Date: Wed, 5 Aug 1998 23:27:10 EDT From: Kit6pww@aol.com To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg2609$foo@default> Subject: Queensland Tropical Droseras - Survey
Greetings to all!
Last month I checked into this net for the very first time with questions
about D. adelae. David Mellard was kind enough to send me his collection of
historical emails on D. adelae, and from them I took a survey of that
information from each article for further reference. Since there seems to be
a running discussion on this topic, I thought I would submit my survey for
examination. This information should also be fine for D. prolifera and D.
schizandra, as they are found in the same habitat. I understand that D.
adelae can take a little more light than can the other two.
I thank the following people for their submissions which David collected and
relayed to me: Rand Nicholson, Russell (?), Eric (?), Paul V. McCullough, Rob
(?), Fabio (?), Dave Evans, Tom Hanley, Ken Cuson, Jay Lechtman, Ron Sbragia,
Tom & Krissy (?), and David Mellard. I also thank those who have listed their
ideas and advice on this net over the last month (which I have collected).
Cultivation requirements - listed in order of most popular to most individual.
LIGHT/SUN REQUIREMENTS:
Partial sunlight, shaded/dappled sunlight, 2-4 hours per day.
One hour late afternoon sun, shaded otherwise.
No full sun.
Keep bright indoors with fluorescents.
Low light.
(I am experimenting with a combination of low light through most of the day, a
few hours of dappled sunlight through my western-exposure window in the
afternoon (mini-greenhouse door kept open during those times), and fluorescent
full-spectrum with misting and closed door at night.)
TEMPERATURES:
Below 80 degrees Fahrenheit, 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit optimum, with NO WIDE
TEMPERATURE SWINGS.
If your temperature gets higher than that, increase humidity.
(I presently adhere to all of the above).
HUMIDITY: High.
(Yes, I follow high humidity, but I constantly keep a small vent open, or else
I get fungus growing around my plants. I occasionally mist surfaces AROUND my
plants; around rather than ON, to avoid stripping dew off tentacles. RO or
distilled water only).
SOIL/SUBSTRATE:
Pure sphagnum (some designate "live").
2/3 of pot filled with 1:4 sand/peat, dresed heavily on top with live
sphagnum.
(I have been using half/half peat and sand - by weight. I am going to start
dressing the tops of the pots around the plants with moistened sphagnum - all
of my other CP's love it, also increases humidity directly around each plant.)
WIND: No drafts, but also avoid stagnancy (provide some ventilation).
(Yes.)
WATER:
One person mentioned his plants sit in water.
Another person warns you not to allow them to sit in water.
(I sit mine in a tray with up to 1/2" of RO/distilled water).
THE QUESTION OF DORMANCY: This concept has been strongly suggested by many,
and my observation of changes in my plants (which motivated me to ask for help
on this net) seem to follow along these lines. Here are some noteworthy
comments:
In Tropical Queensland, there are two seasons: DRY (temperatures constantly
warm), and WET (temperatures hot). We may be seeing our plants attempting to
follow these built-in seasonal changes.
D. adelae will occasionally die off, only to resprout from roots up to 6
months later.
There appear to be cycles of FTT (failure to thrive) - mucilage dries up, etc.
One person thought it does better in the summer than in the winter.
Others commented that D. adelae dislikes sudden changes, as in moving it from
one condition into another. I think that observation can go for most things,
but perhaps D. adelae is particularly sensitive that way.
OTHER TIPS: I also consulted Peter D'Amato (author of The Savage Garden), for
his personal observations on D. adelae, and this is what he had to say:
"D. adelae, at least in cultivation, is a spreader. Older plants flower
profusely and usually die off, replaced by babies after awhile. Since you
divided the plants, I'd cut off all flower growth. D. adelae is one of those
CP that needs to be frequently propagated to keep it long term (meaning over 3
years). The paler flower coloration may be due to lower light. I wouldn't
worry about it. NEVER, EVER FERTILIZE THIS SPECIES." (This last admonition
goes for all three D. adelae, prolifera, and schizandra.)
I am observing my plants and gently experimenting with all of the advice given
above - I'll pass personal observations along as they happen. I look forward
to getting some D. prolifera and possibly some D. schizandra soon, so I can
gather info on these as well.
And don't forget: Just one (or a few) cultivation observation(s) by itself
does not describe the plant. It is the BALANCE OF ALL OF THEM TOGETHER and
HOW THEY INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER which describe the plant's optimum
cultivation needs for YOUR PARTICULAR ENVIRONMENT.
Hope this helps.
Best regards,
Debra Blanke
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