growing drosera in the petiolaris complex

[Nik]

Hello all! For anyone that can help me out I need some detailed information on cultivating sundews in the petiolaris complex. I have several different species (lanata, ordensis, paradoxa, ect) which I grow in an unheated greenhouse (minimum temp 48f. max during winter is about 79f. or 80f.) they have grown very well and been very healthy this summer and fall. Lately however I have noticed the leaves and rosettes in general getting smaller and smaller, though they still look very healthy. Of course I figured some kind of dormancy, but the literature on the subject of cultivation only mention a dry summer dormancy if allowed to dry out and exposed to high heat. Any suggestions out there?

 

[CP2k]

Your best bet is to increase the temperatures for these plants and hopefully they will start producing larger leaves. These plants do not need dormancy. The temperatures that you mentioned will probably cause some of the petiolaris dews to go dormant.
If you do allow your plants to go dormant, do not keep the pots completely dry as the plants tend to shrivel in my experience. Keep the pot barely moist and do not sit the plants in water.

 

[Nik]

Thanks for the help! I think I'll start bringing them indoors for the night and that should do the trick without having to heat the greenhouse (wich my Heliamphora's and highland Nepenthes would not like!). Daytime temp's are high enough so just increasing night time temp's should do it. Thanks Again

 

[Tamlin Dawnstar]

Nik,

I think I responded to you on the listserve post regarding this subject. In my opinion, the daylength is probably just as important (if not more) than the need for high temperatures.

 

[Nik]

Right now it's at 11 hours of light, though if neccesary it would probably be OK to increase that without any harm to my other plants