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how to get gemmae?

Right now my pygmy drosera is in my growrack at a 14 hour photoperiod. I will probably lower the photoperiod to 13 for a couple months this winter, but I want to get gemmae sooner for a trade.
could I move the plant to a windowsill?
it would be colder and there would be less light, but It seems like too much of a change.
Should I just change the photoperiod in rack now?- would 1 or 2 hours different even be enough for it to produce gemmae?
Thanks a bunch,
Alec
 
Gemmae are typically produced in the fall / winter time, following the hot and dry period (nature). But even our window sill plants that aren't getting the extremes, mimicking nature, they still produce the gemmae as the temps drop and photoperiod decreases. As with any of our plants, it is best to do things gradually.
 
People that I've talked to that reduce their artificial light period usually lower it by 4 to 6 hours.
 
Hm, should I be worried that my plants haven't started making Gemmae? I have some D. 'pulchella x nitidula' and a single surviving D. scorpioides in a communal pot. They are on a shelf next to my window with a 60W desk lamp on them, I turn on the lamp at 7 AM when I leave for work and turn it off when I get home at 7-8 PM, they also get decent enough sun, indirect all day and direct sun that starts around 1-2 PM and ends around 6 PM.

They were originally in 2 individual pots and a communal saucer, that wasn't working so I transferred them into one big 7.5" pot and they actually started thriving. I repotted them because the media started to smell a bit, I was over-watering and the media was rotting. At the same time I repotted I started watering more frequently but with less water, using a turkey baster or 2 each day.

Any way to induce gemmae growth, or should I just assume that due to their rough summer they won't be doing it this year?
 
well, my pulchella x nitidula didn't produce any gemmae either, but keep in mind, mine were kept indoors in around 75-80 degrees F w/ a 10 hour photoperiod. The only thing that produced gemmae under these conditions were the omissa x pulchella. So if you're planning to keep them indoors, changing the photoperiod may not do it for you.
 
Outdoors isn't an option, I'm in Zone 6 (or 5, depending on who you ask). Outside would kill them rather quickly, I think.

I guess I'll worry about it more once I have a plant rack set up and can reliably work on photoperiods. Hope they don't die before I can get some Gemmae. :(
 
If you do reduce your photoperiod, do not do it all at once; it should be gradual over the course of several weeks. Ideally, you should've started that a few months ago, but it should still be ok. They might not produce gemmae, or, if they do, it will be considerably later than normal.

-Ben
 
If you do reduce your photoperiod, do not do it all at once; it should be gradual over the course of several weeks.

maybe that was my problem....
what pygmies produce gemmae for you when you use this technique, Drosera36?
are there certain types that don't work w/ this method?
thanks,
Aaron
 
I only grow three species: D. scorpioides, D. paleacea ssp. paleacea and D. pulchella. The D. scorpioides and D. paleacea produced gemmae for me when I did this, and it looks like my D. paleacea are starting to do it again this year.

I figure that if you make the photo-period change gradual (as it would be in nature), then the plants are more likely to produce gemmae. I tend to reduce it in half-hour intervals, alternating between the turning-on and turning off times.

i.e., If it currently turns on at 7:30am and turns off at like 8:30pm, I'd switch the turn-on time to a half-hour later to 8:00am, and then around 2 weeks later, I'd switch the turn off time from 8:30pm to 8:00pm. This, I think, just makes it easier on the plants.

Decreases in temperature may also help.

-Ben
 
  • #10
I should invest in a timer for my plants, but man, they're hard to find locally. Hopefully Target will get some in due to all the holiday decorations. Maybe I just shouldn't worry too much about it for right now.
 
  • #11
I produced gemmae from d. pulchella and nitidula x ericksoniae by decreasing the photo period by one hour every week from a thirteen hour period to eight 1/2 hour period. Gemmae were produced about... two weeks after 8 1/2 hour photo period was reached???? Cant... re...member... Its been a while. All plants are grown under lights, with no temperature fluctuations. Average temperature is 72 degrees Fahrenheit.
 
  • #12
Getting them to quit producing gemmae has always been my problem. They grow outside during the summer and in a south window during the winter. I always get a ton of gemmae, though they were a little late starting up this year. I don't give them any supplemental light at all. Just water them when the trays dry out.
 
  • #13
Getting them to quit producing gemmae has always been my problem. They grow outside during the summer and in a south window during the winter. I always get a ton of gemmae, though they were a little late starting up this year. I don't give them any supplemental light at all. Just water them when the trays dry out.

I don't know why but scorpioides (and dichrosepala) struggle every summer. All the nitidulas, Lake whatever, and the others come through just fine. How deep are your pots and do you only add water when the tray is dry?
 
  • #14
Mine sits in water all the time and its a small pot. is this okay?
 
  • #15
Mine sits in water all the time and its a small pot. is this okay?

I am no expert, but I have had a LOT better luck with frequent smaller waterings than soaking up through the tray.

It may be that I just get overzealous and don't let the tray dry out -- you do want to let it dry out between waterings, otherwise you can rot the plant's roots and the bottommost soil. You can tell if this is going on if you take the pot out of the water and the bottom of the pot stinks.

Anyway, yeah, make sure you let the tray dry out a little bit before each watering. :)
 
  • #16
I grew most of the species in my time. In general, cooler temps, photoperiod 10-11 hrs light cycle, wet but not sodden and I strongly suspect any interruption of the dark period may inhibit gemmae production. If all else fails be sure your plants are utterly in the dark. One grower I know had success after blocking off light from a streetlamp. Hope this helps. Do a websearch: Ezine Growing pygmy Drosera for my set up.
 
  • #18
Never had any problems with street lights or any lights at night. Also they can produce gemmae with good hours of light and even in the summer. The temps seem to be a important factor but not the only one since i did try an experiment last summer and give them some cold days ...nothing happend. Maybe the period was to short.
 
  • #19
Re: Streetlights

Well, you never know. All my pots of pygmies except one are on the floor of my balcony. The one exception is a pot of Drosera scorpioides which is on a greenhouse bench.

Over a shared stairway is a light that is on all night for safety reasons. The only pot of pygmies that is exposed to light from this source is the one on the bench, the others being shaded at night either by my Sarracenia or a wall. The bench top pot is the only one not producing gemmae. I'll move it and see what happens.
 
  • #20
Well the interupted dark period inhibiting gemmae is a low sample statistic, but I've heard it from other growers as well, and this observation re: Drosera scoprioides adds yet another datum. I can also add that all of my species/hybrids produced abundant gemmae providing the plants were robust. Another grower told me their plants made gemmae directly below a mercury vapor lamp at her entranceway so go figure,lol.

Sorry about the truncated article, not much help there! Onw wonders where the other bit went...probably next to 200 right hand socks, 5,999 guitar picks and my good looks and intellect.....
 
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