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Drosera filiformis

Cindy

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For mine, the older leaves flop over the edge of the pot...not upright like in most photos I see on the Internet...

I suspect it's due to low light intensity (I'm growing it under florescents)...the leaves are scrawny and long but are dewy.

Or it is the species?
 
I grow mine... not well! I too am interested to see how other's "healthy" plants are grown.

SF
 
Hi Cindy.  Hi SF. I have a Drosera filiformis (red) growing outside.  It was growing great, leaves growing straight up and eating well until August when the leaves started dying and it began forming a hibernacula.  It looks like a little green marble.  Why it would do that at that time of year is beyond me.  I was hesitant to put it in the frige as it is a North Florida plant and it doesn't get all that cold up there for very long periods of time.  I put it in a shady place underneath my grow bench, cut back on the water and it just sat there doing absolutely nothing.  Yesterday I put it next to my other Drosersa to see if it is going to come out of dormancy or die...got my fingers crossed  as it is a very pretty plant.
rock.gif
 
rock.gif
 
Mine also formed a hibernacula, but that just occurred. I believe that this was due to the shortened photo period. I will be moving it to my hibernation. Maybe it is the time of the year that is causing your problems.
 
I always had some problem with D.filiformis, no matter what was the hybrid/ssp. But this year, I changed my formula, I grow them in LFS instead of the usual peat/sand mix. Since then, I haven't had any loss, but the dormancy hasn't begun yet (my major losses usually). Nevertheless, my leaves usually dry up easily, and I think that mosses can provide the lacking humidity, and a 'airier' substrate. I keep water at 1/2", and they have been both grown under HPS and fluorescent tubes. Note that the fluorecents tube were 6" away, and there was reflector all around on the walls. If you space coverred by your fluo is quite small, you can try to make an homemade one from foil. I did mine with mylar.
 
I grow all mine outdoors where the prosper in either sand/peat or live sphagnum. Indoors I have the red form, under a 1000 watt HID lighting system. If dormant, the hibernacula should be kept barely moist, or they are likely to rot. Dormancy is primarily determined by daylength: my plants begin the process in September. The problem with flourescent lighting tis to provide light close to the surface of the pot. This is not too hard with the flat species as they can be placed close to the tubes, but the length of the leaves of D. filiformis prevents this. Tom's mylar idea is a very worthy one, and might grant more success. The single most improtant factor for good Drosera health is LIGHT. These plants require as much as cacti to be at their best in terms of form, color and dew.
 
My D. filiformis has grown well both outdoors and in. Paradoxically, the leaves flop over more indoors than out. Maybe the light winds actually strengthen the leaves? It's under bright light, and growing vigorously, however. I'll put it back outside after the winter.

Capslock
 
Capslock,

Interesting theory on the wind, but I bet that unfiltered light from outdoors is enough of an edge to keep the leaves straight and strong.
Where do you live again?

Joe
 
Joe,

In San Francisco. Where mine grew outdoors, they only got about 4 hours of direct sunlight, maximum. But that may have been enough. It's growing taller, if anything, now that it's indoors, but that may be regular plant growth, and not related to moving inside.

Capslock
 
  • #10
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Capslock @ Dec. 02 2003,9:49)]Maybe the light winds actually strengthen the leaves?
Capslock,
Experiments with tomato plants have shown that if you jostle them a bit a couple of times a day, they grow into stockier plants than those that aren't.  So I think the wind performs the same funtion.  I have notice that my plants are stockier if I grow them outside rather than inside.  I grow my D. filiformis outside during the summer (it's dormant right now) in a 1:1 peat:perlite mix.  The leaves were all upright with little or no drooping.

smile.gif

BCK
 
  • #11
LOL! Now I have to go jostle my D. filiformis a couple of times a day! I'll report as news breaks.
laugh.gif


Capslock
 
  • #12
<span style='font-size:12pt;line-height:100%'>Most locations where I saw it growing in the wild, it was most usually growing amoung grasses that were at least as tall as it was. Grows very well for me under fluorescent lights, no sagging/flopping. I use lots of lights and a 15+ hour photoperiod.

Getting the pictures while the plants are yet short, makes them easier to photograph.

d_filiformis_b.jpg


This is a red pigment-free form with white flowers.</span>
 
  • #13
Mine grow best outdoors protected from heavy rains...

Dr_filiformis04.jpg


Martin
 
  • #15
Arghh no sooner had I posted that did I receive news from home that my filiformis hasn't been watered for 5 days!!! The live LFS has turned white (?!!) and many stalks of leaves are drying from their tips down!!!

Any ideas on restoring the health of the plants?
 
  • #16
Keep watering it generously, but allow it good drainage until it seems to be recovered. Drought damaged plants seem to be more succeptible to rotting if they are then kept "too" wet.
 
  • #17
Go ahead and find a healthy leaf section, make a few cuttings just in case. D. filiformis is easily reproduced with cuttings.

Capslock
 
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