Calling All Drosera Experts

[PlantAKiss]

Hi everybody

I finally got my little sundew tank set up. I don't have many but its a start. I have one spathulata and one adelae (from Ex.G.), one "unidentifed" (d. Homus Depoticus...did I get that right, Ram?), one binata, one filliformis 'tracyii' and one capensis. The binata and filliformis spent 3 weeks in baggies in the mail so when they arrived they were basically black mush. But upon close inspection, I found signs of growth so I planted them and...lo and behold, they started to grow! The capensis spent 5 weeks in a baggie in the mail...but just before I was going to pitch it, i saw a dot of green so I planted that and ....lo and behold again...I now have a teeny tiny capensis 'alba'! Soooo...basically most of what I have is reeeeaaally small.

My main question is similar to Sea's food question...what types of food can I feed them since they are enclosed and can't feed naturally? I'm worried that they won't grow as well never getting bug nutrients. I've seen lots of debates about different things like eggwhite, chocolate, fish foods, etc. So I wanted to know what would be the closest substitute for a real bug? Seems to me I've heard of something called wingless fruit flies?... or something like that. And dried blood worms? If so, where do you get that kind of thing? If there were some kind of reeeal little live bug I could buy, I'd prefer that to something dried...unless it really doesnt matter. Any bug/worm/larvae that is harmful and to be avoided?

Other question is....my filliformis was doing pretty well (considering its mail ordeal). It seemed to be fine with three leaves about 1/2 inch tall. Then day before yesterday when I did my usual "see how much they've grown" check, I was horrified to see two of the leaves had blackened at the base and were obviously dying. When I touched them, they just fell off. There is one leaf left and I'm not too sure it's going to survive. Any suggestions as to what could have caused that Rot? Do filliformis not like to be kept as wet as other drosera? Could it have been too humid? One day fine...next day black.

And is there any hope the root might be ok and another plant come up? I'm really upset over this. I've waited a long time to get some drosera and start my tank and I was so excited to get a few things going.

Well, if anybody who is familiar with drosera has any suggestions/tips for keeping them happy and healthy, I'd really appreciate it. It seems the VFTs and neps are most popular, but I really like the sundews. There are many more I want to get.

Sorry this is so long...they never look too long until I actually post it and then I go "oh my god!" lol

Thanks!
Suzanne

 

[PlantAKiss]

Sorry for the double post...how'd that happen?

Phil, Jaie...can you take it off? soooo sorry!

suzanne

 

[trashcan]

I'm not the Drosera expert, or an expert on anything for that matter. But I do know you can get freeze-dried blood worms at your local pet store if you ask for them.

Patrick

 

[Pyro]

PlantAKiss

What I've found best for "feeding" plants is to use a dilute fertilizer 1-2 times a month (I use 1/4 strength 30-10-10 orchid fertilizer with great results.) I'm not sure what might be wrong with you filiformis but mine did something similar when I got it and then it took of growing again so it might be nothing. Another consideration is that it is approaching dormancy time. Let us know if it takes a turn for the worst and we'll try and help.

 

[Martin]

Drosera need extrem less nutrients so they will be very happy with no food or firtilizer because the normaly used peat sand mix is much richer than the soil in natural habitat...

I would be extremly !!! careful with chemical firtilizer on Drosera or Byblis (I wouldn't suggest any experiemts if you don't have at least two plants of theis spezies)
Use fruitflies or something similar if you want to feed them.

The problem with the mail order...
why don't you try seed. Most Drosera will reach maturity in less than a year. Fresh !!! Drosera seed germinates very easy.

Drosera binata and Drosera filiformis are "dying" during the winter months at least here in Germany. Drosera filiformis forms small buds and Drosera binata will recover from the thick roots.
(but maybe your plants are too small to survive

)

Martin

 

[PlantAKiss]

Thanks to all of you for your suggestions.

I just discovered (from The Savage Garden) that the rotundifolia (no sign of life there yet), the binata and the filiformis require dormancy. Waaaaahhhhh!!! NOW what?? The binata is growing so fast! It just got started! Same with the filiformis though it seems to be dying now (and I doubt its from dormancy because it has not been cold). What a heartbreak! Do I take my new, young plants and toss them outside with the VFTs and pitchers? I have to "kill" that binata thats grown from a speck to a 4" plant in 3 weeks? "Pain...thy name is 'dormancy'!"

Sooooo...looks like all I'll have in my new tank is the spath and the Homus Depoticus. oh yeah...the capensis! I can leave that one in there. yay! It's such a cute little bugger...only about 1/3" tall. I guess I can entertain myself watching that one grow.

Suzanne

 

[Mondo]

I was wondering about the temps etc capensis required for dormancy aswell... when i had mine i put it in the fridge during winter and took it out in spring and it seemed to gorw again and thrive-i had an capesis alba aswell!!!!!!!they have clear drops right? And mine started to grow another little one out of it's base-it would have been nice to have a clump of them but i had to move and gave them away....
Capensis come from cape town in south africa-so i'm gonna go throught the web with a tooothbrush and find the winter temps experianced in cape town during winter...if i find anything on them i'll tell u ok?

 

[phlitrapguy]

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