The one thing to remember is never give your plant tap water, the chlorine and harsh minerals in most areas will kill your plant. Always water your VFT from the bottom, never the top. Rainwater is the preferred choice or if you don't have that then distilled water will suffice.

Spring until the end of summer - always keep your VFT in a tray of rainwater 2-3cm deep on a south-facing windowsill, or in a conservatory or unheated greenhouse. They love plenty of warmth and full sun.

Autumn into winter- At the end of the growing season and this depends on what part of the country that you live in, but typically around the end of October / November some of the foliage will start to wilt and turn black and die off, this is a totally natural process as the plant needs to take a rest and goes into dormancy. At this stage empty the tray of water that the plant has been sitting in and just keep the plant damp, not wet. We dont want the plant to rot during dormancy.

My VFT looks dead do I throw it away?

During dormancy, the traps turn black wait until the whole petiole (leaf) has turned black, then carefully snip it off with a pair of sharp scissors. You may find that the plant looks dead. Do not throw it away . It is most likely sleeping, wait until the spring where you will find that it shoots back to life.

Are there any common mistakes to avoid?

Venus fly traps do not need feeding; they are more than capable of catching their own food. Never put your finger in a trap forcing it to close, as this can weaken the plant and eventually lead to its death.