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Sundews that do well with almost no water and don't care about humidity

  • #21
It would seem to me that in pursuing the cultivation of this genus, the goal would be to aim high (beautifully grown specimen plants) rather than low (inferior plants chosen to tolerate neglect/abuse). That's just me, I guess. Maybe not everyone wants to aim as high as I do. *shrug*
 
  • #22
If your main concern in that you might forget to water them, then like ThePlantman said, look into an "automatic" watering system. A 2-liter soda bottle filled with distilled water and a small hole cut / melted in the bottom should keep a single tray set for a couple weeks at a time.

As for putting them outside in SC, pretty much any of the non-pygmy, non-tuberous dews should be able to handle that so long as their soil is kept moist. (With a couple exceptions, like perhaps D. adelae.) They should also be able to handle the low RH of your home if you're planning to grow them indoors this Winter, provided they're kept relatively warm, and again, moist.
 
  • #23
It would seem to me that in pursuing the cultivation of this genus, the goal would be to aim high (beautifully grown specimen plants) rather than low (inferior plants chosen to tolerate neglect/abuse). That's just me, I guess. Maybe not everyone wants to aim as high as I do. *shrug*

I similarly (because I'm required to!) make the distinction between "a display- or show-quality specimen plant" and a lackluster plant that just isn't shining amongst its peers. And then--and I've got these too--a plant where I'm explaining why it's dead or burned rather than emphasizing its positive attributes. And in that last case, I've lost my audience as well as a good learning opportunity. I realize that doesn't apply to everyone, and at the end of the day there's something to be said about the convenience of being able to overlook your plant collection. Most of my free time goes to all the plants that need me, and I can never let my guard down because things start dying, but understandably I'm sure there are less crazy folks who have other hobbies.

My joke with folks is often this: I've killed so many plants in so many ways that, by process of elimination, I've wound up doing the things that work. I consider it somewhat of a duty, having figured out a lot of horticultural techniques along the way, to ensure that kind of knowledge gets propagated. I want more plant people in the world, so I try not to hoard knowledge whenever possible. Breaking down that fear barrier is the most singularly crucial thing to get other people interested in plants. It can be overwhelming to learn not only the plants themselves, but cultural techniques. Especially if you don't have a community to go to, or can't afford good reference books. I was such a broke little teenager when I began wanting plants that I dreaded spending even 50 cents on my first S. leucophylla seed purchase, and it was almost 5 years before I stopped having to check out The Savage Garden from the library. I went it alone for several years trying to figure out CPs, orchids, succulents, and anything that caught my interest. It's hard for people to learn on their own, questioning every decision they make with a plant, or fearing to make what can be the right decisions at times (ex. repotting/dividing). I can personally attest that growing a versatile array of plants isn't something you can learn from schooling. Even though I studied horticulture, there wasn't a single class dealing with hardly anything I grow at work or home. The self-directed approach is still the most applicable and valuable skill in my field. Most folks are taught simply how to grow crops, or annuals, and make money. It's also about making your plants cheap, mass-produced, and expendable rather than culture them so well that a specimen lasts throughout the entirety of its natural lifespan. That concept in and of itself is what I consider the best judge of skill for a horticulturist. How long have you kept this plant, and does it look as good as the day you first got it?

I didn't find this out until I was almost a decade into growing plants: it's not until you've optimized a plant that you truly learn to recognize horticultural problems. To troubleshoot, you've got to know what a plant should look like, how many flowers it should be making, or how fast it should be growing. Attention to details that 99% of "normal" people get by without noticing. I call it my "plant sense," sorta like spider sense, and it took me a long time to develop this. And an additional caveat: you have to think like a plant and do things the plant's way at all times. It enables you to create the "WOW" factor with plants, which is what I use as capital to captivate and educate whenever I can. That's why I feel like it's important to always work to sharpen your skills, make happy your green friends, and add to the number of folks in the world that care about the natural world. I'll never remotely dream to be a "perfect" horticulturist because there's just too much to learn about the world. But, I am a perfectionist and I only want to say that there is an immensely huge purpose in wanting to maximize your plants, your skills, and your own learning opportunities.

Off the soapbox. I hope it doesn't sound abrasive to those who just want easy-maintenance plants, but I had to say it because this is something I feel deeply passionate about.
 
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  • #24
But, I am a perfectionist and I only want to say that there is an immensely huge purpose in wanting to maximize your plants, your skills, and your own learning opportunities.

Off the soapbox. I hope it doesn't sound abrasive to those who just want easy-maintenance plants, but I had to say it because this is something I feel deeply passionate about.

Beautifully stated, Kevin. Thank you.
 
  • #25
If you really want a Drosera that you just ignore, you can grow D. adelae in a completely sealed bottle terrarium on a reasonably sunny windowsill.

It's not going to be pretty, but it probably won't die either.
 
  • #26
If your main concern in that you might forget to water them, then like ThePlantman said, look into an "automatic" watering system. A 2-liter soda bottle filled with distilled water and a small hole cut / melted in the bottom should keep a single tray set for a couple weeks at a time.
Can you show a picture of what that setup might look like?

I found this, but am looking for something that could hold the water I fill i with for a long time.
486793869_303.jpg

My other option I guess is just to keep an upside down jar on it when I am away from home for half the year.
 
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  • #27
It's really simple, just take a soda bottle and punch a hole where you want the water level in the tray to stay at. Then plop it in the tray and fill it with water.

The logic is water will flow out from the bottle through the hole and fill up the tray until it reaches the level of the hole. Then no more water will flow out, since no air can get in the bottle to displace it.
 
  • #28
My other option I guess is just to keep an upside down jar on it when I am away from home for half the year.

If that timeframe is literal, then you need to either get a plant-sitter, take them with you, or invest yourself in a different hobby. I would think even most cacti/succulents would like a watering more often than every 6 months. :/
 
  • #29
Maybe u should try air plants... But even those need a thorough misting/soak once every while..
 
  • #30
I doubt air plants would be a good option. They require at least one good soak per week, and/or several times being drenched under your sink throughout the week. On the other hand they would be easier to bring with you as opposed to a dripping wet drosera pot spilling peat and sand all over haha.
 
  • #32
If you really want a Drosera that you just ignore, you can grow D. adelae in a completely sealed bottle terrarium on a reasonably sunny windowsill.

It's not going to be pretty, but it probably won't die either.

Yeah. Adelae overcrowding does look bad, doesn't it.
 
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