What Soil Should I Use for Carnivorous Plants?
It can be tricky adjusting from growing other types of plants to growing carnivorous plants. Carnivorous plants should be grown in nutrient-free soil to avoid issues in growing these special plants. In this article, we will discuss our favourite mixes for carnivorous plants of each common type.
What Soil Should I Use for a Tropical Pitcher Plant (Nepenthes)?
For Nepenthes, our favourite soil mix is a ratio of 1:1 of sphagnum moss and perlite. This mixture retains moisture while being a bit lighter for the small Nepenthes roots to grow in. Cocoa Coir and orchid bark can also be added so long as they are washed thoroughly to remove salts and nutrients.
What Soil Should I Use for a Sundew Plant (Drosera)?
In general, for Drosera, our best results have been when using 1:1 nutrient-free peat moss and washed sand (preferably silica sand). Peat moss and perlite can also be used or sphagnum moss and perlite. Many Drosera are not too picky. Some species will care for slightly different mixes than others. Drosera capensis does well in peat moss and silica sand.
What Soil Should I Use for a Venus Flytrap?
Venus Flytraps do well in a similar mixture to Drosera. We have good results in 1:1 nutrient-free peat and washed sand (again preferably silica sand) but 1:1 peat moss and perlite will work well too. Many growers find great results using 1:1 sphagnum moss and perlite mixture like Nepenthes.
What Soil Should I Use for a North American Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia)?
Sarracenia do well in a similar mixture to Drosera. We personally use 1:1 nutrient-free peat and washed sand (again preferably silica sand) but 1:1 peat moss and perlite will work well too. A 1:1 sphagnum moss and perlite mixture will work well too.
What Soil Should I Use for Mexican Butterworts (Pinguicula)?
Mexican Pinguicula seem to like to have something to grab onto to grow well. For this reason, we like to use nutrient-free peat moss and washed rocky sand. Other growers have good results using pumice and Akadama mixtures. A rocky mixture that can retain water will work best. Even lava rocks can work provided there is a readily available wet spot to place the plant on.