Why does everyone ignore the pH testing step for carnivorous plants?

I was at a local plant swap last Saturday in Portland and saw three people mixing bog soil with straight tap water and no pH check. Those sundews and VFTs need acidic conditions around pH 4-5 or they rot out in a month. I keep a $15 meter from Amazon and test every batch of distilled water before I water my nepenthes. Has anyone else noticed beginners skipping this step and losing their plants?

2 comments

2 Comments

troy_owens25d ago

You seen those little sundew starter kits they sell at big box stores? My buddy picked one up for his kid, all excited, and they watered it with kitchen tap water for two weeks. Within a month that thing looked like a wet paper towel. He told me he had no idea about pH, thought the dirt that came with it was fine. I had to walk him through buying distilled water and a cheap meter, but by then the plant was pretty much a goner. It's a bummer cause that kid really wanted to see the dew drops catch bugs.

ninasanchez25d ago

Totally agree with @troy_owens, the tap water kills them so fast.