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Temperature range for Drosera capensis

Wolfn

Agent of Chaos
Greetings. I'm struggling with Drosera capensis. I have an indoor terrarium with grow lights and temperatures during the day hit about 90 degrees Faherheight (spelled correctly?)

I tried Drosera capensis 'narrow' but the plant rotted away. I did some research online and I read that 'Narrow' likes bright yet cool conditions. I presume 90 degrees was too hot.

However, I read that capensis 'red' loves warm and sunny conditions. I promptly purchased one and placed it in the terrarium (this was about a month ago). So far, the plant is putting up new leaves that are dewy (I placed a housefly on the leaf and it wrapped tightly around the fly). However, the leaves are half the size of the leaves when I purchased the plant and the newest leaves are not red. When I ordered the plant, the leaves were long and blood red. The newest leaves are short, dewy, and green with intensely red tentacles.


I'm apparently having more success with 'Red' than 'narrow', but I still feel I'm not giving them optimum conditions.


I need the two basics: how much light and proper temp range.
 
I haven't tried the 'narrow' variation but I do know my 'typical' struggled when the temps inside reached 90F last summer. They're tough plants though and it came back to good form eventually. Have you checked to see what the roots looked like? On a couple different occasions I have had Drosera wilt away for whatever reason but come back from the roots after some TLC. Actually my avatar is a picture of a D. aliciea that did just that.

What exactly are your lights like? I haven't tried the 'red' variation either quite yet (actually on order right now) but it would be good to know if that is in fact the issue you are having. I too am interested in why a D. capensis would be growing shorter leaves as recently my 'alba' has gotten stuck in that same rut as well while the 'typical' is still growing strong...

Sorry I couldnt be better help...
 
I think my light system is about 125 watts or something. I need to check.

However, I must say I have Nepenthes Ampullaria, Heliamphora minor, and Cephalotus growing successfully in the same terrarium
 
the temp in the house might be 90f but in that terrarium it could easily be over a hundred, and much to humid,you might be cooking your plants,your plants might not be getting the right light,or enough 125 watts of florescent would be plenty if it is the right color light,if its 125watt equivalency it is no where near enough
 
Definitely check to get the specifics on the lighting. capensis aren't too picky IME, I've gotten away with two 26w CFLs before.
 
down here in DC i have kept my capensis outside all summer, where sometimes the temps at their extreme will hit 102 and 90 here feels like 100+ because of the humidity but they were perfectly fine with the high heat and humidity
 
the temp in the house might be 90f but in that terrarium it could easily be over a hundred, and much to humid,you might be cooking your plants,your plants might not be getting the right light,or enough 125 watts of florescent would be plenty if it is the right color light,if its 125watt equivalency it is no where near enough

I have a thermometer inside the terrarium. My house is air-conditioned at 78 degrees, the thermometer inside the terrarium says 90 degrees.
 
huh, are the lights getting hot, like to the touch? Any chance you can get a small fan in there? Might help to move some of the hot air out of the tank.
 
huh, are the lights getting hot, like to the touch? Any chance you can get a small fan in there? Might help to move some of the hot air out of the tank.

I have a 2.5 inch gap on the top of the tank that allows air to circulate.

I'm going to post some pictures tomorrow of my situation (my camera is in the car right now, but it's almost 3am and I don't want to walk outside to get it)
 
  • #10
some sundews really hate in a terraium maybe its just as simple as them being on the window sill and not inside the terraium?
 
  • #11
I have a terrarium set up similar to yours I think wolf. My lights are 4 T5HO and are only 1" above the glass top. I added a large case fan,about 3-4" blowing on the lights and my temps dropped from about 85degrees in the tank to about 72. Air temp in the room is about 70. Adding a fan on the lights will drop your temperature significantly.
 
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