Repotting Venus Flytrap: Instructions And Professional Tips
If the pot becomes too small for the Venus flytrap, it must be repotted. Gardender has valuable tips on repotting the Venus flytrap.
The Venus flytrap ( Dionaea muscipula ) is not a very vigorous plant. Nevertheless, it is worth repotting them at least once a year so that you can continue to enjoy your carnivorous darling. We explain in step-by-step instructions how to best proceed when repotting your Venus flytrap.
When is it time to repot the Venus flytrap?
Table of Contents
As soon as the plant substrate in the pot is completely permeated with roots and the above-ground parts of the plant already protrude laterally over the edge of the pot, you know that it is time to repot your Venus flytrap. In terms of time, repotting should be moved to early spring. Then the flytrap wakes up from its winter dormancy and bursts with the joy of growth.
Repotting Venus Flytrap: The Right Earth
The Venus flytrap gets its nutrients almost exclusively from the decomposition of its captured prey in the snap traps. Therefore, it also needs a nutrient-poor substrate so that there is no oversupply and possibly toxic phenomena. Special carnivore soil is available in well-stocked specialist shops. The term “earth” is often used synonymously for “substrate”, which would correspond to the horticultural correct name.
The so-called “carnivore soil” is not actually earth, but rather a mixture of many organic components and draining additives, which together represent an ideal planting medium for your Venus flytrap. If you don’t want to use the ready-mixed substrate, you can mix your own substrate from peat, sand, and gravel. Around 85% of the substrate should consist of peat.
You can fill in the rest with any combination of sand and gravel to provide the necessary drainage. The Venus flytrap naturally likes it moist. It is therefore important that you let the new substrate soak before repotting. If you do not do this, the dry new substrate could remove the moisture from the existing root ball and thus deprive the roots of your Venus flytrap of water.
Repotting the Venus Flytrap: The suitable pot
Usually, almost any pot is suitable for planting/transplanting a Venus flytrap. It should be noted, however, that the circumference of the pot should increase with each repotting to provide enough space for the growing Venus flytrap.
Important: If you want to place the pot on a saucer so that you do not have to water it every day, the pot must be provided with drainage holes – which is the case with most commercial pots anyway.
Repotting Venus Flytrap: The Correct Procedure
The Venus flytrap has only a weakly developed root system. It is all the more important that the few roots that have developed are retained when repotting. You should therefore be particularly careful and make sure that the sensitive roots do not break off. The same applies to the treatment of the catch leaves. Make sure that the catch leaves are not made too close by external stimuli.
Now put the pre-swollen substrate into the new pot. Fill the pot two-thirds full so that you can still put your Venus flytrap in the pot without any problems. Now fill the remaining third with plant substrate and press it down very lightly. Make sure that you really only press the substrate minimally so that there is no compaction.
Venus flytrap: the care after repotting
After you have repotted your Venus flytrap, you should water the plant well in the new pot. The best thing to do is to place the pot on a coaster and fill it with water. The plant substrate soaks up little by little without your Venus flytrap sinking in the irrigation water. The water in the saucer also has the positive side effect that the humidity around your Venus flytrap is increased.
After repotting, you should also place your Venus flytrap in a sunny spot so that it can establish itself in the new pot. A nice spot on a windowsill without a constant draft is best. Regular watering is very important after repotting so that the Venus flytrap anchors its rather sparsely developed roots in the new substrate.
What else you should pay attention to when caring for Venus flies and important information about the correct watering of the Venus flytrap can be found in our special articles.
