I remember how fascinated I was as a child to learn there were actually plants that ate meat. Wow! The Venus fly trap (Dionaea muscipula) is undoubtedly the best-known carnivorous plant. Hairs lining the trap cause it to shut quickly when insects brush against them. Digestion takes several weeks (the bugs provide essential nutrients to the plant, so it doesn't need fertilizer), then the trap dies and another one forms. Kids will love feeding the plant, even if they have to rely on a piece of hamburger from time to time. Since Venus fly traps like a warm, humid atmosphere, try to duplicate the conditions with a homemade terrarium. Soak a 2- to 6-inch layer of sphagnum moss for 30 minutes in distilled water. Squeeze out excess water and put the moss with a handful of sand in a wide-mouth glass container, such as a goldfish bowl. Place the Venus fly trap in the container and cover the roots. Keep the soil damp and try not to wet the foliage as you water with distilled water, or water that has set out overnight so chlorine dissipates. Cover the terrarium with a piece of glass and keep it 6 to 8 inches from fluorescent lights. In the spring, summer and fall, try to keep the temperature of the terrarium between 70 and 80 degrees. During the winter rest period, move the plant to where the temperature stays around 40 degrees and discontinue feeding it. Provided By Garden Gate Magazine |