Hey aashishkabob, Congrats on the new purchase of your new VFT. I read that your plant's traps aren't deep red like the ones' you've seen in books or pictures on-line. Venus' flytraps will only make reddish traps if they are grown under good lighting. Meaning, they will only make healthy, big red traps if you grow them in a sunny location. Good thing you clipped off that flower stalk, Unless you are truly experienced growing these magnificent plants, stay away from allowing it to flower. Venus' flytraps don't die after flowering. as long as they get good lighting, they will grow Healthy. I live in california, i grow my venus' flytraps outside all year round. Some plants i grow them in my windosill. If your plant is not going dormant, it's Ok. most likely it's confused since it has been growing in that plastic container. remove all the coverings around the plant. Any type of Dome, or plastic cover or plastic cup that covered your plant.. it's best to get rid of it. If it came in a small plastic pot, then it will grow fine there. If your plant chooses to keep on growing, don't force it to make it go dormant. just keep on growing it. You may give it a proper dormancy next fall. Dormancy isn't only about temperature, but also about Light. as winter arrives, days become shorter and colder. flytraps rely on sunlight in order for them to grow properly. If you don't have a proper place to grow your plants outside, You may grow your VFT in a sunny windowsill. If a sunny windosill is not available, You may grow your plant under flourecent lights. a 40 Watt lightbulb is sufficient. My plants usually get 4 to 6 hours of direct sunlight during the growing season(february through october) Or if they are grown under lights, they will need about 16 hours of artificial lighting daily during the growing season. To water your plant is easily, Simply fill in a small type of shallow saucer with Purified water only, then after filling the saucer with water, slowly summerge your plant's pot into the water. this way, its soil will always be moisten at all times. Here's an example how i water my VFTs, i fill in purified water into the saucer, then i summerge its pot into the water to keep its soil always moisten during the growing season. Never allow its soil to dry out: Venus' flytraps Prefer Being watered with Purified water, reverse osmosis water, rain or clean water. No tap water. VFTs prefer medias/soils such as: *sphagnum Peatmoss mixed with perlite. *long fibered sphagnum moss *sphagnum Peat moss alone. No regular potting soil for these plants. as regular potting soil contains hidden fertilizers and are much mor suitable for regular house plants. venus' flytraps aren't compatible with fertilizers. their roots burn easily. Make sure to provide good lighting for your plant. Always keep its Soil moisten at all times. This is a picture of my flytraps that i grow outside. I allow them to flower every season. they get about 4 to 6 hours of full sunlight during the growing season.

Hi there, and congrats on getting a new VFT. I would probably leave it in the pot it is in now, since it looks to be the correct size and it is made of plastic; unless the potting medium you have it in is incorrect. I usually use perlite and peat mixed together in equal amounts, though some people use other ingredients. I also use the tray method of watering, with distilled water, but if you leave it outside rainwater works just as well, if not better. Raising the humidity in the growing area would help, too. And most importantly, do not be afraid to give your trap lots and lots of light.

you would need Pure Sphagnum PEat for soil, with either half perlite or half sand. Use only Pure WAter, and sence you just purchased it im guessig its kind of weak for a VFT, so i dont know that you want it going dormant it could die. So use artificial light I dont know to much on that but some one ealse should and will fill you in, but basicaly a couple Cool flourecent light bulbs, and a timer works good, they like lots of light, probably bout 12 or more hours of light to get good coloration. But being inside it wont get great coloration. As for puttingit inside, dont just take of the Plastic dome, slowly take it off, prop up one side a lil bit for 2 days the other side for 2 days so on and so forth till you prop all sides off, then you leave that their for about 3 days then take it off, this is what has worked for me. You would want about a 6 inch Pot. And would probably want to have about 2 inches in standing water letting the water table change from time to time, and its ok to flood it once or twice not to often. Some one will fill you in more detailed if i missed any thing. Cheers n good luck

I'd keep the tray full of water, it'll suck up as much as it needs. They're swamp plants, so don't worry, you aren't going to drown it. The colour looks okay, but if it gets worse take it away from direct light and put it on a window sill so the sun has to filter through the glass and is less harsh This post was edited by Squishy666 on Fri, Feb 6, 15 at 19:41