unhealthy juvenille pygmy sundews

[ahortman]

My newest pygmy and rosetted sundews are flourishing in a 30-gallon tank on its side with the suggested lights (1 4' cool white and 1 4' daylite bulb). They are about to flower and have all gotten their dew. Unfortunately, the ones I got in December are doing pretty bad. They were in a sunny windowsill for about three weeks until I got the indoor setup finished. They are: D.callistos, D. Lake Badgerup, D. palacea trichaulis, D. stelliflora and D. nitidulaxpulchella. All of these guys are mostly brown, some all. I'm using the water tray method for this group. I should add that these are my first Drosera plants. All in standard CP mix with great pH readings on water from pots. And my scorpiodes are all dry-looking and covered with white hairs. All were bought from Cook's, and the other CPs from there are great! Everything I've read has been contradictory about light, water, dormancy, etc. Can anyone help? Thanks, Angela

[Not a Number]

It sounds like your D. scorpioides are dormant. Pygmy sundews usually die down to a stipule bud (the hairy white part of the leaves) when they go dormant. There should be a green bit in the center.

I don't know what to tell you about the others.

[ahortman]

Thanks for help. I'll check around to see what to do with dormant pygmies. I've read that they don't HAVE to go dormant, but I guess I can't successfully argue that point to a plant, even a carnivorous one. And I'm just starting...

[Brian Barnes]

Hi Angela. I currently grow 26 species of pygmy Drosera. In my experience, alot of the species you mentioned, which i also grow, seem to like a sandier mix than most (3/4 sand, 1/4 peat) and they don't like the compost super saturated either. It is also quite possible that you burned your plants with light, especially if they came from a shadier growing evironment prior to your purchasing them...
I never leave my pygmies in standing water for too long, just enough water to be drawn from the tray into the pots and i only water again when the pots are slightly dry around the outermost edges. I would most definitely dry the pots out a bit and hope for the best...
Good Luck and Happy Growing,
Brian.

[ahortman]

Thanks, Brian. You said you grow yours in a sandier mix, but then 3:1 peat/sand. Is this what you meant or vice versa? I did plant all of these in a 3:1 sand/peat mix, so they are in more sand than the other Drosera I have. I did take them out of the water tray because they looked like "regular" house plants (which I had 100s of until I discovered CPs!) that have been overwatered or have root rot. They were brown and soggy looking before I put them into the current lighting situation that I have and the window (their first home) wasn't very bright, so I don't think I burned them. Probably more along the opposite line of not enough light. Also, I was wondering what to use as a top dressing or if they need one. I spent all of yesterday reading my CP books and most pics had sand or really fine gravel with the pygmies. I put some moistened LFS in when I moved them to the terrarium-ish setup. I'll try taking that out, too. And, if you don't mind, I have another question. I couldn't find anywhere what to do with dormant pygmies. I have Sarras and Flytraps that are partially dormant in my basement windowsill. As Not a Number said, I'm pretty sure the scorpiodes are dormant. Do I leave them in the lighted tank and cut down on water, or move them down to the basement? Much appreciated tip on watering properly. Thanks again, Angela

[Not a Number]

Most Pygmy Drosera go dormant during the hot dry season (summer). I'd cut down the watering and give them plenty of light.

This article may be of interest and use to you:

www.cephalotus.net/article.aspx?cid=1&y=2001&m=9&d=12

[ahortman]

Wow! That article is exactly what I needed for soils! Thanks for all your help. Do you think temperature will affect the dormancy length? They are in a non-heated tank. Temps range from 53F at night to 65F or so during the day.

[Not a Number]

You can look up the species on FloraBase and overlay the location information to get approximate climate averages for the areas in Western Australia that they are found.

FloraBase (enter species or just "Drosera" in search box):

florabase.calm.wa.gov.au/

Climate Averages (click the "WA" radio button in State/Territory box, move the map navigator to the region and click on the station(s) nearest to the locations from FloraBase):

www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/index.shtml

Remember the seasons are reversed between the Northern and Southern hemispheres.

[Brian Barnes]

Hi Angela. I've edited my post. The media is 3/4 sand, 1/4 peat.
Geesh, what my Dad said long ago was right! Once you hit 40... ;D ;D
Sorry bout that mix-up.
Happy Growing,
Brian.