FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Is it necessary to "flush" the soil every time I water, or can I simply water until I start seeing it com out the bottom of the pot? What constitutes a flush?

PitcherCrab wrote:Is it necessary to "flush" the soil every time I water, or can I simply water until I start seeing it com out the bottom of the pot? What constitutes a flush?

As long as the soils moist and isn't dry. But make sure you're using the right kinda water.

Should I always be using distilled or rain water? I have my 2 ventrata in a 2" hanging pot and find that it takes quite a bit of water to water the entire pot. Its not a huge problem, but I would rather not have to keep spending money buying distilled water. I have a good water filter in my house, instead of the distilled water could I used filtered tap water that's been sitting out for 24h to allow any chlorine to dissipated? Or alternate between the filtered water and distilled water perhaps?

Also, is a 12" pot a good size for two plants? I read somewhere that they have shallow roots so don't like deep pots, so I was thinking I could put them into 2 smaller pots, which would reduce how much water they need as well.
But since I re-potted them they are doing so well... I'd hate to move them again.

Filtered water is always risky, I'd keep using distilled water. Do you live in an area that you would feel safe hanging it outside? Rain water works too, you could set jugs outside to collect raid water with, that might help reduce costs.

They llok great though!

How cold is too cold for Nepenthes outside? I live in zone 10, so it rarely freezes, but it can get kinda chilly outside. Thanks for the tip on the rain water! Its been raining like crazy the last 2 days so I have a whole bunch of buckets that are outside already filled with water! One more question, have any of you ever used water from a fish tank to water your nepenthes? Its filtered and quite clean, although might contain a few nitrates from the fish.

Woah, SF is really Zone 10? wow I always thought it was zone 8/9 down here. nah, I've never used fishtank water. Just bottled R.O. water and distilled usually. Except that now that it's been raining buckets!

Yeah... I just looked it up and the interwebs said its "10a", which I guess means it won't get below 35°F? Where in the bay area do you live kittyclaws?

I live right across the Bay Bridge in hercules East Bay

PitcherCrab wrote:Thanks for the tip on the rain water!

No problem! I know where you live you rarely get snow, but melting snow works as well.