Carnivorous plants

[science_spot]

Six weeks ago, Abby and I started the seeds in her Carnivorous Plant Kit she got for Christmas. I was very careful to follow the directions exactly, and read through them a few times. The kit comes with everything you need to get started, but if it goes well, we will need some transplanting supplies. We will worry about that if we get that far! I even got a book from the library so I would have more background information about these types of plants and how to care for them. The kit has a variety of sundews and pitcher plants as well as Venus Flytraps in there!

I learned that carnivorous plants are native to most of the United States. They like boggy environments, and will only catch insects if their nutritional needs are not met by the soil. For this reason, at home, you want soil that is deliberately low in nutrients. in order to keep it that way, you need to use regular water, nothing with fertilizer in it like you may use for normal houseplants.

In less than an hour, we set up the dome, mixed the soil with water, spread the rocks (to simulate a bog, I suppose), and spread the seeds. there were two seed packs - one for direct sowing, and the other that needed to be 'cured' by refrigeration for 6 weeks before planting. I even wrote the date on the calendar so we would remember to plant them once they are ready.

 

I purposely held off on this project so we would be in the optimal season for growing these plants. Once germinated, they need some good sun and high temperatures. By time they are big enough to prosper, the sun here in the Northwest should be returning.  The direct-sow seed pack takes 3-6 weeks for germination, and then the seedlings will be very tiny for some time! We are to watch for mold and air out the dome as needed (to kill mold).

 

So far no mold and we have one tiny little sprout.  I am surprised we got that much to grow!  This weekend we will sow our second set of seeds, and continue to watch and wait.  This should be interesting!  Sometimes I am not sure who is more excited about these projects - me or Abby.

This past weekend we were lucky enough to find some pitcher plants in the bufferfly conservatory we visited.  I didn't realize how big they could get with proper care.  They look more like a hanging plant, since the pitchers will hang low.  The picture below was taken there.  Abby grabbed one of the pitchers to look inside and dumped water all over my camera!  I am not sure why it was full of water, but it was!  Now I am even more excited to grow these things.... I wonder if I can do it.

 

 

Tonya

The Science Spot (for moms)

 

[Momforhealth]

Mar. 16, 2010 at 9:48 AM

Where do those pitcher plants come from? South America?

[science_spot]

Mar. 16, 2010 at 10:16 AM

Mom - I don't know what species that one is, so I am not sure where it is native to.  Pitcher plants grow all over the world, so there are some in North America.  the Wiki link shows some with their native land marked - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pitcher_plant

  The biggest are from Borneo in Asia-Pacific.

(Original Poster)

[Rebeccalynn_dj]

Mar. 16, 2010 at 10:46 AM

This makes me want to get a kit.

[Lb128f]

Mar. 16, 2010 at 8:49 PM

Cool!! Looks like FUN!! Enjoy!

[RNsteph]

Mar. 17, 2010 at 12:31 AM

How cool!  I think my 10 year old would like that.

[tatar]

Mar. 17, 2010 at 4:09 AM

wow! that's very cool!!!