Gemma Rowe November 22, 2024

How to care for my Tissue Culture Carnivorous Plant

In short: Maintain a stable temperature suitable for the plant species. Generally, a range of 18-24°C is ideal. Avoid exposing the plants to extreme temperatures or direct sunlight.

Getting Ready

Before you start the transplantation process for your plant, ensure you have all the necessary tools and conditions prepared. This includes clean tweezers, a suitable pot with drainage, a growing medium like perlite mixed with peat, and a humid, indirect light environment.

Plant Removal and Cleaning

Carefully open the tissue culture cup and remove the packing perlite (white media)
Remove the plant gently, washing off any remaining culture media and shipping perlite from the roots with distilled water.

Potting the Plant

Fill your chosen pot with a moistened mix of perlite and peat or carnivorous plant potting mix.
Make a small indentation in the centre for the plant.
Place the plant in the pot and lightly cover the roots with the substrate, ensuring the crown stays above the surface.
Water with distilled or rain water gently, ensuring the medium is damp but not waterlogged.

Hardening Off

Gradually introduce your plant to its new environment:

Start by placing the potted plant in a high-humidity area under indirect sunlight.
Cover the pot with a plastic bag or use a humidity dome to retain moisture.
Gradually reduce the humidity by making small openings in the cover over a period of weeks.

Ongoing Care and Maintenance

Light: Bright, indirect light is preferable.
Water: Use rainwater or distilled water to keep the substrate just damp.
Feeding: This plant can catch small insects on its own; supplement sparingly with a dilute orchid fertiliser during the growing season if needed.

Monitoring and Adjustments

Keep an eye on your plant for signs of distress or disease. Adjust care routines based on the plant's response to its environment.

Homemade Carnivorous Plant Potting Mix Recipe

Ingredients:
1. Sphagnum Peat Moss: 2 parts
2. Perlite: 1 part
3.Silica Sand: 1 part
4. Optional: Long-Fibered Sphagnum Moss: for topping

1. Sphagnum Peat Moss: This is the primary ingredient and provides the acidic, nutrient-poor environment that your new plant thrives in. Make sure the peat moss is pure, without any added fertilizers or wetting agents.
2. Perlite: Perlite helps with aeration and drainage. This is important because your new plant does not like to sit in waterlogged soil.
3. Silica Sand: The sand adds extra drainage and prevents the soil from compacting. Use coarse silica sand, not beach or play sand, as these can contain impurities that harm the plants.

Mix and moisten with rain or distilled water.

Care Tips:
After potting, water the plant with distilled water or rainwater. Avoid using tap water unless it is confirmed to be low in dissolved minerals.
Place the pot in a location with plenty of direct sunlight and maintain high humidity. Your new plant also appreciates a period of dormancy in winter, so plan to reduce watering and provide cooler temperatures during this time.

This mix provides the right balance of acidity, drainage, and moisture retention, ensuring your new plant has a healthy environment to thrive in.

Troubleshooting:

Brown leaves
Sunburn	Move the plant to an area with indirect sunlight or provide shade during the hottest part of the day.
Overwatering	Ensure the soil is damp, not soggy, and improve drainage.
Nutrient burn	Avoid using fertilized soil or water with dissolved minerals; use distilled or rainwater.

Blackened traps
Normal aging	Remove the dead traps to keep the plant tidy.
Digesting large prey	Avoid feeding prey that’s too large for the trap; stick to insects roughly 1/3 the trap size.
Overfeeding	Feed the plant sparingly, no more than once every 1-2 weeks.

Yellow leaves
Overwatering or waterlogging	Improve soil aeration and check the pot for standing water.
Insufficient light	Increase exposure to bright, indirect sunlight or use grow lights with the appropriate spectrum.

Leaves curling
Pest infestation (e.g., aphids, spider mites)	Inspect the plant and treat with an insecticidal soap or neem oil.

Mould or fungus growth
Poor air circulation	Increase airflow around the plant; consider a small fan or open the terrarium lid periodically.
Excessive humidity	Allow the soil surface to dry slightly between waterings while maintaining overall humidity.

Trap not closing
Weak or stressed plant	Avoid triggering traps unnecessarily; ensure proper light, humidity, and water conditions.
Insufficient energy	Ensure the plant gets adequate sunlight to photosynthesize.

Wilting or drooping
Root rot	Check for soggy, foul-smelling soil and repot with fresh, well-draining carnivorous plant mix.
Underwatering	Water thoroughly with distilled or rainwater, ensuring the soil is damp.

Plant not growing
Dormancy period (seasonal for some species)	Allow the plant to rest; reduce watering and ensure a cool environment during dormancy.
Nutrient depletion	Repot the plant every 1-2 years using fresh carnivorous plant mix.