Complete newbie

Hi everyone,
I am honestly a complete newbie, I have no idea where to start.

I few months ago I got a Venus fly trap and an ivy plant. I’ve really enjoyed watching them grow and feel like this could be a hobby I just don’t know where to start! Any advice or tips and tricks for these two plants would be greatly appreciated!!

Looking forward to chatting to you all!!

C x

 

Hi and Welcome to the Forum,

If your Venus plant is still surviving then you are doing well as they can be difficult plants to keep going unless you give them the right conditions; sure others here can give you some good tips for them.

We have been increasing our house plants recently and surprisingly find that our main Sainsbury store has some really good young ones for as little as £3 - £4, particularly the foilage plants, some ideal for shadier rooms others needing a brighter position.

 

Thank you for the reply Ricky, yes I have seen some fab little ones in Sainsbury’s.

I have read that in the winter they are meant to go dormant .. which I think it is as some parts are going black .. just worried about the droopiness of the Venus fly trap .. I hope it’s not on its way out!

 

Venus flytrap is a bog plant and should be kept fairly wet unless it is in cold condition over winter where it is best to let it dry out to some extent.
Full sun is best and it need acidic conditions so should be watered with rain water when ever possible.
It looks really healthy and its flowering, any black parts can be cut off to tidy it up.

 

Thank you Pete! Yes I’ve only been watering it with rain water! I’m pleased it looks healthy.. I thought because of the droopiness it was dying on me!!

 

The droopiness is normal, whatever you are doing is good.

 

I have an ivy also. I was wondering what on earth is going on with it. It has grown lots since I got it but I’m unsure of what these things are and if they will bloom, they look kind of burnt and hard if that makes sense.

I have only been using rain water with this one too!

 

Hi @HousePlantHermit and

Sorry can't offer you any advice as although I do have houseplants just don't grow yours. I did have Ivy outside tumbling over low patio a walls but they just grew madly out of control so I dug it up. I personally wouldn't choose Ivy as a houseplant...but that's just my opinion.

 

Thank you Upsydaisy I love Ivy, would you recommend growing it outside? I would love to have it growing all over one of our fences, would not know where to start though!

 

You could plant it outside when the weather warms up.
the strange growths are aerial roots which Ivy uses to attach and climb up things.

 

As you like it so much then yes most definitely but keep a check on it as it can become invasive and take over and cover everything .

You could have it in hanging baskets.

 

Welcome to Gardeners Corner HousePlantHermit.

 

Thank you Sheal! Everyone is so helpful and knowledgeable

 

Yes we're a friendly bunch on GC and always willing to help out. Sorry, I'm hopeless with houseplants so I won't be offering you any advice.

 

Ivy is a popular plant , many are really outdoor plants and can host lots of wildlife, however suggest you do not plant it to grow up the house wall as those aerial roots get into the brickwork and even if the whole Ivy is removed, those fine root filaments remain on the brickwork looking very unsightly for many, many years.

Do not know their names, but there are some more delicate Ivys much better suited to indoor use or at least for some time while they are still young.

We don't have a lot of window cill space so have just ordered one of these to keep the houseplants in order.

Know that feeling well !