Carnivorous Plant Terrariums

Terrarium Care
An open terrarium is a great way to grow carnivorous plants. They keep the moisture and humidity up and allow the plants to have free access to insects. Carnivorous plants are native to bogs and live in conditions that are constantly damp. To grow healthy carnivorous plants, it is important to duplicate their habitat as closely as possible.  Keep the soil wet or at least damp all of the time. Use a spray bottle and mist the terrarium about once a week or pour in a small amount of water carefully so as not to disturb the plants. Use mineral-free water, such as rainwater, distilled water or water from a dehumidifier or air conditioner.  You could use tap water in a pinch, but over the long run, this will build up minerals and harm the plants.

Lots of Light
Carnivorous plants grow in open sunny bogs and as a general rule, they love sunlight, the more the better.  However, avoid direct sunlight shinning into the terrarium.  This would overheat the terrarium, and bake the plants, killing them.  So place the terrarium in a spot where it will get bright, indirect light.  Close to a window or near a bright fluorescent light is good.

Open Terrarium
It’s important to keep the terrarium open and not cover it.  For one thing, the plants do need to catch an occasional insect in order to meet their nitrogen requirements.  A closed terrarium would keep out those valuable flying or crawling nutrient supplements we call “bugs.”  A sealed terrarium would also have a tendency to overheat and not be able to vent itself.  You do not want to bake your plants.  In addition, an open terrarium allows some air circulation that helps reduce mold and fungus build-up in the terrarium.  The opening will also make it much easier to water and care for your plants.  There are many good reasons to use an open terrarium, and it will actually be better for your plants, and make it easier to care for them.

Inside or Outside
Carnivorous plant terrariums can be grown inside or outside.  A Carnivorous Plant terrarium next to the bananas or tomatoes in the kitchen can help with fruitflies. The terrarium is designed for inside growing and performs best when placed in bright indirect light.  See “Lots of light.”  If you elect to keep the terrarium outside, then be careful to avoid placing it directly in full sunlight.  It would be too easy to bake the terrarium and dry it out, killing the plants.