What's new
TerraForums Venus Flytrap, Nepenthes, Drosera and more talk

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Hello from Portland, Oregon!

Hey! My name is Ben, and I live in Portland, OR. I am a big fan of sundews and Nepenthes, though I only have two neps (sanguinea and ventrata). I posted a question earlier about re-potting tuberous sundews, but my internet has been a little screwy, and looks like I posted it 3 times without displaying any message in the sundews forum (sorry mods, I don't know how to delete my posts). Anyways, that being said, I was wondering whether or not it is advised against to re-pot tuberous Drosera during their growing season. I have no idea what their roots are like (the exact one I have is a D. ramellosa), and so I want to make sure I don't do anything that could be harmful.
 
Last edited:
Welcome.

It is possible to repot tuberous Drosera while in active growth however, you'll need to take extreme care not to break the stolons. What is the reason for the repot now as opposed to waiting for dormancy ?
 
Welcome to TF!
 
Welcome.

It is possible to repot tuberous Drosera while in active growth however, you'll need to take extreme care not to break the stolons. What is the reason for the repot now as opposed to waiting for dormancy ?

The media it is in is starting to break down (water that runs out the bottom smells bad, mushrooms occassionally pop up). I am not sure how much of a big deal this is, as I have never run into it before. I have only had the ramellosa for about 2 months, from California Carnivores.
 
What media is it in ?! Tuberous Drosera should be grown in a mix of 3 or 4 parts sand to 1 part peat.
 
Some unknown but peaty mixture, it is peaty enough that there is moss on the top layer. Next season I plan to plant it in a sandier mixture, with a top layer of sand as suggested by tuberous-drosera.net
 
Last edited:
Welcome to TF! I am in Vancouver, WA so right next door. I wouldn't offer an answer to your question but maybe one of our more experienced tuberous 'dew growers will take that up.

I would like to point out this thread to you, in case you are interested in getting together with other cp growers in the Portland area: http://www.terraforums.com/forums/general-discussions/131797-tf-rendezvous-portland.html We do it every month.

Neat! It seems minors are allowed in, which is great for me! I also live pretty close, so I don't need to drive down. I'll be sure to attend next month, maybe bring somethin with me.
 
Then, I suggest you very carefully repot the plant into a more suitable mix.
 
  • #10
Hi Ben - Welcome to TF! I'm with Cthulhu. Very, very carefully repot it. Not because of the soil right now. As the late, great Phil Mann used to say "Tuberous Drosera would grow in a wet sock if you let them." The reason I'm suggesting repotting is that transitioning your plant into dormancy without rotting the new tuber will be much more challenging in a highly water-holding soil. It can be done, to be sure, but it sounds like you are a little new to this group of plants so there is no reason to add an extra challenge at that stage.

You'll need to follow the stolon down to what will likely be a shriveling tuber from last summer. It is this main shoot that you do not want to snap. The lateral roots that come off the sides of this stolon are less critical. If you find the tuber is soft, or looks to be dying, that's okay. They replace their tubers every year, and it will have translocated much of its stored energy to the shoots at this time of year. Depending on how far your plant has progressed in its seasonal growth, you may find a second thick stolon descending to produce next summer's tuber. It would be best not to snap that if you find one, but it's pretty early in season for that. Mostly, I wanted to give you a heads up.

Remember, you won't need bare root it. Even if you leave a core of the peaty soil around all of the stolon and roots, that will be fine. It will still allow the plant to dry more appropriately at the end of the season. Good luck! And if you have any other questions, please just ask. I love this group of plants, and I'm always willing to help out folks who are trying to grow them.
 
  • #11
Hmm, repotting always makes me nervous, I have only done it once before and it was a pot of crowded D. capensis and I did a pretty messy job of it. Would I be fine if I just repotted the tuber into a better mix once the plant dies back at the beginning of dormancy instead of repotting it now?
 
  • #12
The problem is getting it into dormancy successfully in it's current media. It will need a repot before it starts going dormant. I've found it easier to use dry media when repotting actively growing tuberous Drosera. The dry sandy mix, when added slowly by hand easily fills in all the gaps around the roots, much better than trying to pack moist media in around them and possibly damaging the stolon. The media can then be moistened, keeping the roots and stolon safe.
 
  • #13
Alright, so do they have natural clocks that tell them to start dormancy, or is it mostly triggered by the drying out of the soil around them during summer? It seems like they have environmental queues from what you are telling me.

Either way I'll make sure to repot it carefully. I love tuberous Drosera and I would like to keep this one alive!
 
  • #14
They do have an internal clock of sorts but dormancy will be triggered by a raise in temperature and photoperiod simultaneously. Once you notice your plant dying back (anywhere from March to May), stop watering it and let the pot dry out.
 
  • #15
So I went looking for some silica sand at a local nursery, but I couldn't find any. I do have some sand labeled "horticultural sand", which isn't silica and looks more like river sand. Would it be ok to use this sand if I washed it thoroughly? Or do they prefer something that is more naturally inert?
 
  • #16
"Horticultural sand" is more often than not silica sand. The best places to find good quality silica sand is swimming pool supply stores. It is the sand used in filters.
 
  • #17
Hmmm, alright. Why I question the origin of the sand is because instead of being all white, it is mottled, like river or beach sand. Another quick question, after the first month or two, is it typical for tuberous sundews to slow down in growth?
 
  • #18
Silica sand is rarely pure white and when it is, it can often be quite a bit more expensive. Tuberous Drosera will go through periods of accelerated growth followed by short periods of slower growth. Temperature and the amount of food being offered are possible explanations for this.
 
  • #19
Good to know. Nothing seems to be dying, just slower growth and smaller leaves on the stem (I dont know if this is typical for D. ramellosa when it leaves its rosette form).
 
  • #20
Photos of this plant will help with any questions you have about it.
 
Back
Top