Capensis Damage

[PeaceCarny]

Okay so about a month and a half back, the two Cape Sundews that I had were infected with some damp-off. I used a fungicide to get rid of it, and although it got rid of the fungus, it terribly damaged the plants. Their leaves burned up and one plant shrunk, while sadly, the other died. When I say shrunk I REALLY mean it. It went from being 5 inches across to only 1 inch in diameter. Obviously, I stopped using the fungicide as quick as possible, and I changed the environment of the sundew to keep fungi from growing again (more light, less humidity). The remaining plant has recovered, but it is growing SOOOOO slowly. I only get a new leaf about every two weeks and it's barely increasing in size! >:l I just wanted to know if anyone else has had these kinds of problems and how quickly the drosera will grow back to a satisfying size.

Thanks! All comments appreciated!

 

[CPlantaholic]

first off, I'd only recommend using Neem oil from now, which can be found at your local Wal-mart.
Damp-off is typically a sign that your media is too wet. If you haven't already done so, I'd recommend letting your tray dry out between waterings, or switching the media to a better-draining mix.

Also, if you feed your Capensis, it can grow twice that size in less than a month, and reach adulthood again in no time.

 

[PeaceCarny]

Problems

The problem is though...the leaves are only like half a centimeter in length D:...and they don't produce any dew. I think the plant is trying to save up energy to create newer, better leaves.

Here it is now

<a href="http://s235.photobucket.com/albums/ee112/faraphx234/?action=view&current=Picture017.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee112/faraphx234/Picture017.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Here it was two months ago

<a href="http://s235.photobucket.com/albums/ee112/faraphx234/?action=view&current=Picture004-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee112/faraphx234/Picture004-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

When I look at it's crown, I am seeing a gradual size-increase in the leaves, but they're not coming out yet...growth is too slow.

 

[CPlantaholic]

ahh that's too bad, at least you can feed the tiny guys popping up from the roots next to the main plant...
That's the 'Albino' form, correct?

 

[PeaceCarny]

Actually it's the typical. When I got it was a moderate red color. The reason it has no pigment is because of the light spectrum I use. Strangely, all that's affected is the color; nothing else!

 

[jimscott]

Welcome to TF! Just follow the above advice and wait things out. It looks like it's recovering and I believe I see some dew on one leaf.

 

[cmm889]

Actually it's the typical. When I got it was a moderate red color. The reason it has no pigment is because of the light spectrum I use. Strangely, all that's affected is the color; nothing else!

I dont know that I believe that...

what are you using for light... typically a loss of color is becuase theres a lack of light.

 

[petmantis]

Well, looks like my capensis is going through this shrinking phase too D: So i moved it to better light. We'll see how everything turns out!

 

[PeaceCarny]

Well I asked people on the GardenWeb forum about what might've caused the plant to lose color and one person told me that it should've been from the light spectrum; said that he had the same problem. I grow it 5 inches under two 100w standard fluorescent bulbs for 15 hours.

Woke up this morning finding the Sundew's growing point all black : '( I decapitated the plant...I hope it comes back from it's roots.