From my roots to my leaves, I must tell you that tap water is essentially poison to me. It is not out of pickiness; it is a matter of survival. My kind evolved in bogs and nutrient-poor environments where the soil has very low mineral content. Tap water, however, is treated and contains dissolved mineral salts, like calcium, magnesium, and chlorine. When you water me with it, these salts accumulate in my soil. They slowly burn my sensitive roots, preventing them from effectively absorbing water. This leads to a cruel irony: I am dying of thirst while surrounded by moisture. You will see my leaves turn brown, my growth stunt, and I will eventually perish from this mineral toxicity.
You see, my carnivorous nature is a brilliant adaptation to my native poor soil. I get the nutrients I need—like nitrogen and phosphorus—from the insects I trap and digest, not from the ground or the water. My root system is designed solely for anchoring me in place and absorbing pure, mineral-free water. When minerals are present in the water, they clog my root cells and interfere with osmosis, the process by which I take in water. This is why I require water that is as pure as the rain that naturally falls in my habitat. It allows my roots to function properly and ensures that the delicate, nutrient-absorbing glands on my traps are not coated and blocked by foreign salts.
To keep me thriving and capable of catching my own meals, I need water with a Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) measurement below 50 parts per million (ppm). The gold standard is rainwater, collected directly from the sky. This is the water nature intended for me. If that is not available, distilled water is a perfect alternative, as the distillation process removes all minerals and impurities. Similarly, water produced by reverse osmosis (RO) systems is also excellent, as it filters out nearly all dissolved solids. You can usually find distilled water at any grocery store. Before using any other source, like well water or bottled drinking water, it is crucial to test it with a TDS meter to ensure it is safe for me.
Simply providing the right water type is not enough; how you water me is equally important. The tray method is most effective. You should always plant me in a pot with drainage holes and then place that pot into a saucer or tray. Keep about half an inch to an inch of your chosen pure water in the tray at all times. This allows the growing medium (usually nutrient-free sphagnum peat moss) to wick up the moisture it needs from the bottom, mimicking the constantly damp conditions of a bog. This method ensures my roots remain hydrated without becoming waterlogged and stagnant, which could lead to rot. Always top up the tray when it dries out; never let my soil become completely dry.
