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how to get gemmae?

  • #41
A couple weeks ago I gave 3 of my pygmy pots away to co-workers, but not before starting fresh gemmae in new pots. So in about 6 months, I'll have new flowers and pictures for ID. All I have left of the old pots are the nitidula-omissa and carburup. I gave away the ones labeled ericksoniae and allantostigma. I do remember my one kid accidently knocking pots to the floor and one pot losing it's tag entirely. We'll see what things look like in 2009. At least one can't screw up scorpioides, pulchella, and callistos!
 
  • #42
Yes, I've started new batches of a couple of mine, the pots are infested with Utricularia bisquamata or brittle from age. One was labeled "pygmaea" but appears to be x Lake Badgerup. I make note of the old label along with new just in case.
 
  • #43
Ok, I gave away one of the pots of Drosera scorpioides and moved the non-producer into its spot a couple weeks ago. It is producing gemmae. While not conclusive evidence it is compelling support of Tamlin's observartions.
 
  • #44
So weird. I moved my lamp with the Gro-Light away from the Pygmys and towards the cuttings, and now I'm seeing little... mini-branches coming out of the center of my pygmys. The Scrop is the one that I'm mostly noticing those on, it's top is kind bulging up with lots of fuzz and the branches that are appearing are kind of... intertwining with each other and are much smaller than normal. The other ones are either just not doing anything or getting dozens of little curled up branches not coming out.

Pretty sure the others are gemmaes, the lack of a gro-light means colder and less light. They look generally like how I'd expect them to look. How can I tell when they're ready for pulling off? I'd rather use like a toothpick than dribbling water and hoping they land someplace safe.
 
  • #45
How can I tell when they're ready for pulling off? I'd rather use like a toothpick than dribbling water and hoping they land someplace safe.
If they come loose easily to a slight pressure from the toothpick, then they're ready. If you have to force them, they aren't quite ready. I use to loosen them up with a toothpick and suck them into a piece of coffee filter on the end of a straw. Got tired of chapped lips and hyperventilating :-)). Now I carefully tip the pot sideways over a large piece of paper or a small newspaper and use a tooth pick to nudge the loose gemmae off. It doesn't work as well on the small scale shape gemmae but is great for scorpioides and dichrosepala.
 
  • #46
Hopefully someone reads this and can respond, without me making a new thread. Over the past few days I have been slowly trying to reduce the photo period on my pot of pygmies. This is difficult as I am only using grow-lights, and literally have to move the plants somewhere else. Right now I'm just setting the pot under my night stand, but there is still some ambient light reaching the pot. Would complete darkness provide greater benefit?
 
  • #47
From an article Tamlin wrote a while back, he mentioned that a pygmy grower had no success w/ gemmae until he realized there was a street light on all night that was shining through his window. Once he provided complete darkness, he was able to get gemmae to form. It may depend on the type of pygmies you're growing...
 
  • #48
OTOH, all of the new sprouts reflective of my plants, came from gemmae that have been exposed to nightlites, every single evening. Go figure...
 
  • #49
Some growers did notice this others didn't....including myself...i didn't had any problems with street lights
 
  • #50
Oh crap! I was watering my Pygmys today and noticed some of the little leaves that I thought were Gemmae were washing off. I cupped my hand above them and touched them lightly with a finger and while they didn't go PEW PEW like I thought they would, about 6 stuck to my finger. I gently laid them on the nearby soil so they'll grow -- should I try and give them extra humidity or just call it good for now? I'd like to try and capture the rest of them (there's a TON more than just 6 -- I have 2... er... 4 of the pulchella x nitidula that have gemmae, and the scorpioid "looks odd" -- the top of it has a LOT of white fuzz on it with very small leaves compared to normal, and now that I know what I'm looking for I think gemmae are peeking through) but I don't want to yet if I need to give them extra humidity or something... Honestly I was planning on striking at least a few of them in a different pot for safety...
 
  • #51
I don't think humidity matters....
I reduced my growracks photoperiod from 16 to 11 over a couple months, and my D. pulchella did finally produce gemmae- a lot easier than I thought, I'll have like 50 plants soon o_O
 
  • #52
Don't know if it helps or not but I spray the gemmae out of the paper towels or plastic bags they come in and put a plastic cup over them until they sprout, which is within a day or few. Just keep moist and lit.
 
  • #53
So I got the final batch of Gemmae off my D. scorpioides just now. It's funny, now that the plant was under and rather close to my new grow lights, the tips of the gemmae started turning red. Not sure if they were scorched or what.

At this rate this winter I'll have a whole MESS of Gemmae to give out to everyone. If these all strike I'm going to have 3 or 4 pots full of D. scorpioides and D. pulchella x nitidula.

Gemmae in March, man, my plants must be confused as all getout!
 
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