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D. binata help

Hello
I had to bougth a couple of CP's for a botany lesson in school: one of them's totaled (a flytrap), the other one, a Drosera binata, is still hangig on...
Since I bougth them because I needed them I didn't thougth on what I was gonna do with them, so I need some advice on how to care them, 'cuz for what I've read so far, it ain't precisely easy...
Now...
It's really small (just 1 inch high), it's on a styrofoam cup, I have been watering it with laboratory-grade distiled water... It's the end of Autum here, so sun is rather scarce with so many clouds... I live in Veracruz, so weather is rather... Crappy... Humidity is low this time of the year, so water evaporates quickly...

What would you recommend?
A lamp? Keep it on a terrarium?
 
I think a little more about your conditions will be able to help people guide you in the right direction.

Temperatures, night and day. Is it on a windowsill? Which way does the window face? Approximate humidity? You mention its in a styrofoam cup but no mention of the actual media it is growing in.

Until then here is a good read for you:
http://www.growsundews.com/sundews/Drosera_binata_varieties.html
 
All rigth them... Temperatures: day 14-28 °C, humidity ranges from 90% at nigths to 60% during noon...
As far as I can tell, it is peat moss, doesn't seem to contain vermiculite or perlite... Window faces South, so there's direct sunlight for about 6-8 hours depending on the clouds...
 
I'd get some fresh media and make it looser. 50/50 peat and either sand or perlite is good. Even though the plant is small there may be an issue of the roots being crowded, especially if the media isn't right. Moving it into a bigger pot earlier would be beneficial IMO.

D. binata are pretty hardy but they do have basic needs.

How often are you watering? Most dews do just fine using the tray method.
 
Spraying 3 a day 'cuz despite it's not so hot out there, water evaporates anyway... And specially the distiled water... I think tray method would be a waste of water... I'll be finishing semester next week, so I won't have access to the water 'till the beggining of February, I only have about 250 ml as a reservoir, and rain is hard to come by in this time of the year...
I have peat moss (a very dark one I procured at a pet shop)... I know were to get a pot at least 3 times bigger... Should I try to transplant?
As for ligth... Should I get artificial ligthing?
 
the soil mix needs to be keep wet ,best way is to have the pot in a tray or larger pot with 2 cm of water in it
ro water can be bought in most supermarkets in the united states I would guess you can get it in super markets in larger cities in Mexico,
the soil needs to feel wet when you touch it
if you can post a picture it would help find the problem
 
250ml of water will get you no where. Your going to have to find another supply of water whether you keep in it the tray method (best) or not.

Humidity, temperature and light sound fine. I would do as jpappy said and replant in a 50/50 mix or sand/peat or perlite/peat and keep it sitting in 2-3cm of water. Larger pot would probably be beneficial too, 10cm pot would work great.
 
Many of the D. binata go dormant in the winter, dying down to the roots. Warmer temperatures may or may not prevent this. If it goes dormant you want to cut back the watering and just keep the soil damp. Provided all is well growth should resume in the spring.
 
Flytraps will be very difficult for you to grow in your climate. I've been to Mexico several times, including in the winter/dry season, so I know just how scarce rain is. If you can install a rain barrel on hour house/apartment. Stocking up on water in the wet season makes the dry season much easier to manage.

You may want to try some local Pinguicula. They'll be very easy to grow in your area since they're used to the climate.
 
  • #10
Well... FOr the time being I want to keep this one alive before thinking on getting anything else... I looks like tonight's gonna rain... I'll see to repot it tomorrow... And to take some pics...
 
  • #11
i would reccomend you get some tropical species~!
 
  • #12
Well... Status update:
The Dionaea was discarded today... Dried down to the underground stem... Judging from the lack of, well, any roots, I'd say it had just been recently passed to the ground from a petri dish...
Now...
I just realizad that no one seems to know what in the world "peat moss" is... For example:
DSC03011.JPG

Left: the Dionaea and Binata's substrate... Rigth: a part of what they say in the garden store is "peat moss"...

I'll have to order it online with some perlite...
Now, as for the survivor:
DSC03014.JPG


Small... Very small, but at least it's green...
Last nigth it rained... I collected about half a litre... Apparently tonigth's gonna rain again... I'll place more buckets...
 
  • #13
that is much to dry ,the stuff it came in is peat moss,the stuff on the right is compost and will kill your plants
 
  • #14
Yikes, hopefully it will recover. The media it's in looks like it could be too compacted IMO and definitely needs to be wetter. That being said the stuff on the right looks really dark if it is dry.

Are the pots allowed to drain?

Is there any source around you for bottled RO or distilled water? While not free like rain water it would be easier and less dependent on the weather.

Also, is there still a noticeable growing point?
 
  • #15
I just watered... And I knew there was something funny about that substrate ¬¬
I'm checking prices for the perlite and actual peat moss... Repoting will have to wait a bit more...
 
  • #16
its called pubes del toro im told peat moss take a long time to get wet you have to soak it not just poor water on it

---------- Post added at 10:13 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:12 AM ----------

La turba de musgo

---------- Post added at 10:14 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:13 AM ----------

La turba de musgo you have to soak the peat moss before using it
 
  • #17
Yikes, hopefully it will recover. The media it's in looks like it could be too compacted IMO and definitely needs to be wetter. That being said the stuff on the right looks really dark if it is dry.

Are the pots allowed to drain?

Is there any source around you for bottled RO or distilled water? While not free like rain water it would be easier and less dependent on the weather.

Also, is there still a noticeable growing point?

Ok... If it's like the Dionaea's was, then it's compact...
Drain, yes, I punched holes in the bottom of the cup...
As for the water, well, not really... RO cannot beguarrantied not to have pollutants 'cuz RO is normally treated with disinfectants, and the closest thing to distilled is ironing water (apparently, it's demineralized, but I don't know to what degree)... The only other source it's my school's lab... I'll see how much I can "borrow" in this week... It's not 'cuz it's free... It's just hard to come by...
 
  • #18
You've recieved some good advice so Ill leave it at that.

If your binata doesn't make it id suggest trying some Mexican Pinguicula. These could be kept outside year round at your home or inside on a windowsill. Their watering schedule is perfect with your climate as you are in Mexico, so rainwater could be used with no need to buy RO or distilled. Some of the easier species are P. moranensis, P. gigantea, P. agnata etc, but I find most very simple. All of the bigger species are especially easy.

Here is some great info on them:
http://pinguicula.org/pages/pages_principales/content.html
 
  • #19
Update:
Been watering, today there has been a lot of sun... He has been enjoying it all day long...
I noticed that the little growing bud is growing... About 2 mm since I brougth it here... I just ordered peat moss and perlite online (from someone who sells CP and thet I assume, knows what's this about)...
I'll buy the bigger pot when I have the substrates...
If it all goes all rigth maybe I'll buy another one... But that's a big "IF"...
Thanks 2 everyone for their help!
 
  • #20
your welcome
 
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