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Clueless grower - black tips and mould developing on Filiformis


Shatnerbassoon

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Hello all,

I'm a completely amateur grower with a few Drosera including a Filiformis that I have had without issue for the last 3-4 years (think this year was its 3rd time coming out of dormancy).

It's never had any problems until this year when growth has been significantly less vigorous and it has started to develop some darkened tips that slowly die down the stems. Also i've never had any mould before, now it's popping up especially on the stems that have already darkened and started to die from the tips. The mould is growing on the green, living stems, sometimes starting at the tip, sometimes starting midway up seemingly at random.

- Kept in it's own mini terrarium with a loose lid but no other ventilation. 

- potted in carnivorous plant potting mix

- I moved house just as it was coming out of dormancy this year. In its previous spot it was on a windowsill south facing. Now it is on a windowsill SW facing - probably gets a couple of hours less sun now. 

- I have never fed it in any way before. After these problems developed I suspected they might be symptomatic of a deficiency from not being fed for several years, so I killed a couple of fruit flies and stuck them on. They've started being digested(?) but now appear to be getting mouldy. I do have tuna flakes in the kitchen that I could powder up, would this be a better option?!

- I have never removed any foliage - just let it die down and do it's thing over winter. I have sometimes had small amounts of grey mould develop on the dead tips as they decomposed. It's never spread to the live plant before.

- It's never stopped producing dew.  

 

I have made a google drive album with some pics. I hope you can help, I'm attached to this guy now :( 

My intervention so far has consisted of removing the lid almost completely to dry it out a bit. 

Thanks in advance!

 

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1CYYowWptBuF9w0RVCYkF6JeLvPRzASGB?usp=sharing

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by Shatnerbassoon
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Clearly your filiformis does not appreciate you moving house!  Presumably there is something different about the new environment it does not like.  One assumes you are using rainwater or distilled water.  From the pictures the new leaves on the plant look healthy and I think removing the lid was a good idea to get more air inside the terrarium.  I would suggest leaving the lid off to help reduce the incidence of mould through the air being too stagnant.  The mould suggests the air needs more movement.  I grow filiformis outside, but sheltered from the elements, and have no problems.

With a bit of luck, I think you will find the plant grows out of its current problem as it becomes adapted to its new environment.

Kind regards,  Rob

 

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They do not need terrariums nor high humidity, I would take the lids off to increase ventilaton thereby reducing mould and take the cover off the Capensis pots entirely.

Also after 3 years or so I would repot to reinvigourate the medium, that will help the plants, and at the same time loose the terrarium. 

Put them outside if you have the opportunity to give them all more light.

 

Cheers

Steve

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As the others have said, keep the plant in open fresh air as much as possible to discourage mould.  This will also allow insects to get to the plant to feed it.

Cut off any dead or mouldy parts of the leaves.

Repot, if you haven't done already.

Give this a go and let us know if it recovers.

Guy

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