I’ve got a big pot full of about two dozen of these box store rescues. All doing great after a few years of TLC.

I literally bought 1 at a safeway in maryland for 8 bucks and it kicked off my new obsession with carnivorous plants i found you guys bought a bog kit and got a few extra vfts to love during the winter and got a Caribbean pitcher plant

I got a small pot of two flytraps I got from Home Depot 4-1-23 and They were the last ones there and looked super sick. They were in potting soil, being watered with tap water obviously, and had no sunlight indoors. I uprooted them and washed out their roots and repotted them in peat moss and perlite. Now, they are outdoors and are throwing up new small traps and they are looking so much better! I can’t wait for summer when they start growing large traps :D

My dad went to home Depot and apparently they were just throwing them away but he knows I like plants so he asked for one and now I have a half dead venus fly trap to save💀

@gamingwithkeyan

5 ай бұрын

How is that half dead Venus flytrap?

@ECOSYSTEM_ROOM

3 ай бұрын

​@@gamingwithkeyan almost die maybe

This will be my next thing. I rescued 3 sarracenia from a store that had them heavily discounted, they already are throwing up new healthy pitchers along side the ones I got from you guys!

Love your video! Live in Virginia n had many VFT as a kid that became quite mature just from leaving outside, fast forward many years my 4 year old is mesmerized, I must say my skills are rusty but we are re visiting the carnivorous plants and starting a collection! Thank You for the info and we hope to find success with your generous info!

Fun video, Damon and Daniela! I rescued one from a reputable nursery here in Marin county and it promptly got hit with aphids. I treated it and it seems to be doing just fine now, still growing slowly even at this time of year!

Recued my vft from a box store and it is doing amazing

So glad I came across your video! I live in Costa Rica and just brought 2 home from a box store with me today. What's cool is learning they originate from my home state of SC. I had no idea! Thank you for the education!

@California_Carnivores

6 ай бұрын

Happy growing!

Thanks for the video! I’m a novice with VFT & living in CO has made me worry about the humidity factor (esp bc there seems to be a lot of debate about that - along with concepts like how to water/whether or not it’s good for the plant to stand in a water tray, etc.)… I just got 2 little guys from Trader Joe’s & they actually look pretty awesome compared to some I have gotten in the past…but I just noticed the soil they’re in looks pretty sus (they’ve clearly been reported from someplace else - you can still see the soil they were in before and it was just plugged into the current pot’s soil)…after watching this video I headed directly to your site to grab some of the soil you recommended! Thanks for dispelling some of the myths out there & helping a newbie navigate where to go from Day 1. Fingers crossed I can keep these guys alive…and, I’ll def be checking your site out for my future forays into carnivorous plants ❤️❤️

I find Home Depot and Trader Joe's only carry VFT's. They are usually small trap typicals. Lowe's has mostly VFT's, but there's usually a few sarracenia or nepenthes in the display also. My Cal Carn, other reputable grower VFT's and death cube/cylinder rescues sit outside year round in my Phoenix backyard in full sun and do just fine. They get 30% shade cloth and plenty of water during the hottest part of summer (>100 degrees) and our winters are long enough and cold enough for them to go into dormancy.

@dunebuggy11

Жыл бұрын

Roger you find the 30% shade cloth does enough during those 100+ days?

Thanks for the video! I bought one at WinCo today, in exactly the same packaging as yours. Yeah, it was an impulse buy, they got me, but I'm happy to know how to care for the little guy.

The people who buy those in your area are lucky. The "death cubes" I've seen in stores say not to give any direct sunlight, expose them to cold, and it even says to leave the plants in the box. I was actually surprised when Damon was reading off the instructions. They weren't accurate, but definitely better than the instructions I see on boxes in my area. I always feel bad for those plants though.....it's unfortunate that despite the resources available, stores still sell Venus flytraps like that. Some of our small plant nurseries/garden centers are growing them in proper conditions though. They didn't 5 to 10 years ago, so at least they're not "abusing" flytraps. Thank you for making a video on this. I'm sure it will help raise awareness of "death cubes."

I snatched up 6 from different locations. 2 from Walmart, 2 from Lowes/Depot and 2 from Winco. They are all different, there are some gigantic ones and some smaller ones. Feels good.

I’ve rescued 3 VFT and 2 Sarracenias. One being a Sarracenia Purpurea that had only a little green on it when I got it and now has eight pitchers open with more growing.

Ahhh...the old days of rescuing box store plants....had a whole MASH Unit set up in a separate small greenhouse. Did those runs once a month, got lots of plants that way, but quarantined for weeks after acquisition. Thank you Damien, you always have the best topics.

I went straight to this channel to figure out how to save a venus flytrap from Lowes. Thank you for this video! I got mine half dead for $2.

@California_Carnivores

2 ай бұрын

Thank you! I’m so glad it helped!

Love carnivorous plants

Good video and instructions.

You should do a video on growing dormant serracenia from big box stores

I always find flytraps from box stores to be more cheaper than ones sold by growers/nurseries. Its a shame Canada doesn't have much variety in terms of selection like yours. I do wish we have a dedicated nursery like yours up north, but I guess that would have to be me.

Thanks so much for this!!!

Your cool I did all of what you said feed it mealworm a bigger pot I bought a zero water pitcher it. Ones with a water tester I had 260 out of the faucet and 001 from the pitcher so far so good I live i Florida and dormancy might be a problem

Great vid !! Happy Halloween from Alberta

@California_Carnivores

Жыл бұрын

🎃👻

I got a Venus fly trap from a record store😂 It looked unhealthy so I asked if it would be okay if I bought it and he said “take it for free and give it life!” 😂 so that’s what I did

You said it’s alright if they burn up, but if you want to save the leaves you can slowly acclimate them by placing them in small amounts of sunlight but over time giving them more and more, and this will stop the form burning😊

I just picked 1 of the VFT tube from 99cents store. They were selling it at $5.

Haha, when you said "typical" fly trap. Reminds me of a funny uncle I had as a kid. He would say "That dog is a sooner" and of course I would ask "what's a sooner?". He would say "Sooner be one kind as another". Basically meaning a mutt or mix. 😂.

@California_Carnivores

3 ай бұрын

😂😂😂

I liked your video

One morning at work(Home Depot), there was a whole display rack of flytraps. I was excited to buy some! But by clock out, that whole rack of living plants had gone down the trash compactor chute, a decision of the garden dept. There was one solitary plant left at the service desk, maybe a return. I rescued it and it's been fine for months under our hydroponic grow light on a timer. There is so much waste at HD!!

@California_Carnivores

Жыл бұрын

I’m so glad you were able to rescue one!

Yikes, I’m new to carnivores never knew they require so much. Thank god it rained here in Miami and I was able to collect rain water, all other sources of water disappear from store shelves when there’s a storm on the way 😳

@California_Carnivores

Жыл бұрын

If you have to water with tap water occasionally, they can tolerate it (as long as your tap water isn’t crazily mineraly)

“How can I save these poor little fuckers?” 😂 awesome

My son loves these plants, and I taught him how to grow them. I bought him another one because all the leaves burned off one summer. I'm not sure if it was because of lack of water and too much sun. I tried to put it back into water, but it never grew back.

@California_Carnivores

8 ай бұрын

They could have burned back and then needed a lot of water to help acclimate

Question I have just put in a koi pond . I live i Coastal Central Florida hot hot hot. My granddaughter asked me if I can start growing carnivorous plants. So question can I grow them in an orchid rack clipped to the side of my pond so slightly wet bog type wire rack?

@California_Carnivores

Жыл бұрын

The pond water may be too high in total dissolved solids for the plants but if you want to try it, try with Sarracenia like psittacina! Sarracenia psittacina grows in the Okefenokee swamp and loves water

I'm also in California, any recommendations o a perlite brand? Your help will be greatly appreciated. Now . . . about Home Depot . . . I actually saved a lot of my very first VFT's, like my first 10 of them. I also always picked them poor looking ones and asked the cashiers at checkout if I could get a discount for the poor conditions they were in, and usually got 50% off. The last 2-3 years I have noticed that Home Depot and Lowes no longer carry them. This is good news.

@California_Carnivores

11 ай бұрын

We get our perlite from Home Depot! It’s Vigaro

How should I simulate dormancy for my vft as I have them inside, under grow lights.

@California_Carnivores

5 ай бұрын

Check out our dormancy playlist, there are a bunch of videos there with different options for dormancy. At this point in the year, you can skip dormancy but next year be sure to give your plant the dormancy rest period. kzread.info/head/PLcXRLVqRw9LUkBmsE5nFBIgvu_wBpOEuh&si=4CkoHbIBLp5mN657

Hade a hole shelf of Venus flytraps arrive at the place I work sprouts farmers market had some employees buy them so I educated them on how to take care of them properly. I was surprised how fast they sold. I live in Colorado and full sun seems to burn the plants so for me morning sun and then shade for the rest of the day seems to work well for my bog gardens her in Colorado. I use Canadian peat moss instead of black gold because I can buy a large bail versus having to buy four or five bags of black gold. I like to go 50/50 on the peat,sand , and pearlight.

@California_Carnivores

Жыл бұрын

We see these come in seasonally at a lot of local markets and hardware stores and they do sell really fast!

@noahr7779

Жыл бұрын

Oh I'm in Colorado too. I always feel bad for the flytraps, so I'll try to grab a few to rescue. The weather is really harsh, so I actually grow mine in a grow setup. I have an aquarium I put my temperate plants in. I've got a large LED shop light that sits on top for about 16 hrs a day. During winter, I figured out how to do dormancy, I just put ice cubes in the soil and let them melt every so often. I also shorten the amount of time the light is on. It's worked pretty well for me. I've had to grow them indoors because of the harsh weather. I find it easier to manage that way. I actually got most of that advice from CalCarn, so thanks for the tips. Also, there was an ICPS article on growing Venus flytraps indoors, and I seem to remember there being an article on having a bog garden in Canada on the ICPS website. They're all really great sources of info. I'm also thankful to Jeremiah Harris because he's been able to give me advice. He's a grower in Colorado too. Anyways, apologies if that was a bit of a rant. I could discuss carnivorous plants with anyone for hours.

@Wulfenite295

Жыл бұрын

@@noahr7779 I’ve bought several Venus flytraps from Jeremiah Harris in the past

@garyadams9073

Жыл бұрын

I bought a VFT from Sprout's this spring. Turned out there were seven plants in the pot! All are healthy and dormant now, waiting for spring.

@Wulfenite295

Жыл бұрын

@@garyadams9073 nice with how small they are I would spray them with maxsea diluted by 1/4 a teaspoon per 1 gallon of distilled water or ro water. To boost there growth once a month .

Please show us all what it looks like now 😊

Hi! I bought two 52s at the beginning of this summer. They did FANTASTICALLY In outside sun. I live in San Diego and it’s time for dormancy. About two weeks ago I moved them to the widow and today I put them in the fridge. Did I go overboard? Do they need any light during dormancy? Also. I love he S moss. Do I need to eventually need to goto P moss? Thanks. My traps from your store are gorgeous and worth all my time.

@California_Carnivores

Жыл бұрын

If your nighttime temps in winter drop into the 50-60’s pretty regularly, than that should trigger dormancy and you can leave them outside for winter. But if it just doesn’t get that cold, fridge dormancy will work well! (Check out the San Diego Carnivorous Plant Society) if you do fridge dormancy, no need to worry about light.

@California_Carnivores

Жыл бұрын

If you like the sphagnum and it works well for you, I’d keep using it!

@nicholasandhishuman4805

Жыл бұрын

@@California_Carnivores thank you!

what peat bales do you use there? i use premier emerald III bales.

@California_Carnivores

Жыл бұрын

We usually use Black Gold or Sunshine brand

Is well water ok? I have one I have kept alive for almost a year but it's super small. I basically just keep it wet as possible and have it in the original pot. I live in 8b-9a. I basically forgot about it.

@California_Carnivores

Жыл бұрын

It’s a good idea to test the well water with a TDS meter which you can get online. We’ll water can sometimes be quite mineral heavy, but not always!

Can't beat freebies, My local grocery store gave me a cactus because it was planted in straight peat moss!

Not a take it home and kill it novelty 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 that's funny!

Can you plant multiple of these in a larger pot of soil?

@California_Carnivores

7 ай бұрын

Definitely!

Would it be ok to use the distilled water from my tumble dryer/clothes dryer?

@California_Carnivores

Жыл бұрын

As long as it’s distilled, it should be safe

@Albie_yt

Жыл бұрын

@@California_Carnivores I just tested it with a tds meter and it was 73 so I got some distilled water off amazon

Maybe someone asked this but I just rescued mine and it’s late November. Should I let it go dormant after I repot it? Or put it under grow light for the winter?

@California_Carnivores

6 ай бұрын

If it’s a large plant, I would give it a winter dormancy as this will benefit it in the long run! You can skip a dormancy if you’d really like to, just make sure you do it next year!

@haleydick1216

6 ай бұрын

@@California_Carnivores thank you so much! I really enjoy and appreciate your videos!

I live northern Michigan, get blow zero so will be ok plant out doors?

@TheresaDarylsWife

3 ай бұрын

Got one walmart they had 10 all dead, i got one still had some life so rescued it. wait good soil from amazon to come re pot it.

@California_Carnivores

3 ай бұрын

Below zero is a little too much for the plants unless they’re heavily mulched in on the top and sides

Question. Do we TRY to feed them meal worms during dormancy or not? They aren't eating anymore....live in New England, USA

@Robert-xi5nm

Жыл бұрын

No, they’re sleeping!

@California_Carnivores

Жыл бұрын

As long as they’re dormant, no need to feed them!

Can venus fly traps survive in a bioactive enclosure with millipedes and isopods? Will the bugs try to eat them entirely during their hibernation period?

@laurahodson1914

Жыл бұрын

I would say yes, as i have powder orange isoppods eat slower growing plants in bioactive

@ElmoRitter

Жыл бұрын

I've not kept either of those creatures, but I'm familiar with their preferred living conditions. From what I understand, both creatures will eat live plants if there isn't enough "dead material" around for them to eat. You might have a tough time getting them to only eat dead traps and not get at the rhizome or roots. Also, VFTs really don't thrive without a bunch of light so unless you're lighting it artificially or putting it outside, you won't have sufficient light for your VFTs. VFTs will eat isopods if they trigger the trap (assuming the trap is big enough). Millipedes will trigger the traps if they crawl in them, but most likely will be too big to actually be digested and will just crawl out of the triggered trap. Repeatedly triggering traps can be stressful for the VFT. It's plausible, but I don't think VFT's are a great match for the environment you're looking to grow them in. I grow mine indoors, but they live under commercial grow lights. I think mine are under 300w fixtures and sit around 1200-3000 PPFD, which is kind of a lot of light lol. If you try it you should come back and tell us how it goes! You might find some more advice on the savage gardens subreddit: www.reddit.com/r/SavageGarden/

@California_Carnivores

Жыл бұрын

I’ve had a bioactive setup for bearded dragons and growing VFTs would be a little tricky. I have grown Drosera capensis and Drosera adelae in it. They can’t be planted directly in and have to sit in their own saucers of water. And they do require light. The VFT requires a ton of light so it’s really hard; they’re full sun plants and they require a chilly winter dormancy.

Does it have to be a specific LED light or any kind?

@donivanstryker1340

Жыл бұрын

No, as long as it can be used for plants it will be fine. The best lighting is Red and Blue LEDs but this will give a very purplish glow and is unattractive. For good growth and looks you can use a combination of White and Blue LEDs or just White. I grow all my carnivorous plants under all three of the lights I have mentioned and they are thriving.

@kengamer3217

Жыл бұрын

@@donivanstryker1340 thanks!!!!

@California_Carnivores

Жыл бұрын

We like the Yescom 225 LED panel on Amazon!

@donivanstryker1340

Жыл бұрын

@@kengamer3217 The Yescom 225 are the LED lights that I use also. I normally have these lights hanging about 6 - 8 inches above the plant with no ill effects. If you notice leaf burn (never had an issue with it personally) just raise the lights a bit higher.

What does it mean when the traps stop closing?

@California_Carnivores

Жыл бұрын

It may need more light; it may not be getting enough light to make the energy to close

So, the soil from Home Depot is not good?

@California_Carnivores

Жыл бұрын

You can use peat moss from the hardware store as long as it’s not MiracelGro brand which has added fertilizer

Did u find other cp species at Home Depot

@California_Carnivores

Жыл бұрын

Sometimes you can find Nepenthes there as well

I wanted a challenge so I grabbed a VFT from a hardware store and gave it really good conditions. I can confirm - they're basically dead when you buy them. My Cal Carn VFTs doubled or tripled in size while my Home Depot simply "didn't die". That being said, It's actually turned out to be one of my most beautiful VFT's! It's got these neon pink "eyelashes" that contrast really well with the chartreuse traps. Mine is actually vigorous after a couple months of bouncing back. It's really not comparable at all to the genetics that are available at a place like Cal Carn. I'd never buy another one from Home Depot, but it was interesting (if not tedious and difficult) to save it! Does anyone know what variety they're selling at these big stores? They seem to all be a very similar variety. I'm guessing it's the only variety that can survive ("survive") in dry, low light conditions.

@California_Carnivores

Жыл бұрын

They’re usually all tissue culture plants; one or two genetic lines that they’ve been using for a while. But I don’t know exactly what or where those came from.

@noahr7779

Жыл бұрын

Not knowing the variety bugs me so much. There's a video from Sarracenia Northwest on rescuing Venus flytraps. They rescued one from a store, and showed the plant after a few years of growing in the right conditions. It looked completely different. It's definitely hard to tell in the store bought ones because they all look the same. Even if it looks similar after being rescued, we'll never know the type of vft it is.

@ElmoRitter

Жыл бұрын

@@noahr7779 It's probably a random tissue culture of whatever VFT lasts the longest without light and water lol. Dionaea Homaea Depotiensis

Where can one buy Venus flytrap seeds to plant?

@gamingwithkeyan

5 ай бұрын

California carnivores website and the international carnivores plants society. Hopes this helps

@California_Carnivores

5 ай бұрын

www.californiacarnivores.com

please send info on how to bi from you

@California_Carnivores

3 күн бұрын

www.californiacarnivores.com

I was at a local Lows last week and checked out there Venus fly traps ALL of them looked beyond saving. All were dry and some containers were on there side. I felt sad. 😵

@rogercorrao1195

Жыл бұрын

For the plants to have a chance, you have to buy them soon after the stores get them when they're still in good shape. The stores all get them around the same time also. It's a shame most of them will die!

@California_Carnivores

Жыл бұрын

I have to resist the urge to buy them and save them all the time! They so rarely get enough water!

@noahr7779

Жыл бұрын

Yeah. Whenever I go, their flytraps aren't only suffering from low light and water, but they're always covered with spider mites and mealy bugs. When I rescue them I usually need to quarantine them to get rid of the pests.

I got a Venus fly trap from Mijer and it had 15 BABYS!!!!

@kevinkelly1884

8 ай бұрын

You know I bought as many as I could

That's what I commented in one of your last Videos. These Discriptions are so confusing and wrong. But what I am asking myself is why grow some Companys Flytraps and put them in these Deathcubes?!

I wonder who supplies them?

@rogercorrao1195

Жыл бұрын

The names of the suppliers I see most often are Rocket Farms and Gubler Orchids.

@California_Carnivores

Жыл бұрын

There are a few big suppliers of these plants and they source them reputably!

Today I tried to rescue a Venus flytrap at Home Depot they said they had one but there was none sadly

@California_Carnivores

7 ай бұрын

Sometimes Trader Joe’s has them too!

Has anybody else had a hard time finding distilled water at the store?

@California_Carnivores

Жыл бұрын

I’ve heard a lot of people say there’s a shortage! Check out the Zero water pitcher - it’ll make small batches of distilled!

Haha I bought one of those novelty take home to die Venus flytrap 😩, and unfortunately it's dying. Or I think it's dying 😭

@California_Carnivores

Жыл бұрын

It could also be going dormant!

@Botanical_Cake_House

Жыл бұрын

@@California_Carnivores maybe, it was doing pretty good at first it was growing new leaves if that's what it's called. I reported in peat moss and then the traps on top shut down and they won't open. There's nothing inside of them but they're shut and they're turning a yellowish Brown color. So sad 😢 I have really fallen in Love with carnivorous plants and wish I had hundreds of them there so awesome.

@California_Carnivores

Жыл бұрын

@@Botanical_Cake_House Is it indoors or outside?

@Botanical_Cake_House

Жыл бұрын

@@California_Carnivores I had it inside inside, Wasn't getting the light it needed, moved outdoors. Looks a bit more green but traps are still closed after 2 weeks outdoors.

@California_Carnivores

Жыл бұрын

@@Botanical_Cake_House How many hours of direct sun is it getting and where are you located?

Dont!, buy them from california carnivores!!