The Venus fly trap is a hardy carnivorous plant that is tolerant to extreme living conditions. It requires minimal effort to keep, especially if kept outside where it can catch its food. However, once in a while, you should repot it to keep the plant healthy.
Advantages of repotting a Venus fly trap plant
Repotting a Venus flytrap has several advantages such as –
Improved Aeration – Repotting the plant with fresh soil helps improve the aeration of the soil and allows more air to be present in the soil. This helps in improving the air supply to the roots and helps them grow well.
Proper Drainage – When you take out the plant and repot it with fresh soil, the roots lose their grip and the soil loosens. Thus, this helps improve drainage in the soil.
Size Oriented Container – When you repot your Venus flytrap annually, it gives you an idea of the growth of the plant roots. You can change the container if the roots have outgrown the container and have started to appear congested.
Repotting a Venus fly trap is a relatively easy procedure that involves replanting your plant in a new pot filled with fresh soil, however, there are certain factors that you need to be careful about while repotting your plant.
Factors that affect the process of repotting your Venus flytrap
So, let us discuss the factors which may affect the process of repotting your Venus flytrap-
- Soil
- Container Size
- Water
1. Soil
The Venus flytrap needs acidic soil that is nutrient-free and has proper drainage. However, regular soil or store-bought potting mixes are rich in nutrients. Repotting your Venus flytrap with such type of soil may oversaturate and kill the plant.
Solution
The best solution for this problem is to prepare a homemade potting mix for your Venus flytrap. It is an efficient and economical alternative to the store-bought potting mix. Make the potting mix by mixing one part of peat moss with one part of perlite. It ensures that the potting mixture is acidic and free of organic and mineral contents.
2. Container size
Choosing the right kind of container to repot your Venus fly trap plays an integral role in ensuring that the plant has enough size to grow. If the size of the pot is inappropriate, the plant will not grow and start to show signs of weakness.
Solution
The Venus fly trap ideally needs a container with at least six inches of depth and a diameter of at least two inches at the base. It allows the plant the necessary space to grow well and reduces the chances of overcrowding of the plant traps and roots.
3. Water
Water is critical for the health of your repotted Venus fly trap, especially to bring it back to its health and form in a new pot. The water used should be pure as impure water may damage the plant. Overwatering too can be damaging for the plant.
Solution
Use stored rainwater, distilled or reverse osmosis water to provide the pure water the Venus flytrap needs. Avoid regular tap water as it is generally high in minerals. Also, only provide enough water to keep the soil moist.
Read our complete article on how to water Venus fly trap plant.
Thus, this is how you repot a Venus flytrap.
