That I am very glad to hear. I hope some of those filliformis seeds are just slow...they sprout well for me!
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That I am very glad to hear. I hope some of those filliformis seeds are just slow...they sprout well for me!
Can I just ask what media you sowed them in? And did you rinse/sterilize or anything?
Thanks! I just want to make sure I have the highest chance of success possible.
Has anybody germinated their seed successfully thus far? If so, I'd really like to see some pics and hear about your success!
Or are most of you saving your seed until spring?
Right now, seeds that I harvested in mid summer are sprouting: D. indica and D.filliformis.
Not many of them, but a few. I'm sure the numbers will increase. I can't prevent seeds sprouting in the parents' pots.
Hi, I have a pic to share. Is this what I think it is?! I checked up on my pot today and was about to toss them thinking I messed up something so they wouldn't grow, but I saw one of my pots had green fuzz on it, upon taking a closer look...
Unfortunately, I was stupid and didn't write down which seed was in that pot, and I dunno what is in my other pot either, but they are two different ones for sure. Both were planted on 09/12/2010. I don't even remember what I planted them in, I think it was a little bit of peat moss, little bit of coir, a little bit of perlite, and a little bit of long fiber spaghum moss.
It's definitely either D. venusta or D. indica "PPF".
Here is the picture of the only pot with babies. I'll give my other seedlingless pot another month or two before I try again. The seeds were so tiny, I wasn't able to put enough space between them, so I basically just dumped some of the seeds from whatever envelope they came from, and save the rest for later should I mess up.
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TheFury
Oh, the humanity!!
Yeah, I'm with Reaper - I'm no expert, but if given the choice between D. venusta and D. indica, I'd go with venusta. They don't look pointy enough to be indica seedlings. I see some carnivorous leaves on a few of them already - maybe wait a week or so and then give them their first meal? They'll really take off after that.
Reaper - so to be more accurate, it's probably been more like 7 or 8 weeks since I sowed my seeds based on the date of my original post here (10/6... and add a week or 10 days to receive the seeds. Should have dated the pots!). I, being the newbie that I am, sowed them in just about the worst media imaginable. It's basically 4 parts unwashed peat, 1 part perlite, 1 part vermiculite (
), 1 part Mosser Lee Desert Sand, and 1 part Hoffman Western Desert Sand. The Hoffman sand is very coarse... certainly not ideal for CP growing. Also, it failed the white vinegar test which I forgot to perform before I mixed the media and sowed the seeds! D'oh. So turns out there's an abundance of carbonate minerals in my soil. Anyway, not rinsing the peat allowed copious quantities of algae to form. But in spite of all of that, at least a handful of each seed variety have germinated.
Last night I sowed a little more seed in 50/50 peat and Mosser Lee Desert Sand. I had treated the peat with bleach and boiling water (don't worry, no adverse effects on my plants or seeds - seems to have worked like a charm). Over a month later, there's still no sign of any algae in my pots with this media in it, so I expect higher germination rates this time because the seeds won't be suffocated and starved of light.
Reaper - so to be more accurate, it's probably been more like 7 or 8 weeks since I sowed my seeds based on the date of my original post here (10/6... and add a week or 10 days to receive the seeds. Should have dated the pots!). I, being the newbie that I am, sowed them in just about the worst media imaginable. It's basically 4 parts unwashed peat, 1 part perlite, 1 part vermiculite (
), 1 part Mosser Lee Desert Sand, and 1 part Hoffman Western Desert Sand. The Hoffman sand is very coarse... certainly not ideal for CP growing. Also, it failed the white vinegar test which I forgot to perform before I mixed the media and sowed the seeds! D'oh. So turns out there's an abundance of carbonate minerals in my soil. Anyway, not rinsing the peat allowed copious quantities of algae to form. But in spite of all of that, at least a handful of each seed variety have germinated. Last night I sowed a little more seed in 50/50 peat and Mosser Lee Desert Sand. I had treated the peat with bleach and boiling water (don't worry, no adverse effects on my plants or seeds - seems to have worked like a charm). Over a month later, there's still no sign of any algae in my pots with this media in it, so I expect higher germination rates this time because the seeds won't be suffocated and starved of light.
Okay cool!! I'll go with D. venusta too then. I'll give the D. indica more time too, hopefully they will pop out and greet me one day!
Also, I'm new to seedlings, so what kind of food can I give them? The smallest bug I can find are them fruitflies at Petco, which are probably too big and strong for these babies. Maybe bloodworm, fish food, very diluted drop of ferts, or...??
Also, was I suppose to sterilize the soil?
Thanks!
Also, I'm new to seedlings, so what kind of food can I give them? The smallest bug I can find are them fruitflies at Petco, which are probably too big and strong for these babies. Maybe bloodworm, fish food, very diluted drop of ferts, or...??
Also, was I suppose to sterilize the soil?
Thanks!
TheFury
Oh, the humanity!!
I use freeze dried blood worms. I pulverize them into a fine powder and put a very light dusting on the leaves of the seedlings, followed by a very brief spritz with a mister to hydrate them. I then usually repeat every few weeks. Careful not to add too much or you'll risk burying your seedlings or creating a big stinking rotting puddle in your pot!
As far as sterilizing the media goes - I certainly wouldn't recommend using bleach like I did. As many here at TF will come to know, overkill is my middle name. The brand of peat I use (Hoffman - it's the only thing I can get my hands on in NYC) seems to be especially prone to algae and mold growth. What probably would have worked just as well is boiling the stuff or even just rinsing it thoroughly, several times. But yet, I'd say some effort to clean your media would be a good idea especially for seedlings that might be smothered by algae growth. Without clean media, you'll end up with something like this:
That's my pot with SDCPs' D. venusta seeds in it. There are definitely seedlings in there... but I'm positive that plenty more would have sprouted had it not been for all that gooey algae.
As far as sterilizing the media goes - I certainly wouldn't recommend using bleach like I did. As many here at TF will come to know, overkill is my middle name. The brand of peat I use (Hoffman - it's the only thing I can get my hands on in NYC) seems to be especially prone to algae and mold growth. What probably would have worked just as well is boiling the stuff or even just rinsing it thoroughly, several times. But yet, I'd say some effort to clean your media would be a good idea especially for seedlings that might be smothered by algae growth. Without clean media, you'll end up with something like this:
That's my pot with SDCPs' D. venusta seeds in it. There are definitely seedlings in there... but I'm positive that plenty more would have sprouted had it not been for all that gooey algae.
TheFury
Oh, the humanity!!
It took about a month for it to get that bad, but I saw signs of it after two weeks or so.
---------- Post added at 04:24 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:19 PM ----------
Hey SDCPs - sorry to hijack your SASE thread here. If anyone wants to ask or comment about impure media and how to sterilize it, please feel free to continue the discussion in the thread I created a while back about my sterilization adventures.
---------- Post added at 04:24 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:19 PM ----------
Hey SDCPs - sorry to hijack your SASE thread here. If anyone wants to ask or comment about impure media and how to sterilize it, please feel free to continue the discussion in the thread I created a while back about my sterilization adventures.
Eden Marel,
My vote is also that your sundew babies are Drosera venusta, which is said to by synonymous with Drosera natalensis.
My vote is also that your sundew babies are Drosera venusta, which is said to by synonymous with Drosera natalensis.
Cool, D. venusta it is then!
I'll try powdering some fish food, I'm really allergic to Blood Worms, and freeze dried ones really are too dust which is why I use the frozen kind for my fish. Excited!!
I'll try powdering some fish food, I'm really allergic to Blood Worms, and freeze dried ones really are too dust which is why I use the frozen kind for my fish. Excited!!
Wow! So much activity in such a short space of time!
Thank you for sharing!
No problem at all! Related discussion welcome.
Contrary to whatever it may be assigned to, I disagree. Just like there are many forms of D. indica that should probably be given different species status, or subspecies status. "D. venusta" is really unlike any typical D. natalensis I have ever seen...in appearances at least.
Why do folks insist on grouping the two?
Yeah. Use fish food!
Well, congrats on the one. Keep it drier than most of your CPs of it won't be too happy...important for adults at least. Never let it dry out though.
Thank you for sharing!
No problem at all! Related discussion welcome.
Contrary to whatever it may be assigned to, I disagree. Just like there are many forms of D. indica that should probably be given different species status, or subspecies status. "D. venusta" is really unlike any typical D. natalensis I have ever seen...in appearances at least.
Why do folks insist on grouping the two?
Yeah. Use fish food!
Well, congrats on the one. Keep it drier than most of your CPs of it won't be too happy...important for adults at least. Never let it dry out though.
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The seed arrived today, thank you so much. Also I have grown both D. venusta and D. natalensis and I agree. These are not the same plant. grown under the same conditions they do not appear to be the same.
Wow, what a difference lights can make. I went with the T12 HO 60 watt (2 banks of 2) and the plants that I received green are turning red with in a day.
Wow, what a difference lights can make. I went with the T12 HO 60 watt (2 banks of 2) and the plants that I received green are turning red with in a day.
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Sounds a bit too fast. Don't burn them!
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I apologize, I should have elaborated a little more when I mentioned what I'd heard about D. venusta being a synonym for D. natalensis and BTW I also heard it was a synonym for D. coccicaulis, too. At various times I've grown plants known by all three of these names. Those I knew as D. natalensis, certainly appeared, to me, to be distinct from D. venusta. However, I can say that D. coccicaulis and D. venusta do appear to be the same (or, at least quite similar). Of course, even if they are all taxonomically the same species, one or both could be registered as cultivars, describing their particular defining and distinctive characteristics. But I don't have any problem growing them under the names most of us have already been using.
As has been mentioned to me, several times, the taxonomy of the South Aftican Drosera, can, quite certainly use some more in depth work. There is quite likely some introgressive hybridization taking place in the wild populations, somewhat blurring distinctions between species. Possibly part of the natural mechanism whereby new species come about.
As has been mentioned to me, several times, the taxonomy of the South Aftican Drosera, can, quite certainly use some more in depth work. There is quite likely some introgressive hybridization taking place in the wild populations, somewhat blurring distinctions between species. Possibly part of the natural mechanism whereby new species come about.
Thank you for the obesrvations Joseph! I agree; there certainly is work to be done with the SA Drosera. I realize you were not insisting that D. venusta is the same as D. natalensis. Those who do, beware lest ye kindle me wrath! 
Seed is still available! But my stock is certainly shrinking :-(
---------- Post added at 09:19 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:16 PM ----------
Mr. Clemens,
I certainly appreciate your attention to detail! You seem to edit many posts when we ignorant members make nomenclature mistakes. I just wanted to let you know that I see that as not fun nor easy and am grateful to you
You are a great moderator!
Seed is still available! But my stock is certainly shrinking :-(
---------- Post added at 09:19 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:16 PM ----------
Mr. Clemens,
I certainly appreciate your attention to detail! You seem to edit many posts when we ignorant members make nomenclature mistakes. I just wanted to let you know that I see that as not fun nor easy and am grateful to you
You are a great moderator!
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My letter with SASE enclosed, is on its way.
- - - - - - - -
I have some of those O. C. D.-like behaviors and spent most of my time in the workforce, writing and editing various documents in the military. Small written errors could sometimes cost people their lives, so I learned to be precise when dealing with written documents.
Mostly I think how important it is to be as accurate as possible with the names of our beloved plants, newbies are coming here frequently and I think it important not to confuse and/or frustrate them as they try to learn about CP. If we give our plants nicknames, or abbreviate them with non-standard abbreviations, the new aspiring growers could easily be frustrated trying to understand which plant(s) are being discussed as they try to learn how to grow them.
And they too may be misled about correct nomenclature - multiplying the errors, possibly stimulating additional confusion.
- - - - - - - -
I have some of those O. C. D.-like behaviors and spent most of my time in the workforce, writing and editing various documents in the military. Small written errors could sometimes cost people their lives, so I learned to be precise when dealing with written documents.
Mostly I think how important it is to be as accurate as possible with the names of our beloved plants, newbies are coming here frequently and I think it important not to confuse and/or frustrate them as they try to learn about CP. If we give our plants nicknames, or abbreviate them with non-standard abbreviations, the new aspiring growers could easily be frustrated trying to understand which plant(s) are being discussed as they try to learn how to grow them.
And they too may be misled about correct nomenclature - multiplying the errors, possibly stimulating additional confusion.
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