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What are good Drosera to grow from seed?

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Statik2426

I want to expand my collection of sundews currently consisting of ZER0 plants, and hopefully soon to germinate D. Capensis seed. Any suggestions on plants that are good to start with from seed and where to get them?

Thanks.
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Joe (Statik2426@yahoo.com)
 
I can give you a list of easy to germinate plants, but I am not sure where you will get the seed from. It isnt uncommon so you should be able to track them down easily.

Drosera Capensis--------EASY EASY EASY!!!!!
" Aliciae
" Spathulata
" Natalensis
" Binata forms

These are all exceptionaly easy to grow from seed. Just scatter and watch!
 
I've sown D. capensis and D. binata... None have germinated, and the only problem I can think of is that I am using regular peat, with perlite, instead of sphagnum peat and perlite...
 
Sphagnum Peat and Peat are the same thing... They just add the word "sphagnum" sometimes. How long has it been? Make sure they weren't burried. Seed will germinate as long as they are moist and on the surface, i've heard of lots of people who germinate in pure sand and once i've heard of seed germinating floating on the surface on water too. Seed cannot tell what medium they are on, all it takes is moisture and maybe light.
 
Hmm, well, my seeds are on the surface as far as I know... The only way I water them is to mist them... I shoot water up into the air, then catch it on the stray as to not push them with a high power mist... I also pour some water down the side of the tray if It gets dry... They've been in there since march 20th...
 
cape sundews, D.alicaie, D.spathulata, D.natalensis, almost all rossetted dews, are all easy to start from seeds. just scatter the seeeds over a mix of moist peat/sand and keep warma nd watered from try method and in about 2 weeks, u'll be a parent!
 
My method is as follows.  I sow most seed on 50/50 peat/sand.  I use  transparent plastic drink cups for my pots.  I melt 3 holes in one cup using an old screwdriver heated in the flame of the stove (Be careful!).  I put the well moistened mix in the pot with the holes.  In the another cup (no holes) I put about 1/4 inch or so distilled water, and then put the pot with holes inside this resavoir.  The mix should be just moist, not waterlogged.  The whole goes into a ziplock bag, and I lable the bag and put the date I sowed the seed.  The bags with pots then sit on top of my light fixtures, and are warmed by the heat it produces.  I avoid bright light until any germination is noted (check weekly) at which point the bags are placed under the lights, optimally 3 inches from the bulbs.  I leave the bag sealed for a few weeks to be sure all the seed has germinated, then I begin to harden off the seedlings by poking a hole or 2 in the bag.  After a week or two I crack the bag open.  In another week or two, I remove the pot from the bag, and the pot from the resavoir.  The pot goes into a tray watering regimen at this point on a shelf with a sheet of plastic wrap loosely draped over the light fixture and the shelf.  When the seedlings have 3-4 true leaves, they are transplanted into their permanent 4 or 6 inch pots.  When the rosettes are about pea sized, I begin to expose them to increasingly longer periods of direct sun, slowly.  By the time the rosettes are the diameter of a lifesaver candy, they go outside in a tray system in broken sun for a week or two, and then into full sun.  It usually takes around 7-8 months to produce a flowering plant from seed (some more, some less).  I like to start my seeds in fall/early winter so they will be ready to be set outside in the cool spring conditions.  Most Droserae grow better on the cool side of things.  I get very little damping off or fungus using this method, although algae may be a problem if rainwater is used, which is why I use only distilled water for this process.  By keeping the humidity at 100% humidity I find I get better germination than from sowing on open pots.  Seed for me usually germinates in 3 weeks on average, but some species are harder to germinate than others.  Tuberous and South African winter growers require a different method, as do the petiolaris complex Droserae.

(Edited by Tamlin Dawnstar at 2
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2 am on April 11, 2002)


(Edited by Tamlin Dawnstar at 2
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4 am on April 11, 2002)
 
I prefer to add a layer of milled sphagnum on top of the peat:sand mix for germinating seeds. The anti-fungal properties of sphagnum helps cut down on damping-off.

The tropical/sub-tropical droserae are probably the easiest cps to start from seed. Among the easiest are drosera capensis, aliciae, capillaris, spathulata...and a lot more.
 
Thanks for the info guys. Around what temperature should they be around?

Nobody knows any good sources for seed?
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(Edited by Statik2426 at 8:16 pm on April 12, 2002)
 
keep me around room temp (warm..like 80 degrees? dont worry, if they are covered in a bag, heat will be trapped in the bag, so it will get warm fast. I will be having alot of D.capensis 'alba' seeds sooon, like in a bout 1 week, and many other drosera seeds. i alos have p.ionantha seeds now. message me.
 
Warm temperatures are good for tropicals, but other species have other requirements.  Australian tuberous and South African winter growers germinate best in cool conditions: 51F/10.5C is about right.  Petiolaris prefer it hotter.


(Edited by Tamlin Dawnstar at 9
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8 pm on April 14, 2002)
 
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