Struggling d. filiformis and question

[savagegarden]

I recently moved and I don't think my d. filiformis is handling it all that well. Any suggestions on how to help it out? I cut off all that was brown (it's my understanding that brown parts down photosynthesize), did that help or not matter?

Also, what are the nodules near the base of plant?

Pics:

Any help would be appreciated!

 

[Cthulhu138]

Your plant isn't struggling, it's going dormant. Those structures at the base of the plant are hibernacula.

 

[w03]

It looks to me like it's just going dormant.

 

[savagegarden]

Ok great. I'm growing this plant and others indoors in Chicago. Given how cold it gets here, what's the best way to do dormancy for most drosera?

 

[Cthulhu138]

This species along with Sarracenia, Dionaea and several other temperate Drosera should be grown outside year round or put into a cold basement or garage for dormancy. If grown outside in pots in Chicago, I'd recommend the basement or garage route. If these plants were planted in bogs, they could survive outside year round with some light mulching in winter.

 

[savagegarden]

If I decide to do the garage or basement route, how much light should I provide? I have a 4 foot T5HO light with four fluorescent bulbs in it available.

 

[Cthulhu138]

They won't need any light once fully dormant.

 

[savagegarden]

Ok do you recommended tapering off the light? I current have them inside and windows and they are doing well. When do you recommend starting and stopping dormancy?

 

[Cthulhu138]

Leave them where they are until mid to late November then just put them away until March or April. I strongly suggest that you grow these plants outside next year, they'll do much better than they would sitting on a window sill.

 

[dozer1028]

The lower light levels are already being set by the sun. Our shorter days are telling the plants what's coming. .

 

[PsychoSarah]

I time my dormancy for my VFT with holidays, from Thanksgiving to Valentine's Day dormant. It looks like filiformis has a longer dormancy, so you could set it in your basement from Thanksgiving to Easter.