUGS: If you have cottony stuff in the growth points of your Sarracenia or at the base of Nepenthes leaves, then you have mealybugs. We recommend spraying your plants with Sevin Make sure and cover every surface of the infected plant.  You will need to treat the plant at least twice, 1 week apart.  Continue until they're all gone.  Avoid contact with skin and eyes.

• THRIPS: Sarracenia are a favorite of thrips; their chewing causes silvery patches on the pitchers.  We recommend treating with Monterey Garden Spray, the main ingredient is Spinosad. Make sure and cover every surface of the infected plant.  You will need to treat the plant at least twice, 1 week apart.  Continue until they're all gone.  Avoid contact with skin and eyes.

• SCALE: Scale look like little waxy scabs that encrust the leaves and stems. Scale may be wiped away with rubbing alcohol on a Q-tip or cotton pad.  Badly infested leaves may be cut away and thrown in the trash.  Then you will have to spray.  We recommend "Take Down"; the active ingredients are canola oil and pyrethrin, which comes from a daisy relative.  It is organic and has almost no odor.  Make sure and cover every surface of the infected plant.  You will need to treat the plant at least twice, 1 week apart.  Continue until they're all gone.  Avoid contact with skin and eyes.  Organic does not mean non-toxic.

• DEER: While deer may take an exploratory nibble of a Sarracenia they rarely come back for seconds and overall leave the plants alone long term.

• BIRDS: Birds can be destructive of bog containers because they occasionally poke their beaks into the wet soil, looking for food like worms.  If they are a continuous problem you can insert bamboo skewers, pointy side up, into the soil to discourage birds from landing in the pots.

• RACCOONS: Because the outdoor plants like to sit in water, raccoons can be attracted to the pots.  Sometimes they will play in the water or dig out the plants.  This is fairly rare and you can try sprinkling cayenne pepper on the soil to discourage them.  You can also try the skewer method and bury skewers, pointy side out into the soil to stop them from getting into the soil.

• PETS: Cats sometimes like to like the dew off of sundews or take a nibble.  Dogs can knock over pots and very rarely eat a plant or two.  Luckily the plants are non-toxic to our beloved pets.  Depending on the persistence of your cat you may need to relocate your plants to an inaccessbile shelf or into a terrarium indoors.  Dogs are easily dissuaded when pots are relocated to high spots.

SEED BASICS:

• Seed Storage: Store seeds in a dry, sealed plastic bag in a refrigerator until it's time to sow them. Germination rates decrease with time, but properly stored seeds may last quite a while. Most Drosera, Drosophyllum, and Byblis seeds last for many years, even decades. Sarracenia and Darlingtonia seeds can be stored for at least a few years. Pinguicula and Utricularia seem to have a relatively shorter shelf life. Nepenthes seeds do not store well and should be sown as quickly as possible.

• What is Stratification?: The seeds of most temperate carnivores, like Sarracenia, Dionaea and temperate Drosera, require a period of being kept damp and cold in order to germinate. If you live where winters are relatively mild, sow these seeds outdoors in late winter, so that they experience about a month of cold nights from 20-40 F. Keep protected from the rain. If this isn’t possible where you live, sow the seeds and put the entire pot into the refrigerator for 4 weeks. Remove from the refrigerator and keep in a warmer spot with bright light to begin germination. Keep soil wet. If space is an issue, about a month before the spring, take the seeds out of the paper envelope and sprinkle into another bag with a few strands of damp long-fibered sphagnum moss. Sow in spring when night temps are above freezing.

• Covering Seeds: High humidity and constantly damp media is essential to good germination. Covering the seeds with a translucent dome or by placing the pot in a plastic bag often helps with this. This will also protect them from rain. Make sure there is some ventilation to avoid fungus and to let some heat out. Place your covered seeds in bright indirect light. Avoid long periods of direct sun while covered as this may cook your little seedlings.

• MaxSea Fertilizer: Mist seedlings shortly after germination at 1/4 tsp per gallon. A monthly foliar (leaf only) feed will greatly speed up growth. Do not fertilize too often as this encourages moss and algae to overtake the seedlings.

Dionaea:

Sow seeds in the late winter to early summer outdoors in a bright spot, sheltered from hot afternoon sun. Keep wet. A cover may help this. Sprinkle the seeds on top of a mix of 4 parts peat to 1 part sand or 50/50 peat and washed sand. Do not bury. Use a 4-5 inch pot for each seed pack. Stratification may increase germination. Indoors: They may be sown at anytime in a terrarium as described below for highland Nepenthes.

Sarracenia & Darlingtonia:

Sow these the same way as Venus Flytraps except these will need stratification first. Seeds will usually start to germinate in 6-8 weeks after stratification ends. Sometimes, some or all of the seeds won’t germinate until the following year.

Drosera:

Temperate: As for Sarracenia. Examples: filiformis, intermedia, anglica, rotundifolia.

Subtropical: As for flytraps. Examples: South African rosetted sundews, Brazilian sundews

Winter Growing: These can be challenging to germinate. In Western Australia or South Africa, where they grow, germination is often tied to wildfires. Several things can be done to simulate these fires. Seeds can be soaked in Gibberellic acid for 24 hours before sowing. You can sprinkle with diluted liquid smoke. Some people leave the seeds somewhere hot over the summer. Allen Lowrie recommends sowing the seeds and then smoking the pots in a BBQ by burning peat moss. After any or all of these treatments, sow them in the fall on 2 parts sand to 1 part peat. Germination can take several months to years. Examples: Drosera cistiflora, pauciflora, trinervia, afra

Tropical: As for Lowland Nepenthes. Examples: burmanni, intermedia ‘cuba’, madagascariensis, petiolaris complex.

Byblis:

As for tropical sundews. Smoke treatments will often increase germination.

Drosophyllum:

Scarification helps these seeds to germinate more quickly. We do this by holding each seed with forceps and then gently rubbing the side of the seed on a damp whetstone. Do this until you just start to see a little white spot. Then soak for 24 hours in water. Sprinkle the seeds on top of a mix of equal parts peat, sand, perlite, sand, and some lava if you have it. Cover. They quickly form a long tap root, so transplant soon after they sprout.

Pinguicula:

For Mexican Pinguicula, sprinkle the tiny seeds on the dewy pine mix and sow like Nepenthes or as for subtropical Drosera. Temperate Pinguicula as for temperate sundews.

Tropical Pitcher Plants (Nepenthes): These seeds are best sown in a terrarium under T-5 fluorescent lights with a 14 hour photo period. Keep the light about 18” above the plants and the tank well ventilated to avoid overheating. Warm temps from 75-80 F will hasten and increase germination. Highland Nepenthes need cooler nights to flourish. Sprinkle the seeds on top of a New Zealand sphagnum moss based mix with a little finely chopped long fibered sphagnum moss on top. Keep constantly moist.

We offer both individual ingredients and mixes for all your carnivorous plant needs which can be found in our Growing Supplies section.  Each species requires it's own specific blend but most carnivorous plants should be grown in some mix of peat moss, perlite or sand.  Never pot them into regular garden or potting soil; this will kill them.

BASIC INGREDIENTS

• PEAT MOSS: We use professional grade peat moss only.  Be careful and do not use Miracle-Gro brand peat and perlite as it has been fortified with fertilizers and will harm carnivorous plants!

• SAND: We recommend using washed horticultural from a local garden store.  If you can't find horticultural sand you can use the sand used for children's sand boxes, called play sand.

• NEW ZEALAND LONG-FIBERED SPHAGNUM MOSS: We use New Zealand long-fibered Sphagnum moss as a base for many of our other plants such as Nepenthes and Heliamphora.  Many retail garden centers and nurseries unwittingly sell Oregon green moss as Sphagnum moss.  They are not the same, in fact Oregon green moss will kill our plants if it is used.

• DOMESTIC LONG-FIBERED SPHAGNUM MOSS: We use domestic long-fibered sphagnum to line the bottoms of our pots to prevent the peat and perlite from seeping out.

• PERLITE: This can be found in many hardware stores and specialty nurseries.  Be careful to wet it before use as breathing in perlite dust can be harmful.

• PUMICE: This can be found in many hardware stores and specialty nurseries.

• VERMICULITE: This can be found in many hardware stores and specialty nurseries. This can be used in place of perlite if needed.

• LAVA ROCK: We use a small grade of lava rock, about the size of a pea.  If you cannot find that you can often find large lava rock in a hardware or garden center with other decorative rocks.  This can be easily broken up with a hammer.  Be sure to rinse you lava rock before use.

• ORCHID BARK: We prefer to use a small, fine particle high quality orchid bark of 3/8-1/4 inch size.

SOIL MIXES

You can buy our pre-made, small batch, custom soil mixes online but if you would like to source ingredients locally you can make your own mixes at home.

• PEAT AND PERLITE MIX: Four parts peat moss to one part perlite.  Be sure to wet the perlite before use as you do not want to inhale the dust from perlite.  This mix is suitable for Sarracenia, most Drosera, Dionaea and Temperate Pinguicula.

• NEPENTHES MIX: Nepenthes enjoy loose, open soil that remains wet to moist but allows drainage of excess water.  They are tolerant of a wide variety of soil mixes.  We use a mix of three parts New Zealand long-fibered Sphagnum moss to one part of the coarse materials, perlite, orchid bark and pumice.  You can also use tree-fern fiber, lava rock or charcoal for your coarse materials.

• DROSOPHYLLUM MIX: We use a mix composed of equal parts perlite, pumice, peat moss, coarse vermiculite, and sand. 

• PINGUICULA MIX: For Temperate species: Use Peat and Perlite mix. Warm temperate varieties do well in a soil of one part peat to one part sand.  Mexican and tropical species enjoy a more open mix of equal parts sand, perlite, vermiculite, and peat.

• CEPHALOTUS AND BYBLIS MIX: These will thrive in a mix if two parts sand and/or perlite to one part peat. 

• DARLINGTONIA MIX: The best mix for Cobra plants is three parts New Zealand long-fibered sphagnum moss to one part pumice or lava rock.  Another good mix is two parts lava rock, and or pumice to one part peat.  Basically the mix should be airy and the rock ingredients will help cool the roots.  Live sphagnum makes an ideal media as well.

• HELIAMPHORA MIX: Use a mix comprised of mostly New Zealand long-fibered sphagnum moss with some pumice or lava rock mixed in.  The mix should be airy and the rock ingredients will help keep the mix open and cool.  They may be grown in live sphagnum also, but take care that it doesn't overwhelm the Heliamphora.

All carnivorous plants should be grown with a pure, low mineral water.  If you do have hard water, it is best to use collected rain water, distilled water, reverse osmosis water, or de-ionized water.  The water vending machines at your local grocery store are a good, inexpensive source for pure water.  Brita and Pur water filters, however, do not remove enough dissolved salts to make much difference.  Total dissolved solids (TDS) are best if below 150 parts per million (PPM).  You can purchase an inexpensive TDS meter on Amazon to test your water.

Locally; Santa Rosa city, Guerneville city, East Bay MUD, some municipal water & Sacramento area water that comes from the river may be used on carnivorous plants.

Most carnivorous plants love being in water!  They may be watered using the tray method.  Simply put your plants, in their pots, into a deep tray and fill it with pure water.  This is really the best and easiest way to make sure your plants don't ever dry out.  Exceptions are Nepenthes, Cephalotus and Drosophyllum which want to be watered frequently but do not want to dry out.

SUN: Full sun.  It is common for several of the traps to "burn" and die back when you first put it into the sun, it is just getting used to the full sun exposure and it will quickly grow new traps.  They will thrive in full sun, meaning at least six hours of direct light. You can grow them indoors on a very, very sunny windowsill or in a terrarium under grow lights but they generally do best outdoors.  Also, if you grow them indoors be sure to provide them with a winter dormancy.  Sometimes the lids of Sarracenia will slightly burn, this is the sweet nectar burning a bit in the hot sun, it is totally normal and nothing to worry about.

WATER: Always keep them sitting in a saucer with a few inches of distilled or purified water. Never let them dry out.  Always use distilled, reverse osmosis or rain water only.

TEMPERATURE AND DORMANCY: These are warm-temperate plants meaning that they need warm summers and chilly winters.  They should be grown outdoors year-round in areas with mild winters.  They thrive in temperatures ranging from 20 degrees - 90 F degrees and can take a freeze or high temperature spike up to 100 F degrees for a brief period.  

If you live in an area with very cold winters, where night time temperatures drop below 20 degrees for sustained periods, you have three options for providing them with a winter dormancy.  Dormancy is triggered by a combination of exposure to shorter photo periods and cooler temperatures in the 50-60's F.  While you can skip a dormancy period once or twice, long term your plant will begin to do poorly and will eventually die if you skip this crucial period.

Your first option is to bring your plant indoors to a sunny windowsill in an unheated room or garage where the night time temperatures will dip down into the 50-60 F.  Leave it sitting in water during this period and put it outside again when outside temperatures increase.  

The second option is to mulch them in very, very well outdoors.  You will need to pack at least four inches of mulch on top of the plants and all around the sides to prevent winds from chilling them.  

The third option is to remove the plants from their pots, gently clean the roots of soil, wrap the roots in a bit of damp long-fibered New Zealand sphagnum moss, place the plants in a seal-able bag and put the bag into the refrigerator.  Leave them in the refrigerator from October to February, periodically checking on them to make sure they are still a bit moist and are not growing any fungus.  Pot them back up in February. 

SOIL: We prefer a mix of four parts fertilizer free peat moss to one part perlite.

FEEDING AND FERTILIZER: When grown outdoors Sarracenia will catch plenty of food and do not need supplementation.  You can still supplement with a foliar fertilizer.  Apply MaxSea fertilizer once per month to the foliage and into the pitchers.  Dilute 1/4 teaspoon of MaxSea into one gallon of water and then apply.

SUN: Full to part sun.  They can be grown in terrariums under bright fluorescent light, we recommend a fixture with four T5 bulbs. They can be grown outdoors in full sun in mild climates.

WATER: Use the tray method.  Cephalotus dislike long periods of being waterlogged, so it is best to allow the water in the tray to evaporate before adding more.  Plastic containers are best, but they also do well in terracotta or glazed clay.  Always use drained containers; shallow un-drained containers will rot their roots. 

TEMPERATURE: Cephalotus does best with moderately warm summers and cool to chilly winters.  The plants may die in long periods of very hot weather and they enjoy cool summer nights.  They are tolerant of brief, light frost down to 22 F degrees, but may be killed in lower temperatures.  They are best grown in cool highland greenhouse or terrariums.  They can be grown outdoors year-round in mild areas.

DORMANCY: No dormancy needed.

SOIL: Cephalotus thrive in a mix if two parts sand and/or perlite to one part peat.

FERTILIZER/FEEDING:  MaxSea fertilizer can also be applied, once per month, to the leaves and pitchers of the plant. Dilute 1/4 teaspoon MaxSea into one gallon of water for application.  Osmocote slow release fertilizer pellets can also be added to pitchers.

SUN: Full to part sun.

WATER: Use the tray method for terrestrial and tropical bladderworts, keeping the soil wet.

TEMPERATURE AND DORMANCY: There are 200 plus species of Bladderworts and they grow virtually worldwide, thus they come from varied climates. Our tropical species do best in warm greenhouses and terrariums.  The terrestrial bladderworts make wonderful, miniature, flowering ground covers in the spaces around your other carnivores and can take temperature from 40-90 degrees.

SOIL: Plastic containers with drainage holes work best for terrestrial and epiphytic species.  Most terrestrials also do well in un-drained containers.  If you wish to view the bladders on terrestrials, grow them in glass containers with removable black plastic sheeting of construction paper wrapped along the outside of the glass below the soil level.

• Aquatic species: One cup of peat, well-mixed, into each gallon of water.

• Tropical species: Equal parts fine orchid bark, New Zealand long-fibered sphagnum, peat and perlite.

• Terrestrial Species: Two parts peat to one part sand or perlite.

FERTILIZER/FEEDING:  MaxSea fertilizer can also be applied, once per month on the foliage.  Dilute 1/4 teaspoon of MaxSea into one gallon of water before application.

SUN:  Mexican or Tropical Butterworts are great for a sunny windowsill. When grown under high intensity fluorescent grow lights many of them will blush so that the entire plant is glowing pink or red!  Warm Temperate Butterworts do well outdoors in part sun to full sun with a bit of protection from afternoon sun.

WATER: All temperate and warm temperate species should be grown permanently wet on the tray system, with frequent overhead watering.  Use chilly water for your temperate pings.  The Mexican varieties can be kept on the tray system with overhead watering while they have carnivorous foliage in summer and autumn.  When the rosettes change to their small succulents in winter, keep the soil on the dry side, dampening them only slightly and occasionally.  You can usually tell how dry a species enjoys its winter by the size of its succulent leaves.  The tighter, smaller leafed rosettes such a Pinguicula gypsicola or the bulb-like heterophylla and macrophylla require bone-dry conditions.  Species with larger winter leaves, like a few of the moranensis varieties or agnata, enjoy winters soils just slightly damp.  Cuban species should be kept wet year-round, with only slight winter drying.

TEMPERATURE:  As butterworts grow worldwide, they come from varied climates.  Temperate Pinguicula need cold winters while they are dormant to thrive.  The warm temperate species from the U.S. tolerate light frost and brief freezes. They do best outdoors in areas with mild winters.  Mexican Butterworts do well in terrariums, greenhouses and windowsills

DORMANCY:  Mexican or Tropical butterworts have a winter dormancy that is marked by a change in the leaves from their carnivorous type to a tighter, more succulent leaf.  When the Pinguicula has formed these tight, succulent leaves you can withhold water as described above for the dormancy period.  We wait for the butterworts to go dormant before we stop watering.  And when they begin growing their carnivorous leaves we begin the tray method of watering again.  Do not worry too much about providing this dormancy; if your plants do not start to grow the succulent type leaves, which look very different than their regular leaves, you do not need to withhold water.

SOIL: 

• Temperate species: Use a mix of two parts peat, one part sand, and one part perlite. 
• Warm temperate varieties do well in a soil of one part peat to one part sand.  
• Mexican and tropical species enjoy a more open mix of equal parts sand, perlite, vermiculite, and peat.  Some growers add dolomite or gypsum to this, although we have not found it necessary. But when it's handy, add an additional part of lava rock or pumice.  
• They may also be grown in a Nepenthes mix.

FERTILIZER/FEEDING: If grown outdoors they will catch their own food.  You can also sprinkle goldfish flakes on butterworts to feed them.

SUN: They appreciate lots of sun, like Sarracenia, but in order to avoid overheating in cultivation you may have more success growing it in morning sun only or filtered all day sun.  Shade the pots if possible to keep the solar heat at a minimum.

WATER: Use the tray method, keeping the soil damp to wet year round.  Keep the soil cool by watering with cold water, (refrigerated water is quite helpful on warm summer days).

TEMPERATURE: Very winter hardy and can take temperatures down to 15 F degrees they are, however, very sensitive to heat especially in the roots.  Ideal root temperature would be 40-55 F degrees.  Warm roots can kill them quite rapidly.

DORMANCY: All Darlingtonia require a winter dormancy starting in October and ending in February.  Many of the pitchers will turn brown and die back during this time.  Leave them outdoors in full sun, sitting in distilled water during this period.  If you live in an area that snows; over winter them indoors on a sunny windowsill in an unheated room or garage.  Still sitting in full sun and distilled water.  Large plants are 

SOIL: The best mix for Cobra plants is three parts New Zealand long-fibered sphagnum moss to one part pumice or lava rock.  Another good mix is two parts lava rock, and or pumice to one part peat.  Basically the mix should be airy and the rock ingredients will help cool the roots.  Live sphagnum makes an ideal media as well.

FERTILIZER/FEEDING: If grown outdoors, they will catch all of their own food.  MaxSea fertilizer can also be applied, once per month, to the leaves and pitchers of the plant.  Avoid pouring through the soil.  Dilute 1/4 teaspoon of MaxSea into 1 gallon of water for application.

SUN: Full sun is best even on the hottest and driest of days.

WATER: Use the tray method to water young plants.  For the first 6-8 months they should be kept damp at all times.  As they approach maturity, they should no longer sit in water for long periods of time.  In the spring and summer, large plants should be allowed to dry slightly before you water again.  Do not allow them to dry out so much that wilting occurs, but the soil can get surprisingly dry before this happens.  Wilting will damage roots and set the plant back.  Flowering plants should be kept a bit drier.

TEMPERATURE AND DORMANCY: These plants require no dormancy. Dewy Pines are mediterranean natives.  They can be grown easily outdoors year-round in California and the Southwest or anywhere else with hot dry summers and rainy winters.  They can take light frost and brief freezes.  They should be brought in or protected during long freezes below 25 F.  Ours plants take night time temps of 25 F without damage, as long as it warms back up during the day.

SOIL: Unlike most carnivores, Dewy Pines need to be kept a little on the dry side.  As such they require a special mix.  We use a mix composed of equal parts perlite, pumice, peat moss, coarse vermiculite, and sand. 

Plant your dewy pine into a large terracotta clay pot.  It should be at least 12" in diameter. We ship our dewy pines in 4" round peat pot nestled into a protective plastic pot.  When you receive it, remove all the packing material, including the New Zealand sphagnum moss we use to hold its loose soil in place during shipping.  Gently slide the peat pot out of the plastic pot it was shipped in, if it resists, you may cut away the plastic pot with heavy kitchen shears or pruners.  Once liberated, you may put a few slits in the sides of the peat pot.  This will help the roots find their way out, but is not necessary because the pot will quickly break down once planted.  This allows you to transplant your little dewy pine without disturbing their sensitive roots.

FERTILIZER/FEEDING:  MaxSea fertilizer can also be applied, once per month, to the leaves of the plant.  Avoid pouring through the soil.  Dilute 1/4 teaspoon of MaxSea into one gallon of water before application.

SUN: Full to part sun.

WATER: Use the tray method.  Keep the soil damp but not permanently waterlogged.

TEMPERATURE: The rainbow plant does best best in tropical climates, but its annual nature allows you to grow it during any span of several months of warm weather.  They are great little terrarium plants.

DORMANCY: Dry summer dormancy is not necessary in cultivation.

SOIL: Rainbow plants thrive in a mix of two parts sand and one part peat.  You can also add an additional part of perlite, lava rock or pumice.  Do not substitute the sand for perlite in this case.  Always use drained containers.

FERTILIZER/FEEDING: MaxSea fertilizer can also be applied, once per month, to the leaves and pitchers of the plant.  Avoid pouring through the soil. Dilute 1/4 teaspoon in one gallon of water.

SUN: Heliamphora like bright light.  They may be grown with less light, but they will remain much greener.  In a terrarium, high powered fluorescent light should be used and we recommend a fixture with four T-5 bulbs.

WATER: Use the tray method, keeping the soil damp to wet year round.  Keep the soil cool by watering with cold water, (refrigerated water is quite helpful on warm summer days).

TEMPERATURE: With the exception of the lowland form of Heliamphora heterodoxa, all Heliamphora come from high plateaus called the Tepuis, in Venezuela.  It is cool and misty all year, so they require bright light, without ever heating up.  Cooler nights are ideal.  They may be grown on cool, sunny windowsills sometimes, but the best plants are grown in climate controlled greenhouses or terrariums where day temps remain in the 70's F and night time temps in the 40's to 50's F.

Because of their need for temperature control we recommend specific containers.  Best in light-colored, preferably white, plastic or glazed ceramic pots.  Single plants grow well in six- to eight-inch pots.  The bigger the pot the better, as their mass will resist warming.

DORMANCY: No dormancy is required.

SOIL: Use a mix comprised of mostly New Zealand long-fibered sphagnum moss with some pumice or lava rock mixed in.  The mix should be airy and the rock ingredients will help keep the mix open and cool.  They may be grown in live sphagnum also, but take care that it doesn't overwhelm the Heliamphora.

FERTILIZER/FEEDING:  MaxSea fertilizer can also be applied, once per month, to the leaves and pitchers of the plant.  Avoid pouring through the soil.  Dilute 1/4 teaspoon of MaxSea into one gallon of water.

SUN: Full to part sun. Most species of sundew require at least six hours of direct light to thrive.  If your sundew is not producing dew it most likely needs more light.

WATER: Most sundews thrive on the tray method, which keeps the soil permanently wet.  A few prefer to be waterlogged. 

Winter growing species require periods of complete summer dormancy, at which time the soil has to be dried out.  As summer approaches wait for the plant to quickly go brown. Then reduce watering so that it slowly goes dry over the course of a month.  Keep in a cool, dry place during summer dormancy and sprinkle them with water once every couple of weeks.

TEMPERATURE: As sundews grow worldwide, they come from varied climates. Temperate sundews require cold winters see the dormancy instructions for Sarracenia. Warm-temperate and sub-tropical sundews do well on windowsills, in cool greenhouses, or terrariums and appreciate cool nights. Winter growing sundews from Australia and South Africa could be grown outdoors in a Mediterranean climate without frost or in a cool greenhouse.

SUN:  Most Nepenthes enjoy very bright, diffused light or partly sunny conditions.  Many can be grown easily on a sunny windowsill.  Terrariums with high-powered fluorescent lights are easy to set up and ideal; we recommend four T-5 lights.  Nepenthes require at least three hours of direct light if grown indoors on a windowsill.  If you notice your plant has stopped making pitchers, it is often a sign that the plant needs a bit more light.

WATER:  In greenhouses avoid the tray method of watering entirely and place the containers on benches or hang them so water can freely drain away.  In terrariums and on windowsills, place the pot in a shallow saucer and water overhead as soon as the water in the saucer evaporates.  Don't allow the pot to sit in deep water for extended periods of time as this can lead to root rot.  All pots must have drainage holes!  Misting will not provide enough moisture for this plant, be sure to pour water through the pot and soil mix frequently to make sure all the mix remains moist.

TEMPERATURE AND DORMANCY:  All Nepenthes are tropical plants, roughly divided into two categories called lowlanders and highlanders.  Nepenthes do not require any dormancy period.

• Lowlanders come from low elevations in tropical Southeast Asia.  Constant temperatures in 80's F with high humidity is ideal, although some species will grow on sunny windowsills in warm homes.  They are not tolerant of low temperatures.  They do not like a night time temperatures to drop below 70 F.

• Highlanders do best with day temps in 70 - 80's F.  They require a night time drop in temperature of about 10-20 F degrees to the 50 - 60's F in order to thrive.  Most highlanders can be easily grown on sunny windowsills.  They can be damaged or killed by temperatures below 50 F and in direct sun outdoors in high heat.

• Here is a very handy guide to Nepenthes temperature range by species: The Nepenthes Guide

SOIL: Nepenthes enjoy loose, open soil that remains wet to moist but allows drainage of excess water.  They are tolerant of a wide variety of soil mixes.  The best are about three parts New Zealand long-fibered Sphagnum moss to one part of some combination of coarse materials, such as perlite, orchid bark, pumice, tree-fern fiber, lava rock or charcoal.

FERTILIZER/FEEDING:  MaxSea fertilizer can also be applied, once per month, to the leaves and into the pitchers of the plant.  Avoid pouring through the soil.  Dilute 1/4 teaspoon MaxSea into 1 gallon of water for use.  Osmocote 16-16-16 fertilizer pellets are also a wonderful addition to your fertilizer routine.  Put one pellet into each new pitcher as it opens. 

SUN: Full sun.  It is common for several of the traps to "burn" and die back when you first put it into the sun, it is just getting used to the full sun exposure and it will quickly grow new traps.  They will thrive in full sun, meaning at least six hours of direct light. You can grow them indoors on a very, very sunny windowsill or in a terrarium under grow lights but they generally do best outdoors.  Also, if you grow them indoors be sure to provide them with a winter dormancy.

WATER: Always keep them sitting in a saucer with a few inches of distilled or purified water, they do not want to dry out but try not to flood the top of the traps with water as they do not appreciate this. Never let them dry out.  Always use distilled, reverse osmosis or rain water only.  These plants are especially sensitive to their water quality and it is very important to give them mineral and salt free water.

TEMPERATURE AND DORMANCY: These are warm-temperate plants meaning that they need warm summers and chilly winters.  They should be grown outdoors year-round in areas with mild winters.  They thrive in temperatures ranging from 20 degrees - 90 F degrees and can take a freeze or high temperature spike up to 100 F degrees for a brief period.  

If you live in an area with very cold winters, where night time temperatures drop below 20 degrees for sustained periods, you have three options for providing them with a winter dormancy.  Dormancy is triggered by a combination of exposure to shorter photo periods and cooler temperatures in the 50-60's F.  While you can skip a dormancy period once or twice, long term your plant will begin to do poorly and will eventually die if you skip this crucial period.

Your first option is to bring your plant indoors to a sunny windowsill in an unheated room or garage where the night time temperatures will dip down into the 50-60 F.  Leave it sitting in water during this period and put it outside again when outside temperatures increase.  

The second option is to mulch them in very, very well outdoors.  You will need to pack at least four inches of mulch on top of the plants and all around the sides to prevent winds from chilling them.  

The third option is to remove the plants from their pots, gently clean the roots of soil, wrap the roots in a bit of damp long-fibered New Zealand sphagnum moss, place the plants in a seal-able bag and put the bag into the refrigerator.  Leave them in the refrigerator from October to February, periodically checking on them to make sure they are still a bit moist and are not growing any fungus.  Pot them back up in February. 

SOIL: We prefer a mix of four parts fertilizer free peat moss to one part perlite.

FEEDING AND FERTILIZER: When grown outdoors Venus flytraps will catch plenty of food and do not need supplementation.  You can still supplement with a foliar fertilizer.  Apply MaxSea fertilizer once per month to the foliage only.  Dilute 1/4 teaspoon of MaxSea into one gallon of water and then apply.  If you would like to feed the traps of your flytrap it is recommended that you use live prey as the traps usually require continued movement from their food to stimulate the full absorption process.  They will often open too soon if they are fed inert foods and will not absorb nutrients.  We recommend live meal worms available from any pet store.

We cannot ship live plants outside of the United States.  If you place an order for live plants to be shipped to an International location, your order will be cancelled and you will be refunded. 

We can ship hard goods.  Please be aware that the shipping costs will be quite high to ship a heavier item like MaxSea from the United States to another country, we do ship via the most cost effective option; the USPS but it is still expensive.

We ship growing supplies Internationally via USPS First Class International Mail.  California Carnivores will not be responsible for additional cost due to importing such as customs charges.

SHIPPING PRICES

We have tiered, flat rate shipping based on your state.  Add more plants and save on shipping!

CA, OR, WA, ID, MT, WY, CO, NV, UT, AZ, NM

Spend $0 - $10, shipping rate $7.50

Spend $10.01 - $75, shipping rate $10.00

Spend $75.01 - $150, shipping rate $14.00

Spend $150.01 - $350, shipping rate $20.00

Spend $350.01 or more, shipping rate $24.00

ALL OTHER STATES

Spend $0 - $10, shipping rate $8.00

Spend $10.01 - $75, shipping rate $11.00

Spend $75.01 - $150, shipping rate $16.00

Spend $150.01 - $350, shipping rate $28.00

Spend $350.01 or more, shipping rate $35.00 

SHIPPING OPTIONS

We ship all plants via the United States Post Office Priority Mail service.  After nearly 30 years of shipping plants we have found that the USPS is the best service for shipping our plants.  They move the plants across the country quite quickly and most packages take between 3-5 days to be delivered.

We ship growing supplies Internationally via USPS First Class International Mail.  We cannot ship live plants outside of the United States.  If you place an order for live plants to be shipped to an International location, your order will be cancelled and you will be refunded.  California Carnivores will not be responsible for additional cost due to importing, such as customs charges.

SHIPPING GUARANTEE

All plants are guaranteed to arrive in good condition.  If you receive a shipment in poor condition or that has been damaged please contact us immediately at admin@californiacarnivores.com or call us at 707-824-0433.  Please be sure to take a photo of the damaged plant upon arrival.

The plants we photograph for our website are representative of the plants we ship.   Plants are photographed during their growing season.  While dormant, they may appear smaller, or maybe even dead, but will quickly grow to look like the one photographed when they resume growth, if properly cared for.  We ship dormant plants with a "Dormant" label.

SHIPPING SCHEDULE

Once an order is placed and payment received, your order will go out the next 7-10 business days.  We ship Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday year round. 

Exceptions include all major holidays and severe weather which will delay shipment to the next business day.  During busier times of year like the Christmas holiday or the summer, your order may take a few extra days to process.

You can also call us at 707-824-0433 to place an order over the phone.  While our website is very up to date, we do have more plants available in the nursery that may not be listed.  Please contact us to place an order or if you are looking for something that is not listed on our website.