What's new
TerraForums Venus Flytrap, Nepenthes, Drosera and more talk

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

I have a dilemna...

johnnyfrye

I like drosera.
I have a kind of problem I just realized today. I keep some of my CPs in my room, and I can't move them. And I can't sleep without a fan on.(don't ask) The fan is on a timer for 2 hrs, so after I get to sleep it turns off. My recently aqquired sundews are not making much dew, and my mom says the fan is drying them out.(i'm not sure of that yet) I'm thinking of getting a cold humidifier that makes some noise to replace the fan. That will also probably help the plants, but I will sleep better with the fan. Do you think I should get the humidifier, or just keep the fan? ???
 

I've already read that, and I just think the fan is drying out the sundews and greatly decreasing the humidity. Even the FAQ you linked says "The most common reason for dewless sundews is low humidity". The fan makes lots of air move around in the room, sometimes blowing on the sundews, and probably dries them out. I have a pretty small room, and that just helps the air move around more. And the fan is too big to put in a box, so I can't do that either.
 
Even without a fan, sundews will often have trouble producing dew if kept indoors.

A humidifier also isn't a particularly healthy thing to have in the same room that you sleep in.
 
Get one of those "white noise" makers. Most of them have built-in timers. I have one and it's set on 'Crickets', helps me sleep. :)

Your fan might be drying out your dews... Heck, try Barry's bottle terrarium. It worked for me to get recently shipped sundews get over their transplant shock and become nice and dewy again.

http://www.sarracenia.com/photos/other/vario15.jpg
 
The most common problem with no dew is not enough light.

xvart.
 
I agree with xvart... While working on my senior project, I am surprised to find that even some of the more "reputable" online sites (and books!) are still using severely outdated information.

What kind of lighting are you using for these plants? It also can depend on what kind of Drosera you are growing as some can be fussy... (like my adelae... I don't know why).

But light is the biggest factor. I have a fan blowing across my sundews for over 12 hours a day and they still produce dew at ~30% relative humidity. Lumens (yes I know that lumens are just what human eyes can see) are at 6300 combined total and this is the absolute bare minimum I would recommend. My lights are about 8 inches above the plants but should be closer; I just haven't been able to upgrade my setup as of late.

Hope it helps,
-J.P.
 
Even without a fan, sundews will often have trouble producing dew if kept indoors.

A humidifier also isn't a particularly healthy thing to have in the same room that you sleep in.

Sorry, I meant a steamer. My mom has a warm steamer, and there is a variety that cools the air around you instead. It might also be usefull for dormancy.
 
I sleep with my TV on ...so I'm with you on that one. :)
 
  • #10
Sorry, I meant a steamer. My mom has a warm steamer, and there is a variety that cools the air around you instead. It might also be usefull for dormancy.

We've also told you time and time again you are not giving your plants enough light.
THAT's why your sundew isn't producing dew.
THAT's why your sarracenia is weak and leggy.

We've told you about dormancy - outside on your porch is the best place.
 
  • #11
Again, you need to focus on the basics of your plant care and worry about how humidifiers and steamers affect your plants. Give them more light. If that doesn't work (which it will - I bet my first unborn child on it) then you can start worrying about mechanical equipment that enhance your grow area. The plants you've shown are not the N. rajah's and N. villosa's; yours are very adaptable to environmental conditions; but, they still require LIGHT!

xvart.
 
  • #12
Never mind! I bought the humidifier, and when I woke up, all my sundews had DEW on them!!:-O YAY!! :-D It's like christmas morning! I geuss I had enough light on them after all. ( two flourescent tubes, A 40-watt flourescent bulb, and another 40-watt flourescent bulb, and lots of reflective photo paper, and the occasional hour of sun)
 
  • #13
The most common problem with no dew is not enough light.

xvart.

amen to that bro! I have many sundews. well...only from 3 species. But still...

1415953314_a207800b28_b.jpg


I have a fan right like 2 feet behind it over the window. It blows in 54F air from outside nearly 15 hrs a day based on the temp of the room. (Set to 75F). The humidity might be 40-50%. I still never had any dew problems. Only get those problems on repotting...but they dew up the next day.

Light is the key issue.
 
  • #14
A humidifier is probably unnecessary since the average RH in Los Angeles and Ventura has been in the 80s (highs of 96-98% at night) since Weds.

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/Ma...nlat=32.65&maxlat=35.81&mapwidth=354&site=lox
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/mesowest/mwmap.php?map=la

Besides, didn't you recently improve your lighting situation recently at our urging by adding the reflective paper and moving the plants closer to the lights? Two 40W fluorescent tubes is going to barely sufficient.

You probably would have gotten the same results by:

Doing nothing (increased light taking effect)

Or

Moving the fan so it doesn't blow on the plants and making sure there is always plenty of water in the trays.
 
  • #15
2 x 40 watts should be enough. Thats what I am using.
 
Back
Top