Grow Your Own Carnivorous Seeds & Kits

Kit Basics

In the wild, seeds normally sprout in late spring to early summer. You can sow the seeds anytime of the year, but sprouting time will be delayed unless you add supplemental lighting and warmth to duplicate late spring conditions. If you do not wish to plant your seeds right away, place the seed bag in a refrigerator (do not freeze) until you are ready to start growing.

Water Quality Requirement

We highly recommend that you obtain purified water (often called distilled water, drinking water, or reverse osmosis (RO) water). A gallon will last a long time with our custom terrarium. Tap water generally has too many minerals for these bog-dwelling plants. Never use softened water as the salt content will eventually alter the soil’s composition and kill your young plants.

Preparing the Soil

Remove the pre-mixed carnivore soil from the bag and place it in a bowl or pail. Then add two cups (0.5 L) of purified water. Thoroughly mix the peat-based soil and water together by kneading it (like cookie dough) until it is wellmixed. Remove the top cover of your terrarium, place the soil mixture in, and level it out. Small pieces of peat moss hanging on the sides of the terrarium will be flushed later. You will have approximately two inches (5 cm) of soil in which your seeds can grow. Fill the Spray Mister bottle with purified water (do not place the lid on yet) and set it aside for later use.

Sowing the Seeds

Carefully open the seed package over the terrarium, and gently spread the seeds around the surface of the soil. The black teardrop-shaped seeds are Venus Flytraps, and the very small seeds are Sundews. The seeds are so small it will be difficult to spread them evenly. Don’t be too concerned, as they can easily be moved when they are established seedlings with the provided tweezers. After you have emptied the seed package, put a little water in the seed bag from the Spray Mister bottle and swish it around a bit. Then quickly pour the water and any remaining seeds on the soil. Finally, use the remaining water in the bottle to clean the sides of the terrarium by putting your finger over the top and flinging water onto the sides of the terrarium. You can now post your sign in the soil, place the lid on top of the terrarium, and refill the Spray Mister and place its spray nozzle lid on for future misting.

Terrarium Location

Select a location for the terrarium that has filtered sunlight most of the day. An indoor eastern or southern window exposure or outdoors under a covered patio is ideal for germinating your seeds during the spring/summer months. Daytime temperatures in the mid-80s °F (27-32 °C) with nighttime temperatures 10-15 °F (5-8 °C) cooler is ideal and will duplicate the natural conditions in which these bog plants thrive.

Terrarium Care

Sown seeds require a moist environment to sprout. Dryer climates and/or air-conditioned homes tend to dry out the air in the terrarium. Maintain humidity by keeping the soil a dark chocolate brown color by lightly misting with purified water when necessary. We recommend that you place a clear plastic cling sheet or plastic bag over the top of the terrarium and secure it with a rubber band.

Seed Sprouting Expectations

The seeds may begin sprouting as soon as three weeks after they are sown (depending on the season and conditions). Sundew plants are rapid growers and will generally emerge first. Venus Flytraps are slower growing plants and may take up to two months to sprout. Not all seeds will sprout, which is why we have provided far more seeds than needed for an exciting hungry garden.

Young Seedling Care in the Terrarium

Now that you have set up your terrarium, your young plants will only need proper light, temperature and periodic misting to maintain humidity levels as they grow. Seeds may have sprouted in the same place, and you may want to relocate the seedlings in the terrarium. When they are two to three months old, you can safely pick them up by gently inserting the tweezers around them and picking them up with some soil and then plugging them into the selected location. Sundews are rapid growers when compared to Venus Flytraps and will be quite impressive when six months old. Venus Flytraps are slow-growing. Don’t expect your plants to be much larger than 1 inch (3 cm) in diameter with traps not much larger than one quarter inch (1 cm) at six months. They grow much faster the second year, and trap size can double. If a majority of the seeds sprout for you, you will eventually need to transplant some of your carnivores to another environment. Just five or six mature plants will fill up your terrarium!

Post-sprouting Care during Winter Months

Venus Flytraps and American Sundews naturally slow their growth and enter a dormant stage in late fall in preparation for the winter months. Full growth will resume in the spring. Some sundews will form a small bud until spring when new leaves will quickly emerge. Keep your plants inside in a cool place if it is below freezing outside.

Additional Help

If you have additional questions or need more help, please email us at care@mycarnivore.com. If your seeds do not sprout after 8-10 weeks, please contact us for replacement seeds (proof of purchase or picture required).