Growing tuberous Drosera from seed

[Tanukimo]

I've been interested in tuberous Drosera for a while now, but given how rare they are I haven't had a chance to grow them yet. I'm thinking of getting some seed from the ICPS seed bank, but does anyone know how difficult it is to get them to germinate? I've had only bad experiences with growing CPs from seed and I know Utricularia and Nepenthes seed lose viability rather quickly, so would it be worth it to try growing tuberous Drosera from seed? If it matters, I want to grow the erect/scrambling species like auriculata and peltata.

 

[Dexenthes]

Pretty decent little walk-through here: http://www.tuberous-drosera.net/germination1.htm

I haven't had much experience with tuberous Drosera, but many on this website have had some good success growing them.

The ICPS is probably a decent place to start getting seeds from.

 

[kulamauiman]

In a mild climate growing them outside taking advantage of the natural changes in seasonal environment will make things easy. Many of the tuberous drosera seeds in the ICPS seed bank are about 1-2 years old. They were grown here in Kula. I try to add new ones each year. get harvested in late spring early summer. With these plants timing of planting is important. the seeds need environmental cues to start growing. I guess can use the GA3 methods and all, but way to much humbug especially if you try to grow them out of season. Also keep in mind that it may take a year after sowing for seeds to germinate. D. hookeri and D. auriculata are weedy for me. Seeds germinate freely in all the pots on my growing benches. But then again I have a mild climate with a frost free, freeze free winter, the conditions are ideal.

 

[Tanukimo]

Thanks for the replies. I guess I'll try growing them next fall. Until then, I'll have to read up on how to get the seeds to sprout.

 

[hcarlton]

Get the seeds sometime in mid to late summer so you sow them at the proper times. Like Kula said, the peltate/auriculata complex is extremely easy to grow, I've got tons of seedlings of D. hookeri typical, an orange/red form, and D. auriculata. Those guys will even start growing like normal sundews well out of season. The latter two I planted only around November, and they're already growing fast.
On the other hand, species like my D. ramellosa and stolonifera need a definite stratification in late summer, and may need scarification as well.