- Jordan Webster
- December 3, 2021
Carnivorous plants like to grow in sunny, moist, and peaty soils. Some of these plants grow in acidic soils, while others grow in alkaline soils. Trying to say all carnivorous plants grow in the same conditions would not be true, as some might grow in cliffs or crevasses of limestone, while others can grow in a woodland bog.
You may find some of the carnivorous plants in soggy peat, moist peaty sand, and damp, acidic, peaty sand. Also, these plants may exist in one or all of these areas, depending on their species. Each plant has its unique soil requirements. So, it is difficult to generalize that “all” carnivorous plants are the same when it comes to their soil recipe.
However, there are two ingredients that all carnivorous plants share in common; washed “river” sand and sphagnum peat moss. The acidity and moistness may vary from plant to plant, but these two ingredients are the same for every carnivorous plant.
Do not confuse river sand with contractor’s sand, as contractor’s sand contains minerals that are dangerous to carnivorous plants. Moreover, these minerals tend to burn the carnivorous plant’s roots quite quickly. Thus, you should not include it in any of these plant’s soils.
Usually, those that grow carnivorous plants tend to use a ratio of 50:50 for peat to sand in their soil mixes. The rate is not necessary. Furthermore, it doesn’t make that much difference, but you need to include both peat and sand in your mixture.
To learn more about growing Carnivorous plants, here is one of our helpful guides that might help:What Are the Best Pots to Grow Carnivorous Plants?
Carnivorous Plants and Their Soil Mixes
Recipes for carnivorous plants depend on the plant itself. So, these are some recipes that will work for specific plants.
Venus Flytrap Soil Mix:
For best results we suggest you use:
- 5-parts milled peat
- 3-parts horticultural (river) sand
- 2-parts perlite
Sarracenia, Sundew, Terrestrial Bladderwort, Genlisea, and Bylbis Soil Mix:
For best results we suggest you use:
- 5-parts milled peat
- 1-part horticultural (river) sand
Temperate Butterwort Soil Mix:
For best results we suggest you use:
- 3-parts milled peat
- ½-part horticultural (river) sand
- 1-part perlite
Tropical Butterwort Soil Mix:
For best results we suggest you use:
- 3-parts milled peat
- ½-part CaCO3 sand
- 1-part perlite
Also, it is best not to get temperate and tropical confused, as the mixtures are different and may end up becoming an issue if confused.
Nepenthes, Heliamphora, Cephalotus, Ephytic Bladderwort, and Bromeliads Soil Mix:
For best results we suggest you use:
- 1-part milled peat
- 1-part horticultural (river) sand
- 1-part perlite
- 1-part fir bark
- 1-part chopped sphagnum
- 1-part leaf mould
Darlingtonia Soil Mix:
For best results we suggest you use:
- 5-parts milled peat
- 3-parts CaCO3 sand
- 2-parts perlite
Calopogon, Spiranthes, Platanthera, Bletilla, Tipularia, and Pleione Soil Mix:
For best results we suggest you use:
- 1-part milled peat
- 1-part horticultural (river) sand
- 2-parts pine park fines
Cypripedium acaule, Disa, and Australian spp Soil Mix:
For best results we suggest you use:
- 1-part milled peat
- 1-part horticultural (river) sand
- 1-part pine park fines
- 1-part leaf mould
C. pravifl., C. pubescens, C. reginae, and Galearis Soil Mix:
For best results we suggest you use:
- 1-part milled peat
- 1-part CaCO3 sand
- 1-part pine park fines
- 1-part leaf mould
Don't feel like getting your hands dirty?
Here are some pre-made soils mixes we recommend.
What Do The Ingredients Mean?
So, you have some soil recipes for carnivorous plants, but what do the ingredients mean? What are they, and what will they do for your plants?
- Milled peat is Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss milled.
- Horticultural (river) sand is washed and sterilized horticultural sand.
- CaCO3 sand is Calcium Carbonate sand that has been washed and sterilized.
- Perlite is screened perlite.
- Fir Bark is finely chopped Douglas Fir bark.
- Chopped Sphagnum is a Sphagnum peat moss that has been unmilled or chopped to 1-2 inches.
- Pine Bark Fines are Loblolly Pine bark that has been finely chopped.
- Leaf Mould are oak or beech leaves that are finely chopped.
What Can They Do for Your Plants?
So now that you know what the ingredients are, what exactly will they do for your plants?
-Milled Peat:
Milled peat is good for germinating seeds while promoting aeration. It also improves the carnivorous plants’ water holding capacity.
-Horticultural (River) Sand:
This sand is suitable for cuttings and seeds. It promotes aeration while also inhibiting compaction.
-CaCO3:
Likewise, this sand is great for cuttings and seeds for tropical butterworts. It also promotes aeration while inhibiting compaction.
-Perlite:
Perlite is good for spreading cuttings. It also enhances the water holding capacity while promoting aeration and inhibiting compaction.
-Fir Bark:
Fir bark is suitable for mixing soils for orchids and nepenthes. It also enhances aeration in the land.
Soil Mixes to Avoid
These are some top-class carnivorous plant soil recipes, but what are some soils and planting ways you need to avoid for them?
• Potting soil
This soil can kill your plants and will not help them grow at all, as they will not survive long enough to do so.
• Miracle-Gro peat or perlite
Miracle-Gro may be great for helping plants grow and be healthy, but it is very harmful to carnivorous plants due to the use of fertilizers.
• Oregon green moss
It is not Sphagnum moss, this Oregon green moss, which is very harmful to your carnivorous plants! Therefore, do not use, as it will kill your plants.
Types of Water Suggested For Saturating Carnivorous Plant Soil
There are various purified waters out there, but your carnivorous plants will only need any of these four types of water for saturating carnivorous plant soil:
- Rainwater
- Distilled water
- Reverse osmosis water
- Deionized water
Thus, under any circ*mstances, do not use Brita or Pur filtered water because they do not remove the dissolved salts in the soil to make enough of a difference.
More Information About Carnivorous Plant Soil Recipes
The problem you will be running into when it comes to making your carnivorous plant soil recipes is that no two carnivorous plants are the same.Also, they each come with their soil requirements, and these soil recipes here are just some of the many ways you can care for your plants.
However, most soils you may find at the store are too high in nutrients and fertilizers that can kill your carnivorous plants. Thus, you will probably need to get the separate ingredients for your plants and combine them according to the instructions. This way, your plants will get the soil they need to help them reach their full moisture along with getting the air to their roots. Then the carnivorous plants will last a lot longer and be a lot healthier if you compare it to putting them in just any kind of soil.
