Date: Tue, 4 Aug 1998 20:03:07 +0100 From: Phil Wilson <cp@pwilson.demon.co.uk> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg2593$foo@default> Subject: Re: more on tuberous Drosera
In message <Pine.SUN.3.96.980804095248.8790A-100000@eskimo.com>, Andrew
Marshall <andrewm@eskimo.com> writes
>Hi Jay, Hi folks,
>>
>>
>> Oh, and thanks for answering Mark's question, by the way .. I've got
>> D. auriculata doing the same thing .... and I've left them all dry
>> (will have to go home and water them tonight ... poor things).
> You must be careful about this. I am going to try and remember
>the information passed on to me by Allen Lowrie on growing tuberous
>Drosera. It is why I am having so much fun with them now, instead of
>cursing the maker for inventing them.
> When the tuberous Drosera decides to go dormant, let the pots
> dry
>out VERY slowly. Two months is a good time frame to allow for this
>process. In this way it has enough time to retreat to its tuberous
>state. (I have begun after much experimentation to regard these
>Drosera as animals rather then plants. It helps) Once they resume
>growth, also allow some time for them to adjust. I have forgotten how
>long and can not find his letter so that I can qoute (yes, I just
>finished looking for it).
>
I very much second this advice. I think I'm right in saying that the
tuber can almost double its size during the period that the underground
part of the stolon is dieing back.
Another tip which I have found invaluable is to use larger than usual
pots. I use a standard shrub pot which is readily available here in the
UK which is about 1/3 overdepth. The extra volume of soil means the
drying out process takes far longer than for a smaller pot. I also use a
slightly higher percentage of peat than many growers recommend - maybe
something like 50/50 peat and sand. You have to be careful not to overdo
the peat content since otherwise the plants don't get sufficient
drainage when in growth but the extra peat does tend to help against too
rapid drying out when dormancy arrives.
Hope this helps.
-- Phil Wilson
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