hi, I successfully grew a Venus fly trap in a small pot outside this summer. I'd like to bring it inside this fall to catch flies. Do I need to do anything to phase it in from outdoor to indoor?

Also, how much light and water should it get? it's being doing great in full sun with rainwater, plus an occasional serving of distilled water during dry periods.

They really need a dormant period. My guess is that indoor culture is responsible for the demise of more VFTs than any other cause. Is there a cool, bright place you could store it where the temperatures wouldn't get too far below freezing?

I don't think it will require as much moisture as it does when in growth, but it definitely needs to be sitting in a saucer which never goes dry.

They can stay outside give it that you have it in a sizable pot that it won't freeze to death. Venus fly traps do not catch many flies as the name says, I had lot more success with sundews doing the gnat catching. But if you bring it in, make sure it had ample ventilation and that the soil does not remain soggy but not too dry otherwise you'll invite mites and rot. And definitely do not put it near a heat source. Opt for sunny but cool spot in the house.

The only cool place I'll have in the house will be the garage and there are no windows there. I guess I was thinking that Venus fly traps were houseplants.

I can put it in the bathroom near a window to get some light. Or I could put it in the garage and put it under a fluorescent light with a timer. What do you recommend?

If I created a bog garden about 4' diameter, could I successfully grow insectivorous plants in Southern Maryland? Using rainwater for purity, I assume? Do they want full sun or is shade OK?

Hi and to NGA

You can grow most Sarracenia and some Drosera outside year 'round in your area. Not Fly Traps.

They require full sun in the summer but in winter, they are dormant. I cover mine with burlap in winter to protect them from freeze/thaw cycles. A lot of people cover them with pine needles. Whatever you cover them with, don't pack it down. And make sure the roots are always in water.

Here's a trick if your just starting with vft's. Or any carnivorous plant for that matter. Look up where they are found. Vfts are O N L Y found in a 70 mile radius in in North Carolina.
Wilmington to be precise.

so, look up weather that plant is native too, and that gives you an idea, how it could be treated.

I'm not surprized at the answers. VFTs don't grow here naturally. Sooooo, is there a way I could grow some outdoors all Summer and keep them inside in Winter in some way. Under lights? With bits of worms?

Daisyl -
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

So what structure over a 4' diameter bog would you suggest for Winter protection? I could put a 6" PVC frame topped with chicken wire overlayed with evergreen cuttings to keep snow off. That would eliminate sunlight though.

How about a clear plastic tent and brush the snow off?

What would YOU do in Southern MD to TRY to keep VFT alive over the Winter here? I love those things and would go to some effort to keep them here.

They need a lot of sunlight and it is best to place them near open windows or doors so that they can easily trap passing insects and flies.In order to get maximum growth and efficiency water them with distilled water or rainwater.Keep the plants in a plastic container and keep it 1/3rd filled with water.Make sure that the growing medium is damp to wet all year,the growing medium should be 1 part peat moss with i part sand.There is a blog about growing Venus fly trap indoors in planet natural you could check it out.

In the winter for zone 7 or colder, do the following when the weather is going to be below freezing for extended periods.

1) Spray the plants and soil surface thoroughly with a sulfur based fungicide.
2) You can bring them into a cold room - like a unheated garage, unheated basement or crawlspace. Or, cover them with 6" or more of a mulch - pine needles are porous and acidic, so work well.
3) Check occasionally to make sure mold is not getting started.
4) When the weather warms and will be consistently be above freezing, remove the mulch.

Both Sarracenia and flytraps are more cold hardy than most people believe. I have left mine outdoors unprotected when temperatures got temporarily down to -5 deg F for a few nights. The key was that there was no wind to desiccate the plants during the time the roots were frozen. This is not a recommended practice, it is best to protect the plants when the temperature is going to get down to around 20 deg F.

In winter for VFTs, I drain off excess water from the pots, hit them with a sulphur based fungicide and place in zip lock bags and pop them in the fridge for 3-4 months. Late winter around March I take them out hit them with sulphur based fungicide again and place in a south and west window until night time temps. Regularly stay above freezing then slowly acclimate them to full outdoor Sun.

They are not houseplants. Some people grow them indoors but they don't last long indoors. They need 8+ hours of direct Sun a day and indoor Sun isn't as strong as outdoor. AND they need 3-4 months of winter dormancy.

Tommy. Since you are in New York, you should get plenty of cold and wet winter weather. There should not be any need to put them in the fridge, where they do not get any air circulation. You would also avoid the re-acclimation nuisance.

They are not as susceptible to cold as most people believe, including some noted authors. They experience temperatures well below freezing in their native habitat.

Even when it got down to -10 deg F for a few nights a couple of years ago, they survived just fine. Some of the small winter traps even remained green, which surprised me.

And mine are all in pots of various sizes, from 3" to 8", which makes them more susceptible to cold than if they were in a homemade bog.

I have a stupid question and it's ok if you laugh. I just got a venus fly trap...little guys. And I'm reading about how they need dormancy over winter. I'm not sure what my plan should be. I'm reading about covering it in burlap and how they need sun, etc. If it's covered in burlap, how will it get the sun it needs? Also...I was thinking of putting it by an east facing glass block window in the garage. Will that be enough light? Thanks, all. Oh...has anyone else named their VFT?

@lwest55
I grow my VFT's outside in full sun, early spring to late fall; When the temps constantly stay above freezing.
Once the temps stay below freezing for an extended time, I bring the plants inside my unheated garage. Stays in the low 50's.
I place the plants on a shelf. They receive no sunlight. I just check them once a month to make sure the soil is slightly damp. Too wet and they will rot.

I grew mine in 3' long plastic planters and a corner planter.

This is the corner planter after the plants were thinned out.


This is planter needing thinned out.


This is what happens after everything gets thinned out...

billn9 said:Tommy. Since you are in New York, you should get plenty of cold and wet winter weather. There should not be any need to put them in the fridge, where they do not get any air circulation. You would also avoid the re-acclimation nuisance.

They are not as susceptible to cold as most people believe, including some noted authors. They experience temperatures well below freezing in their native habitat.

Even when it got down to -10 deg F for a few nights a couple of years ago, they survived just fine. Some of the small winter traps even remained green, which surprised me.

And mine are all in pots of various sizes, from 3" to 8", which makes them more susceptible to cold than if they were in a homemade bog.

We get way too many freeze/thaw cycles here and they would certainly NOT survive where I am. I lost all my sarracenia except for my Flavas a few years ago. NO WAY would VFTs survive here. They do great with fridge dormancy. I've been doing it for going on 13 years and it works great and I'm not changing a thing. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it".