FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Hello everyone.
I would like to try and grow the flower stalk that has recently sprouted from my VFT.
I got some peat moss and long fiber moss today.
I was wondering how I'm suppose to plant the stalk exactly.
I plan on cutting the stalk at the base (i'd say it's about three inches) and then burying it about an inch deep in the wet peat moss, then covering the top with the long fiber moss. Is it that simple?
'Wormss' mentioned to me in the chat room that it would turn black as if dying but still be growing underneath.
What happens next? Do I cut the dead stalk at some point? Or just let nature take it's course.
Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated! I'm anxious to plant it ASAP, before the flowers begin to bloom.
Thanks a million!

There's really nothing fancy to it. If you have a 3 inch flower stalk, I'd recommend cutting it into three 1 inch pieces and trying with all three. I've had the best luck with the inch nearest the top of the stalk. I think that's where the cells are growing the fastest and are most likely to start a new plant.

Basically, cut the stalk up, and stick it in peat moss, keep it moist and give it plenty of light and you should see a new plant growing from around the base like this:

As you see, it will start turning black from the top down. Don't bother cutting off anything that's dead. Just let it go. You should end up with several plantlets starting from around the flower stalk.

Great! Thanks for the advice Matt!
One other thing though, does the deepness of the pot make a difference?
I'm debating over a deep clay pot, and a shallow wider pot.

I think I will try cutting the stalk up, I'm investing so much hope and excitement in all this, I would hate to see it fail!
I'll post pics once I get them planted and hopefully again when they begin to sprout!

Oh one other thing, should the stalk be cut vertically like when you cut flowers? Or is just a flat cut alright?

Dont use a Clay pot, They leech minerals into the soil [just like using tap water]

best to use Plastic or Polyurethane pots from Steve_D's www.flytrapranch.com

Well after worrying about it all day lol, I finally made the cut and planted the stalks.
I ended up cutting it into two pieces and used a plastic pot that you get from a nursery. My original VFT is in a similar one.
Luckily my very smart neighbor came over to give me some perlite and pointed out that I bought "Miracle Gro Peat Moss", which has plant food in it (very bad for VFTs right?).
Luckily, I also bought some long fiber moss, which has a very large amount of ground up moss in the bottom of the bag, so I just ground it up some more and added perlite to it. Hopefully this will do the trick!!!
I'll post some photos tomorrow when there's better light.
Wish me luck guys!
...and thanks for all the help, couldn't have done it with out 'cha!

yes, Miracle gro products are like arsenic to venus flytraps.

Good catch on the miracle-gro. I can't wait to see photos of what you've got set up!

I was about to say to cut one piece one ince and the other two inches, but I gess you already did it. I have a question, if you leave the stalk one piece, would it be better than a few pieces?

The original plant after I cut the stalk.

The stalk in two pieces, in it's new home.

New Family

My cat Tobey, wondering why I keep yelling at him for trying to eat the Moss!!

Looks good. That's basically how it looks when I've done them. Hopefully you'll get one to take! Thanks for sharing the photos.

gratz on taking the plundge..

I see you hired yourself a guarddog... well, a guardcat.

should i cut my stalk off? its about 1 1/2 cm.

I'd wait another 4 days.

y four? can it grow that fast

If it's in full sun, yes. Maybe wait a week if it's not grown enough?