8 replies to this topic

[Amar]

Hello gang.

I have had this plant for a few years now, 4 to be precise (bought it here: http://www.extreme-plants.eu/), starts to grow late Fall, shrinks away late Spring, every year.

Well, I grow this plant in a fairly large pot, a pot which is the home to my Pinguicula gigantea × moctezumae (standard substrate).
Now, these plants certainly do not grow together at their natural habitat, but, do I care? Nay.

That being said, I keep this pot standing in water all year round, and well, perhaps the Drosera would prefer better conditions, but it nonetheless has come back every year to date.

Edited by Amar, 05 December 2011 - 18:03 PM.

[Dave Evans]

Dear Amar,

You're supposed to keep D. gigantea wet all year.  It doesn't actually go dormant, well maybe a few weeks, but drying the soil out can certainly kill them.

[Amar]

Thanks very much for that Dave, I was under the impression only D. auriculata (of the tuberous stickies) can really be kept wet all year round and that gigantea really wants it dry for some time. Good to know.  

[James O'Neill]

How big are your tubers - I heard they can get to potato size.

[Amar]

It's been in the pot for a while, have only replanted once, when I did they were only a bit over 1cm in diameter.

[Dave Evans]

Hello Amar,

I don't recall all the names, but there are several species which shouldn't be dried.  There seem to be three general kinds.  Some you keep wet all year.  Some which dry some, but not completely dry or of like how Sarracenia need less water in winter.  Then there are the species from higher up on the water table which do need to dry fairly well or the tubers can rot.  I can't recall which are which though or even how many species there are.  LOL.

I keep D. gigantea, D. peltata, D. rupicola and graniticola happily wet all year.

Here are a couple of pics by Sockhom:
http://carnivorousoc...dave-evans.html

Edited by Dave Evans, 06 December 2011 - 02:26 AM.

[Tim Caldwell]

It's great the plant can survive in those conditions - very convenient!

I've never really tried to cultivate any tuberous drosera, but I live in an area where D. auriculata, D. peltata and D. aberrans are extremely common. Summers here are very dry and I suppose that would be the safest, most ideal conditions for tuberous Drosera during their dormancy. But hey, if you can get away with having a wet pot and some Pings in there with it, that's fantastic!

Cheers,
Tim

[massmorels]

Where's the pics Amar?!?!?

[Amar]

Well, there is no too much to see, the plant is about 16cm tall (around 6 inches) and the sticky parts are just starting to enfold. Bit hard taking the pic, sorry for mediocre shot.