Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
xirtam31337

Lowes Sundew in acrylic cube

xirtam31337
17 years ago

Hi,

I have bought two healthy sundews in cubes from Lowes now, and each time they have lost their dew in less than a week. At Lowes, they are out in the open with not much sunlight. I put them in my windowsills, and maybe that is the problem?

My cubes get really humid and water droplets form on the inside and maybe drop onto the plant. Is this what is causing the problem? Cause there wasn't condensed droplets from Lowes when I bought them. Can anyone help me before I completely kill them? Thanks.

Comments (8)

  • xymox
    17 years ago

    do you have a picture of your plants?

    a pic might help, but if i were you i Wouldn't keep them in those wacky cubes. Humidity isn't much of a Big deal for sundews. They rely more on brighter Locations.

    What you can do is repot your Sundews in a plastic pot/container. a 4" inch plastic pot with drainage holes is Ideal.

    What you should do when transplanting your plant is:

    Gather all the media along with the plant, this way, the roots won't be disturbed. after holding into the media and the plant, repot it. Then water your plant using a tray to keep the compost moist at all times, never allow the compost to dry out.

    After watering your plant, you may place your potted plant into a bright location. with some bright sunlight. OR you may grow it under artificial lights. If do so, Use a 40 Watt LightBulb.

    after repotting your Sundews, it takes time for them to recover, Patience cures everything.. good luck.

  • petiolaris
    17 years ago

    Ah, you have the infamous, "cubes of death"! Do what xymox suggests. (We tend to dispense the same advice!)These minin-terrariums are cute marketing units, but for CP's they are deathtraps, particularly if they have been kicking around awhile, which, from your description, is the case. By the time customers by them, they have been far neglected (deprived of light and air circulation) that one runs the risk of finishing them off by just opening them up and exposing them to the air - which they DO need. The change in humidity and temperature for a neglected plant could set it over the edge. So I would suggest that when you open it up, place at a window sill or under a light, that you do it stages. I would open the cube up by day and close at night for a couple days and provide an increase of light that is more gradual. The goal is to have them in a drained pot, sitting in water, but to do so gradually.

    Did you buy two different types? One is very likely to be D. adelae and the other, to be D. spatulata.

    This is a D. adelae from one of those cubes (after being acclimated)

    {{gwi:428435}}

    And here is a D. spatulata:

    {{gwi:548173}}

    Here are the two within the same "open tray":

    {{gwi:428437}}

  • xirtam31337
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Thank you for the replies. What I did was leave the cube closed by the window during the short day hours, then when it gets dark, I open it up and turn a 15 watt fluorescent bulb on that is about 6 inches away (15Watt fluorescent = 60 watt standard) and leave it like that for 6 hours. So I think this is enough light.

    I will gradually leave it open more and then replant into another container with drainage holes when it gets more stable. I'll try to post updates here. Sorry, I have no pictures yet. Not sure on the type, but it doesn't look like the pictures you posted, petiolaris. It looks kinda like a little tree and the "branches" have a single leaf each. So they don't all come out of the base of the plant like your plants do. Any idea on the type? Thanks!

  • petiolaris
    17 years ago

    I have done the same approach to acclimation... open by day and closed by night. It seems to work.

    Maybe Botanical Wonders has come up with something new? To my knowledge, they have only sold D. adelae and spatulata. Or maybe you really do have a D. adelae. They DO look different (light-starved) when in the cube.

  • kathleenbrooks
    17 years ago

    I bought one of these Lowes cubes with D.adelae, a nepenthes and a Venus fly trap. I fear the VFT is going to be a sacrificial victim. I am pretty good at nepenthes but I don't know what to do about the sundew. I have opened the box with no acclimitization, and have it under grow lights. I removed and repotted the nepenthes. What about dormancy? Does this sundew need it? Is it too late for that? I really like this plant and would very much like to save it. Should I just call it a poor purchase and buy one from a real CP person?

  • petiolaris
    17 years ago

    This type of sundew requires no dormancy. Neither would the Nep., which is most likely the common cultivar, called N. ventrata. Just provide stable conditions, with light and moist soil media, and give them time.

    As to purchasing from others, that's generally not necessary. Most of us on the forum have started out with what we could buy at Lowes, and the like. Some of us have the wherewithal to buy from online places. (I never have!)What I did was pay attemntion to the "trade" offerings and have accumulated quite a lot of CP's. The hobby can be done on a "shoestring budget", as I am proof of that! Also, the spirit of the hobbyists has characterstically been one of sharing and after awhile, those who have received, have had the opportunity to share with others. Really, the vogue has been to request shipping money ($4.05) and fill a box full of plants and/or leaf cuttings and/or seeds and/or....
    ~95% of what I have, has come from forum folk. So if'n you or whomever are interested in some, just shoot me an Email!

  • achievedisplay_gmail_com
    15 years ago

    Do you think the acrylic cubes like this would work: http://www.achievedisplay.com/acrylic-cubes.asp
    Could you replace the lowes cubes?

    Here is a link that might be useful: acrylic cubes

  • amark8195
    14 years ago

    gradually take them out of the cubes and put them in some nice indirect sunlight for 14 or so hour (same with artificial light)and the dew will start to come back in a matter of weeks. the same thing happen to me with my fist sundew

Sponsored
2 Navy Lane, LLC
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars18 Reviews
Loudoun County's Leading Interior Designer