Nigel H-C

Similar shape to a rather nice minor x (x catesbaei) I’ve got. Nigel HC

God Almighty. I’ve sold the flowers and live pitchers before to arrangers, and often get them take my chuck-outs at the flower shows, but that is ridiculous! Nigel HC

I'm near Glastonbury, and hoping to be back on my feet properly here by the summer after my accident. Nigel HC

Beautiful reminiscences.

This is very sad, I remember Geoff well from the nineties, and was wondering only recently what happened to him. Nigel HC

That’s fine, leave it until the spring!

Pot it in a mix of moss peat and perlite in the spring. Make sure you give it a cold dormant period between now and Valentine's day, keeping it just damp rather than wet until then. I'm guessing it's a garden centre plant, and will probably be pretty soft, so don't allow it to go too cold this first winter, perhaps just down to freezing point. You'll finf more comprehensive growing instructions on my website below. Regards Nigel HC

Looks like a very etiolated S x courtii or similar. Keep it in full sun and you’ll find it will colour up. Nigel HC

Definitely aliciae. There are only a very few Drosera hybrids. Regards Nigel H-C

Well said Keith and Dave, it’s the scientific content and in all probability years of work that makes this kind of book so expensive. This isn’t going to be a widely sold coffee table book full of colourful artistic photos, or a cultivation guide. Nigel HC

Could be. Are they in natural or artificial light? Full sun will answer the question! Yes, they will be forming hibernacula now, so you probably won't know until next year! Nigel H-C

Looks like a D. venusta to me. Give it more light, it's a beautiful plant. Nigel H-C

Welcome to the both of you! I'm sure you'll find this a most absorbing interest, and as I always tell people, these are the best plants to stimulate young minds. Nigel HC

I tend to keep them above freezing. I have frozen them and they've been fine, and for that matter I've also frozen Drosera regia, but wouldn't necessarily recommend it. Nigel HC

A minimum of 7 Celsius and damp rather than wet will be fine. Regards Nigel H-C

I did that once with another gardening website, and they didn't want to know as apparently they were experts!

As I understand it, a nursery can register a new cultivar simply by having it in their catalogue/website. There was also the S x mitchelliana from Sarracenia nurseries called 'Red Lips' which seems to have dropped off the radar. Anyone growing this still? I have a couple knocking around. Nigel H-C

It also implies they can be planted out in the garden. This slug eating nonsense was started by some or other charlatan a number of years back and some outlets are still using it. Nigel H-C

I'd leave dividing until the spring, that way the plants have the whole season to root through and establish. I use a peat and perlite mix, the same as for the Sarracenia. Nigel H-C

It's fine, just the result of the insects inside breaking down and perfectly normal for this time of year. Sarracenia do the same. Hope that allays any concerns! Regards Nigel H-C

I see the photo had made it into the new Drosera books, ownership of which, in my opinion, should be mandatory! Kew's labelling has been iffy, to say the least, in the past, but the current team are working hard to get the collection back on its feet. Nigel H-C

Looks like spatulata and rubrifolia. Nigel

Me too!

I overdosed some Sarracenia with it a few years back as an experiment and it screwed them! In small doses it seems fine but just don't overdo it. Nigel H-C

I've never fed mine, and to agree with Dunc they catch, at times, a huge amount, so extra would be quite superfluous. When they're small they seem to struggle on for a year or two, remaining small until they're able to catch larger insects, at which time they're off the blocks like a lamprey on an ice rink. Never tried feeding whilst small, but if I get round to pollinating this year (something I've planned but failed to facilitate for the past couple of years, though followers of mine will know that last year went somewhat contrary to plan), I'll try something. Regards Nigel