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Help!

Trapper7

Loves VFT's!
I have another problem!!
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I just looked at my 3 Sundews and some of the leaves are drooping
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AND it's not as dewy as it was a couple days ago
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What am I doing wrong?I have them in a terrarium with a 75 watt reptile light on them.They're in with my 2 VFT's and my Butterwort and those are all fine.I'm really worried!Am I watering too much?Is it too hot?I'm sad,please help
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Thank you.*Niki*
 
Little more details please. Are the lower leaves drooping? or all of them? Or the uppermost ones?
 
Well some are on the upper and some lower but no not all of them.*Trapper7*P.S-I can see that in one of them there is a new one coming out of the center so I think it's still growing,but I dunno.
 
how much are you watering? how hot is it? what is the humidity? It sounds like you're not watering it enough and the humidity is too low. BUT it could be because it's too hot as well.
 
I am watering it everyday.I have a tray that I fill with distilled water everytime it's empty(everyday)I have no clue how hot it is in there,how would I be able to tell that?And I also have no clue what the humidity is,how do I tell that?Thanks for your help.*Niki*
 
Ok why does it say that this topic has been moved??I posted it in the "general discussion" part.*Trapper7*
 
It's been moved, because you are asking a question about sundews, so it belongs in the sundew section. Gen. Discussion is just the off topic section
 
Ok gotcha,thanks
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*Trapper7*
 
Hey Trapper, I would hazard a guess that you might not have a wide enough spectrum of light, AND that maybe the light is a bit on the hot side...
Don't forget you just moved them, so a little bit of shock is nothing to worry unduly about
If you can, maybe try to get some compact fluorescent bulbs, there are lots of "daylight" ones for pretty cheap, they don't use much power and don't heat up too much (those reptile mights are murderous heat-wise)

Whatever you do, don't worry too much (I know how useless that advice sounds, but it's true) they will bounce back (they are D.capensis, right??? you could move one of them to a fairly bright windowsill in a wee tray and see if that doesn't help, if you're really worried)

In the worst case, I can send you some D.capensis 'alba'<span style='color:red'>[Edit: actual valid cultivar name for this plant is Drosera 'Albino']</span> seeds and you can grow them, too
 
  • #10
[b said:
Quote[/b] (SunDoode182 @ Mar. 06 2005,8:41)]how much are you watering? how hot is it? what is the humidity? It sounds like you're not watering it enough and the humidity is too low. BUT it could be because it's too hot as well.
I doubt its humidity. I REALLY wish people would stop scaring the newbies with this whole humidity issue. It is NOT as big a deal as everyone makes it out to be for most species.

Sounds to me like a case of shipping shock. Probably some of the leaves were touched while moving the plants into their permanent home. That will sometimes damage the dew producing glands and cause the leaf to wither and die prematurely.

Most likely it is simply a lighting problem. I doubt that the reptile light provides a wide enough spectrum to satisfy the needs of the plant and also emits an unnecessary ammount of heat which can also cause damage to the plants.

Switch to a compact fluorescent bulb and make sure that whatever enclosure you have them in recieves good air circulation and that should be just fine for your needs. Just keep in mind that you will have dormancy to worry about in October, you will have to find a way to deal with that VFT at that time. For now I would say enjoy your plants all summer.. and dont worry about humidity.

Good luck
Steve
 
  • #11
Thanks guys for all your help! I definetly DID touch the leaves (quite a bit actually)by accident.I didn't mean to
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Now I feel REALLY bad
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(If there was a crying smilie on here I would use it,lol)Also the lamp does give off a lot of heat.And they are in a terrarium,but I built it.The guy who promised me the 33 gallon hexagon tank(which is what I want to put them in)hasn't come through for me(grrrrrr)so right now they're in a small animal cage that I wrapped in seran wrap and I have the lamp on them like that.I actually don't have a sunny window that I could put them in,so what should I do now,since I can't get the florescent lights cause I wouldn't have any place to attach them(I would in the tank,if it were here)Also while I was repotting the plants,the soil fell apart and the roots were exposed and just dangling there,so i filled the new pot with medium and placed the plant ontop and then covered them more to the top with medium.Could that also be a problem?Cause I know you're not supposed to disturb the roots too much.Gee I feel like such a bad plant mom
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Anymore advice would be GREATLY appreciated.Thank you.*Niki*
 
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