TerraForums Venus Flytrap, Nepenthes, Drosera and more talk
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Help on drosera venusta Care
The basics for temperate/sub-tropical sundew are pretty much the same for most temperate subtropic CPs.
Soil/Potting mix - must be nutrient poor/free, mineral free, slightly acid - sphagnum peat moss is ideal additives like sand, perlite, pumice lightens the mix allow better drainage etc.
Water - must be mineral/chemical free - rain water, distilled water, water purified by Reverse Osmosis (RO water), your tap water may be good, depending on your locality. Check with other CP growers in your area or get an analysis of the water.
Sunlight - most CPs grow in wet, acidic bogs which most shade plants do not. They like/need plenty of direct sunlight. There are exceptions.
Temperature/Humidity - temperate and sub-tropical sundews have a wide tolerance for these. As long as you don't expose them to extremes of temps for long or keep the roots from overheating they should be ok. Humidity is not as much as an issue if you keep them well watered. Temperatures become an issue if the plants need cool/cold dormancy.
Drosera venusta should be able to be grown on a window sill or outdoors in most temperate climate. Morning sun or partial shade throughout the day seems to suit them well. Keep them in a tray of water with an inch or so of water. Tall pots appear to work better for them, but shorter pots are ok. They should feed themselves outdoors but you want you can feed them small insect (ants, flies, etc.), or bits of rewetted freeze-dried bloodworm.
Soil/Potting mix - must be nutrient poor/free, mineral free, slightly acid - sphagnum peat moss is ideal additives like sand, perlite, pumice lightens the mix allow better drainage etc.
Water - must be mineral/chemical free - rain water, distilled water, water purified by Reverse Osmosis (RO water), your tap water may be good, depending on your locality. Check with other CP growers in your area or get an analysis of the water.
Sunlight - most CPs grow in wet, acidic bogs which most shade plants do not. They like/need plenty of direct sunlight. There are exceptions.
Temperature/Humidity - temperate and sub-tropical sundews have a wide tolerance for these. As long as you don't expose them to extremes of temps for long or keep the roots from overheating they should be ok. Humidity is not as much as an issue if you keep them well watered. Temperatures become an issue if the plants need cool/cold dormancy.
Drosera venusta should be able to be grown on a window sill or outdoors in most temperate climate. Morning sun or partial shade throughout the day seems to suit them well. Keep them in a tray of water with an inch or so of water. Tall pots appear to work better for them, but shorter pots are ok. They should feed themselves outdoors but you want you can feed them small insect (ants, flies, etc.), or bits of rewetted freeze-dried bloodworm.
jimscott
Tropical Fish Enthusiast
Welcome to TF! I'm no expert on D. venusta, but I can tell you that the plant I received a half year ago was looking a little rough for a few months while it adjusted to its conditions. Mine is NOT in a terrarium. It is in with a bunch of other sundews, in a plastic storage container, under a shoplight, that is ~6" above the setup (open tray method). I think its improvement was just providing halfway decent and stable conditions. Here's what it looks like:
Peanut
I like this
jimscott
Tropical Fish Enthusiast
jimscott
Tropical Fish Enthusiast
BigCarnivourKid
It's been one of dem days
I'd forget the terrarium idea, with the South African species the higher humidity of a terrarium along with the lack of air circulation can encourage fungal infections. The dew glands are the first things to be affected by the infection, and the result is a dewless plant. Most of the S.African species have a tolerance to drier conditions, and even if the rosettes die back the plants often return from the roots after a brief rest. If the plant dies back, don't leave it sitting in tray water constantly, just long enough to get some moisture into the pot, returning it to the tray when new active growth is noted. As for the shop light, I had good results from a twin 3 foot fixture, using a plant gro type flourescent along with a cool white. Remember to change the bulbs about every 8 months, because even though the bulbs continue to light after that time the usable spectrum becomes less and less for the plants. Drosera venusta is a real beauty so best of luck with your plant!
jimscott
Tropical Fish Enthusiast
To summarize, lack of dew can be from what Tamlin indicated, as well as a shock to its environment, or insufficient lighting. What happens with most people is that they buy a long neglected plant from Lowes ("cube of death") and when they bring it home and take off the plastic dome, the change in humidity and/or temperature and/or light is enough to set it "over the edge". It may not die, but the change was enough to make an already sick plant worse. So the best thing to do is to have it acclimate to its new environment, gradually increasing the light and eventuallu keeping the dome off. I suggest removing the dome by day and cover at night, for a few days, and them keeping it off 24/7. You may have a different situation, but as long as you got the plant through the mail, even the healthiest plants, will be discombobulated for awhile. And it is rare for a received sundew to maintaine its dew, upon arrival. Provide the best conditions you can and give it time to recover.
