Carnivorous Plants: The Houseplant Pest Control You Never Thought Of

Plant friends, did you know your houseplants can double as pest control? Carnivorous plants don’t just survive—they hunt. Venus flytraps can snap down on unsuspecting flies, while pitcher plants lure bugs into their slippery traps. These carnivorous plants themselves are nature’s own pest management system.

So I’ve brought on a guest who knows everything there is to know about them: Kenny Coogan, the head of education at the International Carnivorous Plant Society.

Kenny has been growing carnivorous plants for about 20 years, and about five years ago, he joined the ICPS as the education director. He quit his day job and turned his passion into his profession, running a carnivorous plant nursery in Florida. As he puts it, "Carnivorous plants are my life."

In this episode, we learn:

• [01:47] What’s not to love about carnivorous plants?
• [04:52] Who is Kenny?
• [08:01] Some facts about Venus flytraps
• [09:57] What is a carnivorous plant?
• [12:54] Where do we find carnivorous plants outdoors?
• [15:36] Don’t let your houseplants wither this winter with Soltech Growlights!
• [16:57] Nourish your houseplants with Espoma Organic’s gentle and premium fertilizers!
• [18:57] What triggers carnivorous plants’ dormancy?
• [19:57] What carnivorous plants do to their prey
• [24:17] Specific care for temperate carnivorous plants
• [27:31] Specific care for tropical carnivorous plants
• [32:43] Can you feed carnivorous plants hamburger? (how to hand-feed them)
• [36:41] Trigger mechanism of Venus flytraps
• [38:48] How much light do Venus flytraps love?
• [42:58] What are the best houseplant-friendly carnivorous plants?
• [48:26] Watering and potting tips for carnivorous plants
• [50:30] Common mistakes and troubleshooting

 

Mentioned in our conversation:

• International Carnivorous Plant Society
• ICPS Classroom Grants
• Verdant Lyfe
• Venus Fly Traps & More Carnivorous Plants
• Florida's Carnivorous Plants: Understanding, Identifying, and Cultivating the State's Native Species by Kenny Coogan
• Little Shop of Horrors (1986) - IMDb
• Carnivorous Plants Animated Series by ICPS
• Carnivorex 3D printer model programs | ICPS

For carnivorous plants' care basics and feeding tips,

check out the full show notes and blog here!

 

Thank you to our episode sponsors:

Soltech Solutions

Check them out at soltechsolutions.com and get 15% off with code "bloom15".

Espoma Organic

Visit espoma.com to find your local Espoma dealer or check my Amazon storefront.

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