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carnivoor

my babies (progress)

carnivoor
15 years ago

In the beginning of april my seeds arrived ,they were Sarracenia flava 'Maxima' ,Drosera capensis and VFT.

The only medium I had available at the time was peat so I decided to chance it and sow them in that.I devided each of the packages in 2 parts and sown the first batch (the sarracenia I put in the fridge).5 days later I put the other seeds in their pots(again the sarrs in the fridge) and when I checked the first pots I found there was already some change in the first batch of sundews.

The second pot of sundews took like forever to show the first greenery(3 weeks while it took the first seeds just 5 days) even though they were both kept in front of the same window. Now that the first batch has grown a first real leaf I must ask ;is it normal that the first D.capensis leaves are roundish?

Even though you can hardly see the first leaf(best way to see it is to make a picture with a zoom)) what I can see very well is the little drops spreading out from the leaf so I guess they feel very happy.

When I did my daily inspection round today I found the first green point in my VFT pot that sits in front of the window, the one standing outside isn't doing anything yet(but these are 5 days younger so I'll see what happens next).

My first batch of Sarrs I took out of the fridge after 2 weeks, the other pot is still there(but I changed the medium by putting sphagnum in the mixture) and I'll give it another 2 weeks before I take them out.

Just to let you guys know what a CP newbie is up to.

Comments (5)

  • mutant_hybrid
    15 years ago

    Hello Carnivoor,

    The Drosera capensis seeds do not need cold stratification, nor do the Venus Flytrap seeds... just sow them on moist moss and give them a sunny window in an open pot, no humidity dome. They should sprout in 1-4 weeks... the sundews growing faster. Just about all sundews start off as seedlings with rounded leaves that eventually grow into adult shapes later as they age.

    Sarracenia seeds do need at least 8 weeks of stratification, I gave mine 10 weeks, in cold, damp conditions. After that, they should be warmed up and placed in a sunny window and kept moist. No humidity dome is needed for them either as the sprouting seeds will grow to be adapted to room humidity and will be healthier (so long as you have over 15 percent humidity that is).

    Be patient as carnivorous plants take a much longer time to grow big enough to actually see well than other plants do.

  • carnivoor
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    2 of my sundew seedlings have now a second leaf and although still small it is clearly standing higher than the other leaf.
    I have in the past month or so bought 2 Sarracenia's and they are now standing on the outside window sill. They are now both sending up new leaves so I guess they are doing well. On my inspection round I found a very small spider had set up shop between my 2 sarrs and was weaving a web ,it wasn't a big surprise because I found it yesterday lurking on the INSIDE of one of the pitchers.
    Oh ,I also found a second green speck in the pot where I put my VFT seeds, with a bit of luck I'll have at least two plants.

  • carnivoor
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    {{gwi:552557}}
    My biggest Drosera now looks like this. I have about half a dozen of them now ,the pot with seeds I put outside my window didn't do so well after a hard rain all the little plants were gone, note to self no more drosera seedlings OUTSIDE the window.

    {{gwi:552560}}

    From my Dionaea seedlings four made it indoors(there were only 6 seeds in the pot)and as you can see I put them in sphagnum now. They're still way to small to feed them but they look they're doing well.
    Today I found the first green specks in my pot with Dionaea seeds I put outside ,MORE THEN A MONTH after those I kept indoors (again note to self: keep pots with VFT seeds indoors they take forever to grow outside)

    My Sarracenia seeds are still in the fridge and will be there for another 3 weeks or so.

  • mutant_hybrid
    15 years ago

    Good going there. Keep up the good work. They take forever to get big enough to actually see without a microscope though. They will not need feeding... if anything, they get enough nourishment from microbes dying on their leaves or breaking down tiny bits of organic matter on them. Keep that moss trimmed around them or it will choke them out.

  • carnivoor
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    My Dionaea seedlings have been in the sun now for a few days and are starting to turn red a bit
    {{gwi:552562}}
    My Drosera has also been in the sun a couple of times and they too are starting to turn red.
    {{gwi:552564}}

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