Treatment of pests and disease in Carnivorous plants 

American trumpet pitcher plant vs aphids

 

   

 

 

 

• Mold or fungi can cause diseases on plants or create problems on growing media
• Prevention is always better than cure thus start with good plant hygiene:
• Clip dead leaves for a cleaner plant and ensure good air circulation
• Terrariums in particular can promote mold and fungi growth so keep a close eye on your plants to detect issues early
• From time to time though, it may become necessary to use a fungicide to either treat an active infection or as a preventative measure especially during wintertime
• If you're new to fungicidal treatment of carnivorous plants, we always recommend testing the product on a small area of the plant first (or one that you are not afraid to lose) to determine how toxic it will be for that particular plant
• Apply fungicides to plants during the early evening (out of direct sunlight) to prevent burning
• When going to the store or plant nursery, learn to read the labels
• We are not endorsing any specific brand, thus we left out the brand names and mentioned the active ingredient for each instead

 

• Fungicides tested on safety for carnivorous plants:

• Sulphur based fungicides 
• Topical fungicide for general prevention
• Both the ready mix or powder form works well
• Good as a preventative measure preparing for dormancy, especially when you'll be keeping plants undercover during wintertime
• Perfect for propagation trays, seeds and seedlings to avoid fungal growth
• Has a long residual effect and prevents mold from growing
• Shake well before use as the sulphur tend to accumulate at the bottom
• Dry powder sulphur may either be mixed with water as directed or sprinkled over seed trays

• Neem Extract
• Topical Fungicide for active infection
• Organic product that acts as both a fungicidal and insecticidal product
• Foul odour so spray your plants outdoors
• Dissipate and wear off a little quicker than sulphur but safe for most carnivorous plants if used as directed

• Tebuconazole
• Systemic fungicide for general treatment of infected plants
• Dealing with plants that are infected such as Botrytis (a gray powdery mold that grows on leaves) and causing damage you may want to consider something a little stronger and systemic
• Gets absorbed into the plant tissue to limit further damage
• Toxic in larger quantities so make sure to use as directed and follow the safety precautions on the package

• Chlorothalonil
• Topical fungicide for active infection
• Perfect for cephalotus that has been infected by powdery mildew
• Generally quite a thick suspension and tend to stay on leaves longer and do not wash off easily thus a earbud may be necessary to treat hard to reach places on the plants

 

• What to avoid:

• Avoid copper based fungicides, as copper is toxic to carnivorous plants
• Avoid bacteria (Bacillus Subtilis) forms of fungicides
• These are mostly organic and safe to use around people, animals and edible plants, but avoid treating carnivorous plants, especially sundews
• General disinfectants containing quantaray ammonium or demethyl benzyl ammonium chloride
• may prove useful for seed propagation trays but this compound has proven to cause severe chemical burn especially on sundews and butterworts

 

• How to apply:
• Some fungicides are toxic
• Always follow the safety measurements as directed by the manufacturer, and mix as directed
• Sundews are generally very sensitive to chemicals, focus on crown of the plant and try and avoid the sticky dew drops 
• For other carnivorous plants, spray the plant liberally and ensure complete saturation
• Pay special attention to the crown of the plant

 

• General uses:
• May be used on sarracenia as a preventative measure before winter dormancy
• Temperate sundews creates a winter bud called a hibernicula that is prone to botrytis attacks during winter time
• Terrarium plants tend to suffer from mold on the soil that may spread to the plant, use a sulphur based fungicide to treat and limit the spread

** Insecticides & Fungicides are sold exclusively online via our website **