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Acclimatiizing tuberous drosera from australia

I've just received a couple of rare and desirable tubers of two Drosera from Australia, D. zigzagia and D. erythrorhiza ssp. squamosa and now have the challenge of acclimatising them to life in the N. Hemisphere.

I'm not new to growing tuberous species, but have only ever grown plants that were already in sync with my seasons. I've read what little I can find on the subject in Savage Garden and Slack's two books, so I know the basics involved in acclimatisation. What I'm after are useful tips and advice, based on experience, to maximise my chances of success. The D. erythrorhiza had already begun stolon growth on arrival and is planted, the D. zigzagia is awaiting signs of growth.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Vic
 
I haven't actually done this, but my plan is to treat them like potatos. Store the tubers in a loose paper bag, and store in cool, dark conditions (i.e. my damp cellar). I figure the paper will pull in the needed moisture to keep the tubers turgid. Check them every week or to, and do nothing until the tuber sprouts from the "eye", at which point plant the tubers with the eye close to the surface (not buried to several times the depth, that did not work well for me! I had to replant tubers treated like this) That is my plan anyways, should I ever manage to find the tubers. I am planning on treating U. menziesii in the same fashion. I can't think of any better strategy. You might try making inquiry of Phil Wilson as he seems to have a method that works for him in your neck of the woods.

BTW, I spoke with Phill Mann recently, and he says he has a good number of the native OZ Drosera species in TC. The problem seems to be in finding an appropriate medium to grow them in, and harden them off. Phill has a fancy dancy new TC lab and grow room, and I think that the future will see more of this type material made available in an ecologically sound way (which I doubt is now the case).
 
I've found with other tubers, that keeping them in the dark in zip-lock bags with a little live-sphagnum until they start to sprout works fine, I've done this successfully with D. macrantha and D. gigantea tubers.

I've read Phil's advice on his website and in a recent article in the CPS Newsletter (UK), but there is no information about acclimatisation. I'm in regular contact with Phil though, so I will be quizzing him.

According to the Specimens Exports Record (Australian Dept. of the Environment) which accompanied my tubers, they were artificially propagated, and exported legally.

Cheers
Vic
 
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