Venus flytrap

My 10 yr old son would like to ask a question.
He has just bought a venus fly trap plant.
Over to you Philip.
What food should I give my plant to eat when there are no flies to catch? We tried corned beef and the water keeps going down fast.
It is on my bedroom windowsill, is this the best place?

 

No. It has got to be outside in the sunshine where it can open its traps and catch flies. Don't feed it at all, but lots of water. See my other post in Greenhouse section.

 

Hi slugbug and a warm welcome to Philip as well!

Here's a link to a good article about the Venus Fly Trap - but don't worry if you don't understand all of the big words, I didn't either! :D Wikipedia: Venus Fly Trap

 

.... what is with our 10 yr olds?
The advice given by the GC was to keep it humid (hence the standing on a saucer of damp compost), NO plant food, and only rain water.... and if it were in my son's bedroom, then there would no problems with lack of flies!!!! :eek:

 

I always fed mine on cheese of all things, although you have to rattle the traps after they close in order to stimulate them, otherwise they just open up again without digesting the meal.
Grow them in pure sphagnum moss peat standing in a saucer of water, rain water is best but as the moss is so acid the occasional drop of tap water wont hurt.
Sunshine is best, then the traps turn reddish, and as long as there is a good supply of water the temperature can rise as high as you like, within reason of course but 100deg F is OK in summer and just above freezing in winter.

 

Found this link....
Little shop of Horrors...