Ask most gardeners and they will probably tell you that it’s tough to grow plants that smell like a dead animal. While some plants do have the ability to smell like rotting meat, they are not the majority. In fact, many plants can actually smell much worse than rotting meat. Carnivorous plants, on the other hand, have been bred over centuries to grow particularly fast and to produce scents that humans find repulsive.
Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with being attracted to the beauty of a plant that produces a lovely scent. It’s just that most carnivorous plants don’t smell at all. The odor they produce is meant to warn off predators, not to lure them in for more dinner. And that’s the problem, because most people who go after live prey tend to shoot blindly in the dark. They don’t realize that the only light they have to see their targets through is the glow from their brightly colored flowers and foliage.
The biggest danger carnivorous plants face is from other carnivorous creatures. Mosquitoes have a special affinity for them and can even breed with plants that have had their roots eaten by other animals. If your plant starts to grow more than it needs to, there’s a good chance you’ll be seeing some ugly things on the ground soon. There are also bacteria that infect plants that haven’t yet reached maturity. These bacteria are particularly lethal to carnivorous crops, resulting in the plants dying off before their time.
The trick to growing carnivorous plants is ensuring that they have the right conditions to grow at all times. The main food source (the plant’s leaves) needs to be constantly moist, but the roots must stay dry. This can pose a few problems, as the roots can easily rot if they aren’t kept dry.
A common solution to this is to water the plant just enough to dampen the soil. While this will help keep the plant from drying out too much, it won’t do much else. The soil needs to be thoroughly fertilized to help grow the plant properly. The best way to do this is to follow the instructions on the fertilizer you’re using. You can also buy specially formulated fertilizer online.
Like many other types of plants, carnivorous plants are most vibrant in the fall and winter. When you try to grow these plants in the summer, you risk killing them before they even have a chance to bloom. As with any plant, if they are in direct sunlight, they will sunburn. To avoid this, plant them in pots or containers that keep them out of direct sunlight, such as window boxes. Also, try to plant them as close to each other as possible.
For many people, carnivorous plants are their only option for a plant food source. In order to grow your own food, you will need to purchase some special starter plants. You can get these at nurseries or from feed stores. If you’re growing them indoors, you may want to consider growing them in an indoor hydroponic system.
Even if you aren’t growing carnivorous plants as your main food source, you can still consider them to be good additions to your yard. They add an interesting element to your landscape. And whether you choose to raise them as your only food source or mix them with other plants, they are very easy to take care of. The fact that they don’t need to be fed by you adds another great advantage. You won’t have to waste your time and effort feeding them.