I’M JUST CURIOUS: My unusual plants

Venus Fly Trap (Dionaea muscipula)

by Debbie Walker

I do not have a green thumb. My interest is mostly in the more unusual plants, at least I think they are unusual. This time I am trying to keep a Venus Fly Trap alive.

Did you ever try to grow one? My daughter, Deana, and I tried a hundred years ago (well, not quite). I read that they can grow to be 20 years old. I don’t believe ours died of old age; I think we would have realized all this if she had made it very long. Now, I might add that I have an idea why she wouldn’t have lasted very long

When I was researching the Venus Fly Trap last night, I wanted to know how to feed this poor little character. The first thing I saw was “Do not feed them hamburger meat.” I think that means I committed murder with the first one. That’s the only thing I remember feeding it. So far among all my friends it is believed you can feed them hamburger.

Also, any water you use should be distilled or rainwater. Oops. How many keep distilled water around or even rainwater? No one I have talked to so far, in fact no one else had ever had the want-to. Yesterday I went into the local pet store to purchase dehydrated blood worms. Yes, that was certainly a new kind of shopping for me!

What made me think of that was a few years ago Ken and I had an unusual request from our neighbor. He had young boys that wanted geckos for Christmas. Oh yes, we did, we said okay after hearing that they didn’t have any reason to come out of the box they lived in. Oh, and then he told us he was going to go get the crickets we would need to feed them. Feed them! Feed them, something alive and wiggly! Luckily, we were able to get through that time keeping the geckos alive and even a few crickets!

We moved after the Christmas the boys wanted two little yorkie pups. Two weeks we babyset them and I mean infant-set. Not much sleeping for those two weeks. They wanted to be fed or just held. We did learn our lesson though. We knew better than to ever be foolish enough to think we ever wanted a puppy of our own. Fortunately, we moved before the next Christmas. I was told the boys wanted a rooster and hens. They wanted to be able to sell eggs for spending money.

I believe a few weeks ago I might have told you about the crazy gift for my grandkids this year. Every year I have to do something “unusual” for them. This year with the help of my neighbor, Glen, I will be giving them a gift of loofa sponges that we grew. Odd plant? I think so. Most people think they are ocean grown sponges, but they aren’t. At one point in the growing process, you can eat them about like cucumbers, so they say. It didn’t appeal to me. I have been taking pictures along the way and will be giving them each a book of the growing and some information about the loofa. I even have one for them to uncover the real sponge.

I just wonder if you have some stories you’d like to share. I’ll be waiting. Contact me at DebbieWalker@townline.org with questions, comments, or stories. Have a wonderful week, Thank you for reading!