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Heatwave!

C

colinliew

Recently my D. Capensis has stopped dewing and the leaves are dying at an incredible rate.

I suspect it has something to do with this awful weather we've been having lately. I also thought it might be due to overcrowding.

So I've repotted it into two (larger) pots, hopefully without damaging the roots. Anyone else having sundew problems caused by heat, or am I just missing something?

Also, the last time I repotted a capensis, I seem to have stunted its growth. I'm hoping that doesn't happen again.

This latest repotting endeavour involved pure sphagnum moss, while the previous attempt saw perlite, peat and sphagnum.
 
The capensis I bought from FEF is undergoing the same thing. The leaves are dying off fairly quickly and there isn't much dew on the remaining ones. However, I did notice that there are some new leaves forming. These are of a lighter shade of green than the older leaves, and some of these have dew on them at times.

But I'm not about to repot it at the moment, as the plant, despite its many dead/dying leaves, is flowering for me! Soon, I should have a lot, a lot of seeds judging by the no. of flowers on that stalk!

Btw, my D.intermedia, which is placed close to my capensis outside, is dewing very well. Thus, unless the capensis has radically diff requirements from the intermedia, I don't think it's weather. Prob just nature taking its course?
 
Bleah. What accursed luck. Yes, mine put out new, paler leaves too, but they tend to be somewhat stunted on the old one. The new one that I repotted used to send up flower stalks, but they died before flowering.
 
This is really interesting, because my D. capensis (not from FEF but from SPA next to FEF) stop dewing two weeks ago. After that all the leaves died. I checked the root but they were fine. Therefore, I cut away all the leaves and replanted the roots in another pot. So far, the roots appear alive but there are still no leaves. I wonder is this a reaction to the heat in Singapore?

Anyway, happy National Day!
 
Talk about flowering D. capensis. My plant also sent out three flower stalks over the couple of months that I had it. One flowered but the other two died before flowering. The flower stalk that flowered did not set any seeds, which is strange because all the books that I have read says that this species seeds freely. I am beginning to wonder whether what we have is D. capensis or some other sterile hybrids.
 
Yes, it appears I have strangely little luck with these capensis(es). I had no idea SPA sold any CPs apart from neps.

The funny thing is that when I bought my second capensis, it was really healthy, and dewing quite freely. Perhaps I did something wrong that made it stop.
 
The seed pods of my capensis look like they're going to ripen in a few more weeks, so I'll know if it's sterile or not. If it's not, there're going to be lots of seeds!

Anyway, I went to FEF Ridout Park today... there were many new CPs there! All the VFTs had traps which were opened and healthy. Some had many, many traps... perhaps a vigorous clone? I got a Ping from there as well. The capensis they had look healthier than the one I got a mth ago.
 
I've never succeeded with d.capensis. I've got 2 now and one is exactly like how you all described...making up of only juvenile light green leaves...like it's going to die soon. The other is growing but leaves are significantly smaller.
 
Has anyone had success with capensis? The Savage Garden says they're very easy to grow and all, but this doesn't seem to be the case.

By the way, Cindy, have you been to the Redhill market lately? Any idea whether the uncle's brought in any new neps?
 
  • #10
Is it ok to put d.capensis in air con rooms?maybe it will grow better if its not so hot...also what uncle are you talking about in red hill market?i bought a nep for $4 there from an auntie there ... but i didnt see any uncle
 
  • #11
The only capensis doing okay in my collection is a specimen purchased from Hong Yee about two months back. This small specimen is place under a transparent cup in an effort to increase the humidity and now grows and dew very well. The plant is plalce at the corridor where it is very windy and the humidity is low. If you wish to try this method, please watch out for fungus, which can easily grow without you noticing.

This specimen gets full sun for about three hours in the morning. So, I think heat might not be a serious problem. Humidity could be the issue here.
 
  • #12
Yes, I was thinking about humidity...unfortunately because my pots are large, I have no real means of increasing the humidity, unless I put them all in a large tank.

wezx, look at one of the earlier posts. There was a long thread about the Redhill uncle.
 
  • #13
For larger pots, I will go to the hawker centre and look for stalls selling fishball noodles or other liquid-based food and do a take away. After finishing the food, I wash the container several times to get rid of the oil and dry the container. After that, just put the container over the pot and voila! Instant humidity. The largest takeway bowl that i have seen to date is from a Korean stall at the food court at United Square. Get the Bin Bim Bap. Quite good. Solves all your daily requirements for vegetables in one go!
 
  • #14
But Singapore's relative humidity is like 98-99% right? Surely that is high enough?
 
  • #15
Ah. You said the magic word: relative. I have a temperature and humidity meter that measures the highest and lowest temperature and humidity each day. I monitored both environmental factors for two months and was shocked to find out that the lowest humidity recorded was about 50%, with temperatures reaching a high of 40 degrees celcius. My growing area is very windy and gets a lot of late morning and early afternoon sun. This could explain why my sundews are not dewing unless I enclose them under plastic containers and cups to increase the humidity. You can buy these meter at the local fix-it shop (but not at ACE though). Pearl Centre has a stationery shop that sells one of these unit for about S$35. Get one of these to determine whether their growing area has the ideal growing conditions for the plants. With these kind of humidity and temperature, I should be growing Lithops and cacti.
 
  • #16
I just looked at the weather forecast for Singapore. The humidity is over a range... from 65% to 95%! I've always thought it was a uniform high 90s percentage... guess that is shattered now. I'd better check on the humidity in my area. That could explain why my N.ampullaria, Rafflesiana and Atala aren't pitchering!
 
  • #17
how much is a large fish tank?(the glass part only)
 
  • #18
Be careful about using terrariums. Ensure there is sufficient air movement. Fungus spores are all around in the air in our tropical environment. Those made for the aquarium are quite expensive. One unit for about S$36.

Have anyone tried using a mist generator? One of those that are used in Feng Shui setups. Should generate a good amount of moisture in the air no?
 
  • #19
ebeyonder: Which aunty? Near the carpark or the POSB ATM machine?

Uncle is at the furthest end of the carpark...and no, I don't see any neps.

quqin: Yummy, I love Korean food...maybe we should meet for that when the seeds arrive.
smile.gif
I love the mist generator...but it's SOOOOO expensive. I thought of getting someone to buy for me from China. Anyone knows anywhere here that sells it cheaper than FEF ($50+)?

Btw, I hear that humidity is 60-90% here.
 
  • #20
so what should i do for the air circulation?drill a hole?
 
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