New and Going Out of Town

[matt101905]

Hello everybody. I just recieved my VFT from a online website Friday. It is a good looking plant. I just fed it two flies about 20 min ago. I've been trying to find information online about how to care for a VFT but I keep finding that they need to be placed in a Terrarium. I read on here that someone said that they don't need to be and alot of you guys keep yours outside. Heres a pic of how my current setup is...render-2.snapfish.com/render2/is=Yup6lQQ|%3Dup6RKKt%3Axxr%3D0-qpDofRt7Pf7mrPfrj7t%
The plastic covering is from a 2l pepsi bottle. I have 4 openings cut out at the bottom for some air circulation. I make sure to keep the inside of the plastic wet to help keep the hum. up. I water the VFT until water starts to drip out then I stop. I water with Distilled water. The window sill it sits on does get a little direct sunlight in the evening.

What do I need to do temporarly for my plant to stay alive while my parents watch my plant while I'm gone. Since I just fed it two flies will it need to be fed again anytime this next week? How often do they need to water it...once every two days at night? Is keeping the plastic bottle around it a good idea or no? If it is should I keep the inside sprayed with water? Does my plant need to be put in direct sun light? If yes, with or without the plastic covering. Thanks everyone for the help, I'm just so busy trying to get ready to leave tomorrow that I don't have much time to find the answers myself. Thanks!

[Aidan]

Take a look here -

www.sarracenia.com/faq/faq2120.html

[ICPS-bob]

Your link does not work. It returns an error gif.

You absolutely do not need a terrarium. I would remove the plastic cover. Your plant does not need the humidity and the sun may heat up the inside and cook your plant. Your plant does not need to be fed. It will do just fine without feeding. So long as your plant receives adequate light and the soil is kept moist, it should survive your absence with no problem. In fact, it may be happy not being messed with. Put the pot in a tray with about 1-inch of water and train your parents to add some distilled water when it gets low. I assume your parents can be trained to accomplish this technical feat?

Here are some videos
www.expertvillage.com/video-series/331_venus-fly-traps.htm

Here are a few additional growing tips
www.terraforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=81026
www.petflytrap.com/care.html
dionea.homestead.com/nonexistent.html
www.pitcherplant.com/care_sheets/flytrap_care.html
www.easycarnivores.co.uk/site/content/view/13/27/

[matt101905]

Thanks guys! I'll do what you said...(I just removed the plastic cover). You said as long as my plant receives adequate light....what would you consider adequate light? Direct sunlight or just window sill sunlight. The window sill that the plant is on faces north west so the plant does get some direct sunlight in the evening for maybe like 30 min. Other than that direct sunlight it gets like kinda shaded sunlight. I could move it downstairs where it gets better sun light but it my mom turns on the ac at night and it gets like down bout 65F downstairs. If I leave it upstairs I will prob. leave the ac to bout 74-75F. What would be better? Also what size pot should it eventually be in? Its in a 3in pot right now. Its got 7 heads (a few are dying) and also has 3 other leaves with no heads, plus its got two new leaves with forming heads, plus its got a stock that I'm thinking might be a flower because it doesn't look anything like the leaves....I think there was an old flower that was cut off. It looks like a brown stick, sticking up from the plant. If my guess is correct and it is a flower, should I cut it or leave it? Thank you guys so much!!!

[matt101905]

Another question, would a 55watt CFL light be good enough to put over the VFT. I would put a timer with it. I'm just afraid if I leave it for my parents to watch that they wont move it and it wont get enough light and die. If I keep it under the light then I know it will get light all day. My light is for planted aquariums...its 6500k...around 4600 lumens. Would this light be good enough? If so how long should I run it, and I would put a fan blowing over the VFT as I can't put the light very high above the plant so it'll be close to the plant. Thanks

[mmlr38]

Let me see if I can answer some of your questions.

With regards to the amount of sunlight, VFTs do best with as much direct sunlight as you can give them. If you can find a sunny place outside to put your plant, that would be your best option.

The better sun downstairs would be better than only 30 minutes of direct sun that it is receiving upstairs. Don't worry about the temperature getting down to 65F. I have my plants outside here in Boulder, CO and frequently the night temperatures get down into the 50s F.

You can cut the brown stick off if you wish...or leave it. It won't affect the plant any either way.

A 55 watt CFL would be good, but sunlight is better. I use something similar in my terrarium where I start seedlings. I have it on a 16 hour photoperiod and that works great. Anything between 14 hours and 17 hours is fine.

Also, for more information, you can peruse my website:
www.flytrapcare.com