Clumping african sundews

[efbiosis]

Two of my favorite drosera have started to produce plantlets very close to the base of the rosette crown.  I'm worried that removing these plantlets will set back two very robust and imposing plants (my venusta is nearly 3 1/2 inches wide&#33

.  Conversely, I'm worried that leaving them crowded will set them up for disease.  Suggestions will be gladly taken.

Thanks,

Damon

 

[Tamlin Dawnstar]

My inclination would be to let them be. I have D. venusta in a clumped mass in a 8 inch pot and they are quite happy like this. I can only wish that my D. slackii would clump! It did make an offset, and I removed this once it had struck some good roots of its own.

 

[efbiosis]

Tamlin,
Here is one my dirtiest secrets. I accidently damaged the growth tip of my D. slackii. I thought that I had killed the plant, but it sent up another shoot and some off-shoots. I have been dying to repeat that experiment with venusta or dielsiana, but I don't have the guts. When I tried it with capensis, tons of off-shoots appeared...but capensis is in a totally different category (cockroach of the sundew world?)

Damon

 

[Tamlin Dawnstar]

Damon,

Yes, I know it would probably do the trick. Nep G. froze his plant over the winter and now has 3, but I don't have the guts or heart to try this.

Wash your mouth out with soap!!! D. capensis is one of the most beautiful Drosera going, LOL. It almost seems a shame they are so easy to cultivate!

 

[efbiosis]

Point taken.

I agree that capensis are lovely.  They are just extremely prolific.  I've even had seedlings sprout in some of my houseplants that are nearby.  Their ease of cultivation takes some of the fun out it...I guess I take their beauty for granted.

Damon

 

[pond boy]

"like all things that come easy, they dont get the respect they deserve"