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I am thinking about picking up one of these, as I hear they're about as tall a Drosera as you can get without going for one of the infamous Tuberous ones (which I doubt I have the experience needed to keep alive). (Although re-reading Savage Garden has me thinking D. dichotoma 'giant' might be worth getting too.)

However, I am a bit worried about picking one up, as I do not know if I have the conditions needed to grow them successfully. According to the ICPS Seedbank, there are about 3 or 4 types:

D. Filiformis Filiformis 'Typical'
D. Filiformis Filiformis 'Florida All Red'
D. Filiformis Filiformis 'Florida Giant'
D. Filiformis tracyi

I did see a hybrid on a certain store and mentioned in "Savage Garden":

D. Filiformis x 'California Sunset'

From what I understand, the 'tracyi' is the largest, growing up to 2 feet tall, but has white dew not red. The "Florida All Red" does not go into Hibernation without extreme conditions forcing it to, whereas the Typical and Florida Giant both end up going dormant in winter. Supposedly, the Canifornia Sunset is pretty cold tolerant as well.

I suppose my question is, I figure the Florida All Red would be ok for a Window plant, as my Cape Sundews et all are surviving just fine. However, in Zone 5 - 6 (Twin Falls ID 83301), would any of these survive the winter outside for dormancy?

Right now it is 38 degrees out and will hit the mid 30s overnight. Later this week we'll see a high of 40 and a low of 27 on the coldest day. Looking at WeatherUnderground's history, if 2008 was any indication of 2009, January and Febuary I should expect to see highs of mid 20s to 30s (and lows in the teens) turning into 40-50 highs and 20-30 lows in early Febuary.

In other words, cold. Would any of these Filiformis survive in my area as an outside plant, with or without protection of some kind? Heck, thinking about it, should I start worrying about my Sarracenias and Dionaeas that are outside?
 
I would give a thumps up on trying it out. I wouldn't grow it on a windowsill. If you're worried if it'll get too cold, mulch it. Or, when you get snow, you can use that like mulch. Same with the Sarrs and VFTs.

Edit: The only plants I'd worry about are the Florida varieties, but again, mulching it would help.
 
mulching or moving the plants to a garage or shed during winter helps, or using the fridge method
 
I can really only speak for the California Sunset variety. Starting out as a leaf cutting

D_filiformis.jpg


I grew this on a window sill

D_filiformis_California_Sunset.jpg


It went dormant for December and January and woke up in February. The following summer it flowered.

s_Wed_086.jpg


It does fine as a window sill plant but can go outside for most of the year. I would treat similarly to a VFT or Sarracenia.
 
Yeah, most of the plants I want to get will be put outside when temperatures permit, my Tropicals nonwithstanding.


It's just right now we're still at 0 inches of rain or snow for the past few months, temperatures below freezing, etc etc. Pretty much really cold and dry.

What is a good mulch to use? Would frozen LFS work? ;)

Unfortunately I am in an apartment so no Garage et all to move them to. However, they are in an nook on very small (5x5' or so) deck, so they are protected from the worst of it. Apartment life is taking some getting used to, not having space for more plants is driving me nuts! :)
 
Where we used to live we had an attic by a window. That was perfect. We moved and I've farmed my temperates to a co-worker with a garage (and window). That worked out well last year, so I'm doing it again this year. You can mulch but I think the big bales of sphagnum peat, along with pine needles is your best bet. Do a search on the forum for a member called Wildbill. He keeps his temperates outside all year long and has an excellent illustration, pictoral and written.
 
My D. filiformis var. tracyi grows like a weed for me. I am very proud and fond of it. It does go dormant in late November in my area, and is able to withstand temps at around the freezing point. When it gets lower than 28F or 27F, I move it to my unheated garage.

Mulching or moving it somewhere that is a bit warmer during those very cold nights will be the way to go.

See THIS for possible ideas on mulching.
 
I am thinking about picking up one of these, as I hear they're about as tall a Drosera as you can get without going for one of the infamous Tuberous ones (which I doubt I have the experience needed to keep alive). (Although re-reading Savage Garden has me thinking D. dichotoma 'giant' might be worth getting too.)
Any of the D. binata group are robust plants - well suited for a windowsill.

I suppose my question is, I figure the Florida All Red would be ok for a Window plant, as my Cape Sundews et all are surviving just fine. However, in Zone 5 - 6 (Twin Falls ID 83301), would any of these survive the winter outside for dormancy?
The all-red might work ok as a windowsill plant over the winter. All of mine died last winter when left with the Sarrs in our unheated garage. This year I brought some inside to help keep the fungus gnats under control. So far, they're thriving.

In other words, cold. Would any of these Filiformis survive in my area as an outside plant, with or without protection of some kind? Heck, thinking about it, should I start worrying about my Sarracenias and Dionaeas that are outside?
IMHO, D. filiformis filiformis - typical form is your best bet as a companion plant for your Sarrs & VFTs. It is very hardy and produces copious amounts of seed. Most of your plants will probably survive but if they don't, there will always be a bunch of young volunteers from the seed to take over. The 'tracyi' can be touchy overwintering. When I had my bog - they never made it through the winter.

As for the Sarrs & VFTs, you may have an issue (especially w/ above-ground pots). Most of my Sarrs made it through the winter (in the 'bog') but I typically lost a few also - usually the rarer clones. My VFTs mostly died over winter. A few survived but were often in a weakened state from the cold, low humidity or frost heaving. In the years I mulched with pine needles, the mice set up residence and attacked many of the plants. I don't know that they really enjoyed them - but rather seemed to chew them up out of boredom. When I originally tried to keep above-ground pots (or kiddie wading pools) over winter, most of the Sarrs & VFTs died - except the purps.

I am in zone 6 - but a cold spot for our area. I have read of others in similar or colder areas having success w/ outdoor bogs. I suspect that people with fewer mice and significant pine mulch would probably have success. I currently overwinter my Sarrs in an unheated garage and VFTs in a cool basement under lights.
 
Ugh, now I'm worried about my outside plants.

My schedule right now has me going to work at 7, which is before it really gets warm. I am worried doing something like bringing in my plants to my apartment (which I keep at around 60F) for the night would shock them to death -- so maybe the Florida All Red form is my best bet if I want a Filiformis.

Right now it is 27 degrees out according to Weather Underground -- I do not have a thermometer on my deck, but will be getting on ASAP, I would presume it's slightly warmer due to it being right next to a building and in a nook.

Basing my temperature plans on the previous winter:
Dec 07 Jan 08 Feb 08

It looks like the temperature won't get TOO much worse than what it's at right now. The occasional night in the teens (and day in the teens too, ack), but nothing horrid -- except for the cold snaps in the single digits, which would probably be lethal.

Perhaps the prudent thing to do would be to keep an eye out for that and in the event of something like that, bring the plants into the fridge until it passes?

So other than mulching, are there any other countermeasures for this sorta thing? My deck has a power outlet, I could put a heat pad under my plants (and I have one to use, too), but am loathe to do so for safety concerns. Would bigger pots help even out the heat?
 
  • #10
I grow my D. filiformis inside under lights. They routinely go dormant with reduced photoperiod and slightly cooler temps every fall. Same for D. intermedia.
 
  • #11
So WeatherUnderground says it's 25 degrees out right now, my newly connected thermometer with outdoor sensor says it's... 40.

So 15 degree difference, although I'll certainly need to watch that closer to see if it keeps that difference up -- if so, then those temperatures in the single digits become almost manageable temperatures in the mid 20s.

I have slowed my waterings because their soils are more or less frozen. Should I keep them watered as normal, or will that cause them ice/frost problems? I know that in my home town of Yakima, WA they would use ice to freeze Apple Trees to winterize them -- not sure on the theory behind that, but think that might be something I could use?
 
  • #12
Cut back on the watering. Having the soil freeze solid around the plant is not good.
 
  • #13
Cut back on the watering. Having the soil freeze solid around the plant is not good.
Interesting statement. While I don't really know either way - I know I lost most plants that were over-wintered above-ground outside & even some in a in-ground bog.

My Sarrs have been over-wintered in an unheated garage for at least the past 5 years. Most years, the media is frozen through Jan-Feb (some years - constantly frozen, others - on & off). I believe that it was Dave Evans (either on listserver or one of the forums) that stated that dessication is the actual cause of winter Sarr deaths. Since he wrote that, I periodically check the pots & trays in the garage & water when they're kinda dry looking (apologies for the precise technical terms). :-D

Winter is a scary time for my Sarr collection. Although I've only lost one large leuco (to Botrytis) in the years of garage over-wintering (and that was in my 1st year), I can't help but feel that this winter may be "the one".
 
  • #14
Hm, Lately I've been watering about once every 3 days, and only if it's above freezing out. Is that too frequent?
 
  • #15
If the plants are dormant with hibernacula watering (and even light) isn't much of an issue as there is very little uptake. Too wet can lead to rot.

I think cold conditions assist in maintaining dormancy, but photoperiod is the primary factor. I've had plants stay dormant at room temps. if plants are kept on short day photoperiod. Treat them like VFT's of Pitcher Plants and you'll be fine.

'California Sunset' is WIN!
 
  • #16
Right now the sensor I have outside says it's 24F, it's about a foot away from my plants on the wall. Weather Underground thinks it's 12F out. There's some snow on the ground but none on the plants. Haven't had time to find mulch of any kind, unfortunately.

I wonder if just keeping them on the windowsill would work, if all they need is photoperiod. I have no lighting setup right now, outside of a single 60W bulb helping keep the Pygmys alive (although I think I could ditch it at this point). The window only gets direct sunlight for a few hours, from say noon to 5 or so. Lots of indirect light however.

I have not had time to test the temperatures in the room / window / etc, It could very well be that directly up against the glass it's cold enough to provide dormancy without killing anything. I rather hope not, as about 6 inches from the window is my Monkey Cup, my Cape Sundews, etc etc.

Tamlin -- why is 'California Sunset' win, btw? I know very little of it, except that it's supposed to be somewhat cold hardy.


Edit: I just read on The Carnivorous Plant FAQ that D. Filiformis has been found as far north as New Jersey, which is mostly Zone 6 (like my area)... I'd hate to buy a plant in dormancy, but maybe I'm overthinking this and should just buy a few plants and see if they make it?
 
  • #17
I found D'Amato's cultivar to be both robust and beautiful...very well named as the colors are more orangish vs red.

24F is pretty cold for the species. The windowsill might work, but I have never experimented like that so it is a risk to your plant. Another option might be to use a syyrofoam cooler as a sort of cold frame. I've heard of D. filiformis returning in the spring in well mulched bogs with temps being in the teens in winter, so perhaps the cooler would function in the same manner. Again, an untested hypothesis although a worthy experiment!
 
  • #18
Did someone say 'experiment'?

Anyhoo, if you have leaves, I would propogate as many as possible through cuttings... and then try different things.
 
  • #19
I'm still testing out the cuttings thing right now, actually, I have 2 leaves (4 cuttings total) of my original Cape Sundew -- my first Carnivorous Plant -- in a translucent box of pure water. They've been there for a week and haven't done anything yet -- but it's a bit colder (65-70) than it should be. I moved my 60W desk-gro-light over on top of that one (away from the pygmys and cape sundews), which should warm them up a bit and provide more light.

I will have to move it back in a day or two if the Sundews lose their dew -- it very well may be that the Sundews et all are only surviving that close to the window because of the extra heat from the lamp -- I have kept the heat off in the new apartment since moving in, so the average temperature has been in the mid 60s in the house...

I am also thinking of putting a heat mat under them which would take them to 85ish, but I am hesitant to do so. Maybe in another week or two if nothing happens.

Maybe that's the thing to try, buy it in spring and take cuttings, and just try one in the window and one on the porch.

Cold frame is an interesting idea, too. So, just get a styrofoam cooler and put the pots in that (elevated until they're even with the sides of the box, of course)? That sounds like it might work, except my Pitcher Plants are in a big pot that would require a huge styrofoam setup.

A certain Ranch sells Styrofoam planters, I wonder if those would work well for keeping plants from freezing to death...

The deck does have a power outlet so I could, in theory, put the plants on top of a heat mat, but I am loathe to do so -- both because of the fire hazard and the electricity usage. I would rather not have to "cheat" to keep plants alive, if that makes any sense.
 
  • #20
A heat mat would be good for other plants but not necessary for D. filiformis cuttings. Room temp is fine.
 
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