My poor petiolaris

[PooPHeaD]

I think my D. petiolaris has gone into a dormancy, or it is slowly dying, but it is were dying I think it would have been dead by now since the plant has been in this stage for about some 4/5 months now. It went from a lush softball size rosette, to a pygmy like rosette, with small dainty leaves with undeveloped traps on the ends. This sounds like a dormancy? The confusing part is, this plant must have been persistent to go into a dormancy, becaue I kept the ground waterlogged all the time under my care. If this is a dormancy, should I pulle it out of the terrarium and put it somewhere, where it can dry out, or keep it moist?

Any help would be Superfantasticfabuloussuperb,

-Jim

 

[CP2k]

Yes, it sounds like dormancy. Increasing the temperature(constant temperature at 85-100F with a heatpad etc.) and photoperiod should break domancy. In culture, they can go dormant when temperatures are too cool.

 

[Tamlin Dawnstar]

The good news is the plants return more vigorous than ever! My D. falconeri went to a withered bud, and is now lush and flowering, and has produced an offset. It appears that although dormancy is not obligatory, it is optimal (although, as with the pygmys, can be dangerous). Keep the plant just moist, and with good air circulation until it starts growing again.

 

[Colieo]

Ok, so you recomend giving them dormancy in the summer, correct? I did not give my seedling petiolaris a dormancy, and it has shown no slowing in growth. I will give it one from now on.

Cole

 

[Tamlin Dawnstar]

Coleio,

I wouldn't recommend giving them a dormancy, just making note that IF they return from dormancy they often do so with renewed strength. My plants aare usually dormant in out winter and grow during out summers when the days are long, and the nights warm. Just try to keep them going, especially as seedlings.

 

[PooPHeaD]

Thanks for the help guys, I only have one more question, I have no money to buy a heat pad nor any more outlits for the plug-in, so I was thinking maybe I could stick it into my greenhouse it is for sure going to be hot enough in there. I am worried about sunburn though?

Suggestions?
-Jim

 

[Tamlin Dawnstar]

The GH should work fine. The trick is to acclimate the plant to the higher light levels slowly over about a week: put it where it gets broken sunlight, and slowly increase the exposure. Pet's dont really require all that high a humidity, but they do like the heat.