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D. paradoxa and D. madagascariensis

JB_OrchidGuy

Cardiac Nurse
I am still trying to figure out how to bring the dew back to the Paradoxas <span style='color:red'>[Edit: actually Drosera paradoxa; species names have two parts (binomial), Genus + specific epithet, and they are singular and plural, just as they are, without any spelling changes]</span>. I was sent 3 that seem to be in suspended animation. No new leaves yet and no dew. One had a big flower spike that survived the trip and continues to grow, but no dew yet. The big plant I had to begin with is dew-less too, but that could also be because it is in flower too. I have them sitting in water in a ten gallon terrarium under two 13 watt CFs. The funny thing is the D. madagascariensis is also in suspended animation. It started to grow again from where it died back to the main stem when I got it, but now it is frozen in time.

I haven't added foil to the back and sides of the tanks yet. I was going to do that sometimes soon. The tank is also unheated. The lights are in a fish hood and there is an opening in the back of the hood where a filter was supposed to go. Could it be not enough light? There is a falconari <span style='color:red'>[Edit: actually spelled Drosera falconeri]</span> in there too that is growing and has some dew, but not real dewy. It is green with red tentacles. It was red when I got it. So do you think the foil would help that darken up too? Or do I just have too small of lights in the hood? They are bright lights and they plants are sitting about half way up the tank since they are sitting on a rack I put in the tank. Thanks for the help.

I moved these plants in from the GH because I was afraid the 50's would be to cold for them. Is that wrong thinking? Should I move them back out to the GH where the sun can light them instead of the terrarium?
 
Yeah, I like to keep them warm with enough light as possible.

Mine are about 3 inches away from 440 watts of VHO so that tells you something
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Don't be afraid to move them as close to the lights as possible. Petiolarix complex likes it hot anyway.

Add foil. If your sockets are rated for a higher watt bulb, get the highest you can.
 
Well I cannot put bigger lights into this fixture so I will have to add the foil today. DO you still have those water heaters Clint? I might want to add one to te tank to warm it. I don;t have a thermomoeter in it yet and need one, but I am sure its not warming the tank much.
 
Yep. It's old and discolored but you have have it. Send me your address. (Yeah yeah yeah I know)

I dont remember what power it is... I got the highest wattage they had so ... yeah. Pretty powerful. Don't let it evaporate all the water.

It's automatic and has a temp. probe so you can put it in the water and it'll shut off untill the air where the probe is at is hot.


this is it

http://www.marinedepot.com/md_view....t=&key=
 
Foil all the sides and the bottom and get as many lights on top as you can. Don't bother with a water heater as the hassle is not worth it. If you really want a heater go out and buy one of those reptile heat pads that stick to the outside of the tank and stick it to the side of the tank and not the bottom (and make sure the foil is not between the glass and the heater
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)

Both falconeri and paradoxa are pretty robust so they can handle less than ideal conditions.

As for dewyness. I can not explain it but the best dew production I get when the plants are in minimal water. I basically only have a film of water in my petiolaris tanks and they have more dew on them that way than when I had them with 2" of water.
 
why do i get away with using less light than everyone else? mine is roughly 8 inches from 2 T8's with a piece of plexi between it and the lights and its gone nuts............where did you get yours? it is a pretty easy plant, i killed one but it got crushed. as for D. madigascariensis it can take whatever capensis can......a very hardy SOB
 
He got them from me.

I've noticed the same thing. I've noticed that some people with less light than I have with plants further away get better dew production.
 
i wasnt refering to dew production..................i seem to get compact nicely colored plants quite a bit farther from the lights tha most ppl can and i havent figured out why........

was just curious as to where he got the plants cause Jims been sending out quite a few and it seems to me you would be hard pressed to find a sturdier clone but like Pyro said the species in general is a pretty hardy one so i wouldnt worry yet
 
I got the D. madagascariensis a long time ago. These set must be the tenth generation or so.

The D. falconeri I got from Pyro, propagated it to get about 5 or so babies (Pics are in the Sony cybershot thread) and sent the original to josh

The D. paradoxa I got on ebay, propagated and sent one to josh.
 
  • #10
Light is the biggest variable. They both like warmth, but mine have experienced temps in the 40's in the attic, without problems. What hasn't been mentioned is that if there have been changes to its environment, like a lot of moving around, they could be experiencing some shock. So, stability of conditions and waiting it out for new growth might take care of the problem, beyond light and warmth.
 
  • #11
Well I moved the original Paredoxa <span style='color:red'>[Edit: actually spelled, Drosera paradoxa]</span> in from the GH when I started to rebuild the GH. I didn;t want to burn it up on the benches I had outside. That is also when I moved in the falconari. Pyro sent me 3 more clones of Paradoxa <span style='color:red'>[Edit: actually spelled, Drosera paradoxa]</span> and those I can see being in transplant shock. Maybe the large one Clint sent me too, but it has been in its current location for a while so I chalked that up to flower production. So what I am going to do tomorrow is Foil 3 of the sides and the bottom like Pyro sudjested. I will seal up the filter hol in the hood to trap in some more heat. I will also lower the water level and just keep the media moist. Since at the momment the 3 inch posts are sitting in water up to about half the depth of the pot. I will cut the flower stalks off all the paradoxas <span style='color:red'>[Edit: actually spelled, Drosera paradoxa]</span> to allow them to settle in before I go for seed. I will take before and after pictures of the tank tomorrow. Thanks everyone.
 
  • #12
I grow them outside in full sun in summer.
 
  • #13
I would not bother cutting off the flowers, D. paradoxa make them perpetually so cutting off one means that 5 more will take its place. Blooming does not seem to phase these guys much. All things being equal I would not worry overly much about dew production.
 
  • #14
161161715O912521258.jpg

This is the old tank sitting next to the new one. I had an extra ten so I covered it on all sides with foil including the bottom. I just left a small viewing window in the front.
161161728O365732142.jpg

Pyro its already too late I already chopped the spikes.
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I want the dew production! I will go for pollination next flowers. I was worried about the plants and figured that was best, until reading your post.
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161161810O489790240.jpg


Here is a picture of the falconarii <span style='color:red'>[Edit: actually spelled, Drosera falconeri]</span>. It seems to have a total of 3 growth points at the moment too. I hope the addition of the foil and closing the filter holes in the hood will bring back out the red color in this guy.

161161854O019565679.jpg


Here are two of the paradoxas <span style='color:red'>[Edit: actually spelled, Drosera paradoxa]</span> you sent Pyro. One of these had the spike on it I removed.
161161866O272623654.jpg


161161878O417208450.jpg


Now after I set everything up I feed the light probe into the tank and closed the lid. The light probe was sitting on the bottom of the tank, and I was getting a reading of 233 FC That seems a little low don't you think? Considering full sun outside is 6000 FC. I lined most of the underside of the hood with aluminum tape for more reflection down and all sides are covered with foil except the small viewing window seen in the picture. Do you folks think this is enough light? If not I am going to have to build a new hood so I can add more lights.
 
  • #15
Nice. move them as far up as you can.
 
  • #16
And many plants respond favorably with longer ligh duration as well as higher light intensity. I have one rack of light shelves that I keep on 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, and 365 days per year. Those plants that look like they could use a light boost, get a week or two on the 24 hour light shelf, really does them good.
 
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