Carnivorous Plants? - Orchid Board

RandomGemini · #1 10-09-2013, 02:46 PM

Has anyone grown these indoors?

I have some sort of crazy gnat problem in my kitchen. I have no idea where these things have come from and I am tearing apart my kitchen today to figure out just what in the heck is going on, but I am considering picking up a couple of flytraps, pitcher plants or possibly a sundew (available at my friendly, neighborhood hardware store) to help with the problem. Thing is, I'm reading that these do best if allowed to grow outdoors and it gets too cold here for them to survive the winters. It's usually below 30 degrees through January and February. Anyone had good success keeping these alive as indoor only plants in the winter?

Also, any other ideas on how best to provide care for these would be appreciated! Thank you much OB!

SlipperGirl · #2 10-09-2013, 02:52 PM

flytraps you would need to let grow outside in the summer and in a garage in the winter. sundews you can grow inside all year I put my sundews outside in the summer but they should do fine inside all year if you have a sunny window

Here is a link to website that has info on growing all of the plants you mentioned.

Beautiful Carnivorous Plants for Sale. No Terrariums Required!

RandomGemini · #3 10-09-2013, 03:00 PM

All righty… sundews if I can find them! Thanks for the heads up! I was a little worried about being able to keep the flytraps alive. I have no room in my garage for plants right now and the poor thing would probably get knocked over when my hubby went to get out the snowblower LOL!

How much light can the sundews handle? I would love to be able to put them on my deck, but my deck gets full sun from about 10 am, until 5 pm in the summers and it gets very warm out there. I grow hot house miniature roses and marigolds out there in planters.

SlipperGirl · #4 10-09-2013, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RandomGemini

All righty… sundews if I can find them! Thanks for the heads up! I was a little worried about being able to keep the flytraps alive. I have no room in my garage for plants right now and the poor thing would probably get knocked over when my hubby went to get out the snowblower LOL!

How much light can the sundews handle? I would love to be able to put them on my deck, but my deck gets full sun from about 10 am, until 5 pm in the summers and it gets very warm out there. I grow hot house miniature roses and marigolds out there in planters.

Well how much light it needs depends on what kind of sundews you get my spoon leaf sundew loved being in the sun for I think it got about 8 hours a day but my Drosera capensis didn't enjoy it having so much light.

RandomGemini · #5 10-09-2013, 03:23 PM

I'll make sure to ID which one I get if it's not tagged before I set it out there then. Thank you so much for your help! Wish me luck!

Hopefully this isn't an insane idea. I like carnivorous plants. I've wanted one for a long time. My hubby finally admitted that he thinks carnivorous plants are cool and prefers them to my orchids, so having this gnat problem for it to help me out with is kind of a bonus.

SlipperGirl · #6 10-09-2013, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RandomGemini

I'll make sure to ID which one I get if it's not tagged before I set it out there then. Thank you so much for your help! Wish me luck!

Hopefully this isn't an insane idea. I like carnivorous plants. I've wanted one for a long time. My hubby finally admitted that he thinks carnivorous plants are cool and prefers them to my orchids, so having this gnat problem for it to help me out with is kind of a bonus.

You will love carnivorous plants they are so easy to take care of, I only have two flytraps and two sundews and all I really do is make sure they are sitting in a tray of rain water and are getting about 6 hours of sunlight and they grow like crazy

Paul · #7 10-09-2013, 04:26 PM

In the interest of saving some time, that topic has popped up here:

http://www.orchidboard.com/community...y-project.html

and here:

Pinguicula (aka butterworts)

I'll let you read through those as some of your questions may be addressed there. After you read through those posts, we can revisit any other Qs you have.

RandomGemini · #8 10-09-2013, 04:32 PM

Thanks for your help! I love butterwort, but I can't find these locally. I would have to order them online, but I'm looking to go grab a plant today.

They're swarming my sink, so I suspect one of the teens of not running the disposal after doing dishes. I'm not suspecting my plants just now. I've bleached the sink and haven't seen any since but would like the carnivorous plant as insurance. If I do well with whatever I pick up today, then I will track down a butterwort or two online.

AnonYMouse · #9 10-09-2013, 05:33 PM

I killed my sundew and my ping doesn't catch anything! Both were indoors. I see no logic to pest control plants outside when I grow my orchids indoors.

RandomGemini · #10 10-09-2013, 06:51 PM

I picked up a sundew and a butterwort! I can't believe I managed to find a butterwort! I got so lucky! Got the pair of them for 5$. Now, hopefully I can keep them alive.

I'm going to set them on the kitchen counter out of direct light for today and will gradually move them to the window sill in the kitchen over the course of the next week.