MGarland

Thanks for all the responses. The plants are sat in my unheated greenhouse. Thinking about VFT and to an extent cacti, where flowering was a huge undertaking, I was coming at it from that angle - but it seems like this isn't an issue for the two sundew types I have. I've snipped them off this time around so I don't get overwhelmed, but will be intrigued to leave one in future. Incidentally, in the pot, there are already tiny sundews growing around the edge so I guess they've flowered before. Are these little guys easy to transplant? As to energy, one capensis just caught a medium sized fly by itself and they seem littered with tiny midges so I guess they're doing well. I'm not sure the Spathulatas have caught much yet but then they're so much smaller. Thanks again.

Hi, My Drosera Capensis are throwing up flower stalks. I'm in no need of any seeds etc., so like a VFT, should I cut them off before they grow too big to preserve the energy in the plant? Same question for my Drosera Spathulata - they seem like such big stalks for such a small plant! Thanks, MG

Hi all, Just wanted to thank you all for such a warm welcome. I'm still very nervous that I'll do something wrong and kill the plants, so it is reassuring to know that there are such knowledgeable people on here who are prepared to answer questions so quickly! Thanks again, MG

Hi all, Just thought I would introduce myself. I've always been interested in carnivorous plants, but am a very newbie grower. A few years ago I had a couple of cape sundews which were fun for a couple of years, and a venus fly trap which I kept for about 3 years until it failed to come back in the Spring. Now that I have a greenhouse (unheated), I plucked up courage to give it another go. I bought a couple of cape sundews, and a couple of 'spathulata' sundews which I hope to put outside permanently. My biggest question right now is compost for a hopefully expanding collection! Buying it from a specialist seems really expensive so I am keen to make my own, but I don't know where to start. Sundews like a peat and sand mix apparently, but I'm not sure where to buy either (The local garden centres don't seem to stock peat, and I have builders sand but apparently this is too limey). Where do I start? Or am I forced to buy the expensive stuff from the specialists? All help appreciated, MG