D. peltata question

[Joseph Clemens]

When I think of "sub-optimal", I think - dark when it needs light, dry when it needs wet, wet when it needs dry, hot when it needs cool, cool when it needs hot, too much nutrition when it can't absorb it (no leaves), not enough nutrients when it can absorb them (has plenty of trapping leaves), etc.

[jimscott]

I understand that in a general sense, but specifically to this species, what would that be? I know that it needs a lot of light and a lot of food, as well as relatively cool temps so that it doesn't go dormant. Anything else? I have D. peltata and D. auriculata seedlings and hope to graduate from these to others eventually

[Joseph Clemens]

For me, Drosera auriculata and Drosera peltata were very forgiving for tuberous species. I never really let them dry out completely and they continued to cycle through dormant tuber, rosette and upright stems and flowers for many years. I'm guessing that Pyro is referring to a lack of good lighting as the factor most likely to permit continued rosette formation/persistence without progressing to upright stem production and flowering.

[jimscott]

I hear ya. I'm hoping someday to try D. squamosa and D. zonaria.

[Pyro]

For me, Drosera auriculata and Drosera peltata were very forgiving for tuberous species. I never really let them dry out completely and they continued to cycle through dormant tuber, rosette and upright stems and flowers for many years. I'm guessing that Pyro is referring to a lack of good lighting as the factor most likely to permit continued rosette formation/persistence without progressing to upright stem production and flowering.

Joseph is mostly correct that I am referring to a lack of good light. The best light for tuberous is as much full sun as you can give them, failing that I found that nothing shy of a 1000W HID gave me even close to satisfactory results (but then, I have high standards so my definition of satisfactory may be different than everyone else.)

As a simple example:

Poor conditions, grown under 4 sets of 2 tube fluorescent fixtures @ 20cm :


Same plant under 1000W HID and supplemented with sun:



Do we all see the difference?



That said, there are other factors than light that I found had an impact on tuberous. The density of the soil and what additives were in the soil (perlite = BAD) were two big ones.

I hear ya. I'm hoping someday to try D. squamosa and D. zonaria.

Tough but rewarding species. But trust me when I say to wait until you have a very firm grip on the easy and moderate species before attempting these.

So, not to hijack, but my D. gigantea only put out two little sprouts this year, and they died before the leaves even really started to unfurl. Last year was also a bad year for them; I put them under T5s when stems emerged and I guess burned them before they had a chance to really get going. '09 was spectacular though - they got like three feet tall! I guess now I'm just worried that I've done something wrong and they won't come back. I repotted in late summer and when I did my biggest gigantea tuber had some little root nubs on it, one of which I broke, despite best efforts.
So, anyways, back to the present. My other tuberous dews are doing OK, but gigantea seems to have had a false start, or maybe quit early. X( Should I let it get dry again, or just keep giving it the same conditions as my other tuberous pots? My temperatures are right to make my highland Neps plenty happy. I moved them away from my warmer light sources just in case, but I'm not sure that will be enough.
I seem to remember gigantea getting a late start in the past. Maybe I'm making a mountain out of a molehill? This was one of my favorite plants, any help would be much appreciated.
~Joe

Joe,

This is a tough one to answer. D. gig. can be a pill at times. Part of me wants to say that in all likelihood it is nothing and that the tuber will throw a new stolon for you, either later this season or next season. That said... Sprouts dying can sometimes mean the tuber rotted and the rot just followed the path to the surface.

So, you have two paths you can follow at this juncture: 1) You can dump the pot and see what there is to see, running the risk of further damaging any stolons that are forming now and setting the tuber further back. 2) You can let it be and hope for the best. Generally, I always took the latter route when I had pots that did not produce. I usually kept them a bit on the drier side to avoid any chance of rot from excess moisture but still provided enough moisture for if the plant were still growing underground.

I hope the best for you.

Curious, just how many plants can form from a single tuber? This makes 5 plants from 2 tubers thus far..

Depends on the species but generally it is one tuber, one plant. However, the tubers will pop off side shoots that will generate new tubers and hence new plants. D. peltata is known for this, hence its designation as the weed of the tuberous group



And now... some eye candy

[jimscott]

*jaw wide open*

[seedjar]

Thanks pyro, that's reassuring. I'll just keep my fingers crossed and focus on the ones that are actually growing.
~Joe

[jimscott]

I've got seedlings at the moment


D. peltata


D. auriculata