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I have only two problematic Drosera species.  D. nidiformis, and D. filiformis 'California Sunset'.  If you could provide me with your growing enviroment and what you think I could be doing wrong with these two species, it would be greatly appreciated.

Both these species I have planted in three inch pots, covered by those plastic cups (same as your Lowes/Home Depot CP pots).  Humidity is over 80%, temps are over 80 degrees.  They are grown under two 4ft, 6000k fluorescent lights, on for 14 hrs a day and the soil is pure LFS.  

Now, all my other species are growing great, but these two.  They are steadily getting smaller, and smaller.  The leaves brown away prematurely and smaller ones replace them.  My D. filiformis is about the half the size of a dime now and my D. nidiformis is about the size of a quarter.  

Please help before they shrink away to nothing!

SF
 
I grow mine in a terrarium, in separate pots, water tray method.  Humidity is 70 to 75 % with temp about the same in degrees.  They are grown under 4 - 40 watt (6,000 and 6,500 K) florescents, 2 cool white and 2 full spectrum.  They are growing well and have great color.  I have cut the light hours back to simulate the time of year.

The soil mix is approximately 50% peat with the other divided between LFS, perlite and sand.

I give them orchid fert. about once a month.
 
Hi SF,

Don't know if I this will help all that much.  I haven't grown D. nidiformis but I do grow D. filiformis 'California Sunset'.  During the summer I grew it in full sun outside in a 1:1 peat:perlite mix.  Right now it is doing it's dormancy thing in the fridge.  Has your filiformis had a dormancy yet?  According to the ICPS Seed Bank page on growing D. filiformis:    "Drosera filiformis generally requires a definite winter season to survive long term."

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BCK
 
Your D. 'California Sunset' is probably going dormant, or trying to: is it forming a hibernacula? Under natural daylength, this should have already happened. If you are using a long day photoperiod, it will interfere with hibernacula formation, and you will need to put it where it gets no more than natural day length.

I suspect that the D. nidiformis might be having some problems associated with lack of air circulation. Drosera want fresh air, and good air circulation or they can fall prey to fungal infections. They do not require extremely high levels of humidity (40-50% usually suffices), except in certain cases. If the leaves are red and dry looking, you might try a treatment with Cleary's. This is a short lived species from my experience: the plant grows, flowers, sets seed and often dies. I maintain it by sowing seed (actually, it is a weed in my collection, so I just transplant the juvenille plants that appear).

I hope this helps. If you need seed to try again, let me know.
 
Well, I know at least the D. filiformis is too young to go dormant.  I received it as a root cutting from Jeremiah a couple of months ago.  It put out several two inch leaves and then started to die back rapidly.  I took a leaf cutting in panic (and now I'm glad I did) which took and produced a little plantlet.  This plantlet produced a couple 1 inch leaves and then started to die back and is now producing 1/4 inch leaves.  There is no sign of hibernacula.

The D. nidiformis has never been healthy.  I took the cover off, and lo and behold I noticed something. The older leaves are turning red and dry looking.  I'll try and rid it of its pests (is it pests, fungus, or what?)

I might take you up on that offer later Tamlin, after this plant has passed on (crosses fingers).

SF
 
It probably is a fungus thing: sometimes the condition resolves, more often - not. Well Snowyfalcon it just hasn't been your day, has it? Don't let it get to you though, this is all a part of what we all go through from time to time. The good news is that these plants will be easily enough replaced, and with every mistake comes a bit of wisdom: kill enough plants and you'll soon be a master grower :) The offer is open anytime you want it.
 
SF, I've been growing D. filiformis 'California Sunset' for about 3-4 years now with good results.  My cultivation technique is to leave it outside year around.  I live in a temperate maritime climate btw.  They are growing in outside planters along with the rest of my sarracenia.  50/50 peat moss and perlite mixture is what I'm using.  Water level couple inches below the crowns.  They do like dormancy!

-Homer
 
Nope Tamlin, it's been a pretty rotten week actually. Oh well, the holidays are almost here!
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Thank you all for your help. I'll see if I can get these plants to pull through. Either way, I'll be farther on my way to being a 'Master Grower'.

SF
 
<span style='font-size:12pt;line-height:100%'>Yes, I can second what Tamlin said. No telling how many plants have died under my care before I started having more success than lack of success. That goes most with VFTs. I Must have lost 100's before I learned.</span>
 
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