Little-Bacchus Posted June 24, 2013 Report Share Posted June 24, 2013 I have done it after years of trying I have got Drosera capensis to grow. I have no idea why it was so hard as most people have said stick it in moss and it will grow. I have two pots with sphagnum in and not a sausage for over two years so I thought I'd try other growing mediums from sheep wool to cotton wool and BINGO! the one on cotton wool has worked. Now here is the problem. Cotton wool is a compleatly sterile environment as in 0% micronutrients and my seedlings are far too small to feed. Are they going to reach a size and then just exhaust themselves or will the make it to a size that I can feed them a fungus gnat or two? I have seen people talking about orchid feed and seaweed feed as a root boost should I try a few dilute drops on the cotton wool. I just don't want to get this far and kill them off only to have another 14 month wait for germination. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoLongFairWell Posted June 24, 2013 Report Share Posted June 24, 2013 Try spraying the seedlings with a quarter dose of Orchid Focus 'Grow' every 3-4 weeks. It's really puzzling me as to why you've not succeeded with this plant sooner. Mine is a weed in any pot that's wet enough. What conditions were your previous attempt growing in? Soil, sunlight level, water level (rain water)? Indoors/outdoors? They should germinate in weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredG Posted June 25, 2013 Report Share Posted June 25, 2013 Were you trying to grow on sphagnum moss peat or live sphagnum moss? D.capensis loves to self seed around my pots containing peat but I don't recall it ever self seeding in live sphagnum. The only D. capensis I have in the Darlingtonia trays etc I put there as adult plants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoLongFairWell Posted June 25, 2013 Report Share Posted June 25, 2013 Interesting Fred. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxxima Posted June 25, 2013 Report Share Posted June 25, 2013 (edited) ... I have seen people talking about orchid feed and seaweed feed as a root boost should I try a few dilute drops on the cotton wool. I just don't want to get this far and kill them off only to have another 14 month wait for germination. I am using seaweed for everything from drosophyllum to utrics including drosera and flytraps. I've seen a boost in every species. Edited June 26, 2013 by maxxima Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ordovic Posted June 28, 2013 Report Share Posted June 28, 2013 Who said stick in moss? If you're growing from seed the moss will out grow the plants. What they should have said (too late now I know) is sprinkle on peat/sand/perlite mix. or is the peat-free the point? Can you split the seedlings into batches? feed one leave the other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little-Bacchus Posted July 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2013 @Richard Bunn I think it could be a lack of light as growing inside on a south facing windowsill always fresh rain water. I think I could also be cursed with duff seeds. I need to find a reliable grower selling fresh seeds. @FredG Dry sphagnum reconstituted with rain water @Ordovic No i'm happy to give peat a try, I think I am going to have to order some more seeds and plant up a few in peat and some in a mix and see what works best for me, as for feeding I only have one seedling at the mo and it is already looking a little sickly as soon as I find a good way to get them up and about I will be testing feedin with seaweed and orchid feed like maxxima and Richard Bunn have suggested and see what ones come out the best or give better rate of growth. Thanks all for the help and fingers crossed my seedling makes it to full size plant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredG Posted July 4, 2013 Report Share Posted July 4, 2013 If you grow your D. capensis on peat (peat/sand, peat/perlite) there is no need whatsoever to feed them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little-Bacchus Posted July 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2013 If you grow your D. capensis on peat (peat/sand, peat/perlite) there is no need whatsoever to feed them. I think this is my best bet as I was just getting a bit impatient at slow growth rate but will learn to wait it out... All else fails I can look at it under 500X magnification. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoLongFairWell Posted July 4, 2013 Report Share Posted July 4, 2013 LB, where were you getting your seeds? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little-Bacchus Posted July 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2013 LB, where were you getting your seeds? All my drosera seed so far have come from ebay. I try to stick to ebay shops more than individual sellers but out of about 200ish seeds from different people I have one sorry looking seedling lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoLongFairWell Posted July 5, 2013 Report Share Posted July 5, 2013 Maybe that's your lesson. If I had any at all I'd give them to you but I don't let capensis flower due to it being a weed if it seeded anywhere. Try posting an ad in the sales and wants section. Failing that you can get them from Aidan at insekenfang plants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ordovic Posted July 15, 2013 Report Share Posted July 15, 2013 Quite frankly I'm still stunned. On a south facing windowsill aught to be plenty of light for D. capensis unless shaded out by surrounding buildings. The other thing to try is enclosing them in a propagator. Before sowing, sterilising the media will help against subsequent over-zealous growth of mosses etc. I soak the media (once in the pot) with boiling water and then allow to cool. I've actually used tap water for this which sounds like utter madness but it's not caused any problems -I think there's enough acidity, or whatever, in the peat to counteract a one time application + I rinse through with rainwater before sprinkling the seeds. Alternatively microwave it for 3 minutes (which is what I do when sowing fern spores since I do this in chinese take-away tubs anyway). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little-Bacchus Posted July 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2013 Quite frankly I'm still stunned. On a south facing windowsill aught to be plenty of light for D. capensis Thanks for this and the other good info in my other post I'll give things a try and see how it goes. I'm starting to think I am cursed when it comes to carnivorous plants. I have gingerroot on the same windowsill and it is lush and green so the light levels are very high. I think I am going to have to go back to the start, fresh seeds, new peat and do it step by step. On a side note my girlfriend caught me microwaving 'mud' as she called it some time ago for another plant and now banned from doing so lol. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredG Posted July 15, 2013 Report Share Posted July 15, 2013 Why don't you buy a pot of plants and get your own fresh seed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19Silverman93 Posted July 16, 2013 Report Share Posted July 16, 2013 Thanks for this and the other good info in my other post I'll give things a try and see how it goes. I'm starting to think I am cursed when it comes to carnivorous plants. I have gingerroot on the same windowsill and it is lush and green so the light levels are very high. I think I am going to have to go back to the start, fresh seeds, new peat and do it step by step. On a side note my girlfriend caught me microwaving 'mud' as she called it some time ago for another plant and now banned from doing so lol. I concur with Fred, start out with a young plant of your own to get yourself in practice, capensis is dead easy so you should have no problem with getting it flowering, then you have a ready supply of your own seed to use. (as a side note, I feel for you with your girlfriend, mine's a pain too sometimes and I suspect many on here will sing a similar song. make sure she's out the house next time when you microwave your media ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoLongFairWell Posted July 16, 2013 Report Share Posted July 16, 2013 (edited) Little Bachus, you might be interested to hear that one of our members, Aymeric Roccia in France published a sales list a couple of days ago and seeds of Drosera capensis (both wide leaf, and Vogelgaat nature reserve forms) is on it. You can guarantee good stock from him. See this thread http://www.cpukforum...showtopic=50151 Edited July 16, 2013 by Richard Bunn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredG Posted July 16, 2013 Report Share Posted July 16, 2013 .(as a side note, I feel for you with your girlfriend, mine's a pain too sometimes and I suspect many on here will sing a similar song. make sure she's out the house next time when you microwave your media ) And on no account let her read your comments on the forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19Silverman93 Posted July 16, 2013 Report Share Posted July 16, 2013 And on no account let her read your comments on the forum. haha oh god no, I'm not that much of a glutton for punishment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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