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How do I get huge dew?

  • #21
Alec - how long have you had your dews? I ask because when I first got mine, it took a good month or so for them to settle in and adjust to my conditions before they dewed up. They looked very dry for that first month. Now, they dew like crazy! I keep them under a couple 40 watt t12's that you were talking about.
 
  • #22
Ive had them for about a year. I am in the middle of switching grow areas and my plants declined- It was the light. I'm going to get some T12s and grow on a rack instead of a tank.
I'll post a pic when its done. Thanks :)
 
  • #23
A subject near and dear to the heart! Yes, it is light indeed that is the prime factor. Most Drosera are as light hungry as cacti. Often, in terraria this is an issue from the glass itself limiting the usable spectrum; another consideration regarding the use of artificial lighting is the age of the light tubes which become less effective over time and need replacing long before they burn out. As for humidity being a cause for larger size, I think not except possibly from etiolation d/t the aforementioned light issues. Nutrition is also important and indoor plants rely on you to provide this. Try blood worm meal, and mist lightly after feeding. The best and largest sundews I grew were put outdoors for the warm months after gradual acclimzation to sunlight. You need to go slowly to avoid sunburn. All in all, the closer you can place the plants to their natural habitat conditions, and the more you can maximize ideal condions as regards nighttime temp. drops, water and substrate purity, seasonal requirements like rest after flowering and etc!, the better and larger the results will be.

Plants also benefit from a hands off position so provided they are doing well, leave them be where they are happy.

addendum: another factor concerns the roots which need room to grow without hinderance from compaction. As grow the roots, so grows the plant. The health of the roots is essential and in general the bigger the pot the better. Annual repotting is also beneficial and sort of acts like restarting your computer.
 
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  • #24
Annual repotting is also beneficial and sort of acts like restarting your computer.


Ain't THAT the truth.........

I'm gonna get that put on a T-shirt.

A good re-boot clears up a lot of problems. ;)
 
  • #25
For me, I was barely able to grow sundews under shop lights. Others have great results, but mine always sputtered and failed. Within a week of moving them to Hight Output T5's, they colored up nicely and dew like crazy.
 
  • #26
Great advice as always, Tamlin.

Nathan, I went through the same experience you described when switching from low to high light intensity. It seems like you can't give most sundews enough light. They thrive even when they are positioned an inch away from growlights. Props to growers who have success with weak lighting- I certainly can't keep plants alive in those conditions!
 
  • #27
I grow my sundews with four T12 40W bulbs (I might upgrade to T8 soon) in two four-foot fixtures, maybe 10 inches or so away from the plants, in 10 gallon tanks with a plexiglass lid (which is left open an inch or so for air circulation). I also tape white posterboard to the sides and back of the tanks, to maximize light intensity. My most recent setup looks like this. You can still see and enjoy your plants, unlike when you put them 3 inches away from the lights.

This seems to work well for me, and it's what I've been doing for years. Most of my dews get pretty dang dewy, except for Hamiltonii and Slackii, which simply refuse to make more than a few specks.
 
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