What is TDS?

TDS stands for Total Dissolved Solids; it is the total number of dissolved solids found in the liquid you are measuring. It is usually measured in PPM or Parts Per Million.

How Much TDS Can Carnivorous Plants Tolerate?

The answer depends on which carnivorous plant you are talking about. The general guidelines are as follows

• (Dionaea) Venus Flytraps can tolerate less than 25ppm
• (Nepenthes) Tropical pitcher plants can tolerate less than 100ppm
• (Drosera) Sundew plants can tolerate less than 50ppm
• (Sarracenia) North American Pitcher Plants can tolerate less than 100ppm
• (Pinguicula) Butterworts can tolerate more than other carnivorous plants but hard water should be avoided

You can often get away with growing outside of these guidelines sometimes but it is important to have your other environmental variables such as humidity, temperature, watering, and light correct to help your plants grow best. TDS does not always give the full picture of the quality of water but is a good place to start

Is My Water Good for Carnivorous Plants?

If you have low TDS water such as under 25ppm you may grow all varieties of carnivorous plants! If your water is higher TDS it is a good idea to follow the guidelines above or to take the advice below.

Can I Still Grow Carnivorous Plants if My Water is Not Pure?

Yes! Using distilled, or rainwater can allow you to grow carnivorous plants in your home or greenhouse. The plants appreciate the acidity of rainwater as well and it imitates what would happen to them in nature. It is possible to mix rainwater/distilled water with your tap water into a lower TDS mixture that can become tolerable for carnivorous plants. Using a TDS meter such as those found on Amazon can help you make this mixture tolerable for the kind of plants you are growing!