Post by jdallas on Jan 2, 2011 23:34:45 GMT
Nearly all the literature I've read over the years describes Drosophyllum as being difficult, if not nearly impossible to transplant. Early last fall I decided it was time to give it a try to see if it was possible. These are my results to date.
Last September I selected a pot with four plants that was very crowded in its pot. These were germinated in the 6" terracotta pot, and had been living in that pot for roughly two and a half years. I selected this pot because the plants had very long woody stems, and were getting smaller each year. It was beginning to look like the plants may die anyway if they didn't get more room. I figured it wouldn't be a huge loss to loose this one, so it was worth the risk to see if it could be transplanted.
Initially I soaked the plant in a dish with a Superthrive solution to both hydrate the soil, and to try an minimize the disturbance to the roots. Superthrive does seem to assist with new root development, so it was worth trying.
Next I selected a 10" glazed ceramic pot and filled it with a mix of equal parts peat, perlite, pumice and sand, thoroughly wetted. I used a 6" identical terracotta pot to use as a form to create the hole for the plant to go into.
I next gently turned to plant upside down and let it fall into my hand, then placed it in the hole formed in the soil of the new pot. I added a little more soil media, and watered it with the remaining Superthrive solution from the soaking dish.
This is the plant three months later. It was kept in our sundew greenhouse next to our other Drosophyllum and South African sundews. It was kept just damp like the others, and did have supplemental lighting from a metal halide light to extend daylight starting in November.
Since the photos were taken in December, one of the plants has died, but the pot was being kept excessively wet. Before that the plant that died was growing well, so I'm assuming root rot was the cause, not the transplant, especially since it was so long after the transplant. All the other plants are growing well.
Has anyone else tried transplanting an adult plant?
Jeff
Last September I selected a pot with four plants that was very crowded in its pot. These were germinated in the 6" terracotta pot, and had been living in that pot for roughly two and a half years. I selected this pot because the plants had very long woody stems, and were getting smaller each year. It was beginning to look like the plants may die anyway if they didn't get more room. I figured it wouldn't be a huge loss to loose this one, so it was worth the risk to see if it could be transplanted.
Initially I soaked the plant in a dish with a Superthrive solution to both hydrate the soil, and to try an minimize the disturbance to the roots. Superthrive does seem to assist with new root development, so it was worth trying.
Next I selected a 10" glazed ceramic pot and filled it with a mix of equal parts peat, perlite, pumice and sand, thoroughly wetted. I used a 6" identical terracotta pot to use as a form to create the hole for the plant to go into.
I next gently turned to plant upside down and let it fall into my hand, then placed it in the hole formed in the soil of the new pot. I added a little more soil media, and watered it with the remaining Superthrive solution from the soaking dish.
This is the plant three months later. It was kept in our sundew greenhouse next to our other Drosophyllum and South African sundews. It was kept just damp like the others, and did have supplemental lighting from a metal halide light to extend daylight starting in November.
Since the photos were taken in December, one of the plants has died, but the pot was being kept excessively wet. Before that the plant that died was growing well, so I'm assuming root rot was the cause, not the transplant, especially since it was so long after the transplant. All the other plants are growing well.
Has anyone else tried transplanting an adult plant?
Jeff
