Utricularia Sandersonii- What does it take?

[unstuckintime]

Hi,
I bought this Utricularia Sandersonii Blue Form as a one-inch plug from Cascading Carnivores last year, and as you can see, it has done well and is over-flowing its three-inch pot.



My question is, what does it take to get these guys to bloom? I have the same problem with my U. Longifolia, which i've had for longer. These guys just dont want too bloom. How can something, which is obviously a very happy plant, not be willing to bloom?
Its in my dirty-and-sparsely-populated terrarium now under two compact florescent lights, as it has been since i got it. It has twelve hour "days" over the summer, and I'm now transitioning into sixteen hour "days" for winter. I'm apprehensive to take it out and put it in a South Window for lack of humidity and light.
I live in Northern MA, does anyone around here (or further north) have successful experience getting these, and other Utrics, to bloom when grown au-natural? I thank in advance for any advice/encouragement given.

Cj

[Dave Evans]

Are you giving the plants seasonal changes in temperature and water levels and day length? Try a winter day length of 11 hours or 11.5 hours. 16 hours for winter days makes little sense to me as winter takes place (everywhere) when the day length is below 12 hours per day. I'm not sure your plants will be convinced it is winter if the days are well above 12 hours long.

These are all factors which can influence flowering in Utricularia. Especially water level. It has a strong influence over whether the plants will flower or not.

U. sandersonii can flower non-stop for several weeks, or more. Reducing the water level can allow more warmth to reach the plants, enouraging flowers. The "blue" form is rather odd... I'm not convinced it is U. sandersonii and it flowers much less than the "normal form". These "blue" flowers are much fewer only one to three; and a bit larger and have quite a different shape.

U. longifolia will flower once per year, but the flowers are very large and can last a while.

[unstuckintime]

The reason i stretch the "day" length in winter is to mimic summer. The seasons in my terrarium are opposite of the ones outside, in hopes of getting blossoms during this artificial "summer." But thank you, i will try the water-level thing, by introducing a flood, then let it evaporate away to expose the plants to more warmth.

[unstuckintime]

So, i took a bunch of little pinches and tossed them into a D. Capensis pot, for no reason other than maybe they'll bloom next summer when the sundew goes outside, but then, a month later, a bud! This is another example, i guess, of the less attention you pay to it, the happier it is.