Allotments 4 All

I have just got a Sarracena pitcher plant for my conservatory. The idea is try and get rid of the flies we get out there from time to time.  I have never grown a carniverous plant before so does anyone have any grwong tips to share with me.

I understand they need moist conditions and watering must be with rainwater. What else do I need to know to keep it happy? Also it looks like ti needs potting on, so what sort of compost does it need please?

Acid compost, and keep it standing in a tray of water. when I had them, they shared a greenhouse with my cacti, and were really easy. As long as you keep them moist, you won't go far wrong.

Another way of growing them is plunging in a moss-filled aquarium-style tank.

I have mine standing in about 1" of water at the edge of the pond. It is supposed to be hardy to -10 degrees C so I am planning to leave it out all winter. Trouble was, it was rater expensive so dare I risk it?

I've always believed these wer half-hardy, but I may be wrong. I found them really easy in an unheated greenhouse, but I never tried overwintering them outside. If you want to try it, I should sink the pots, as they freeze through really easily. You still need to keep them moist though.

Have a look at cpsecrets.com - it's trying to flog an e-book a lot, but there's a lot of useful care tips.

Generally speaking, sit it in a few inches of rainwater in full sun. It's best in a mix of sphagnum moss peat and sand, which I hate to use because it's peat, but in the circumstances not much else is good..

I'm going to try keeping some of mine outdoors this year, though I'd be reluctant to keep it in the pond as there's so much in the way of nutrients/minerals in it.

Melanie

I remember using homemade compost, which I made with leafmould not peat, plus a handful of moss from the local peat bog, which grew enthusiastically. It doesn't have to be peat as long as it's acid.