Carnivorous Plants/drosera

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Expert: - 10/17/2008


Question
hello I am from argentina
My drosera capensis has a kind of green insect on her(aphids I think),she also is flowering and I do not know what kind of insecticide spray on her(I was told that diazinon,azephat and malathion were not dangerous for this kind of plant.I do not know if i can spray zipermetrin)
thanks
analia

Answer
Hello Analia,

I have not used zipermetrin either. I use pyrethrines and Neem oil based chemicals on my plants. You could use the other chemicals if they are all that is available, but like I said, I have no experience with zipermetrin. You could also submerge the plant in a bucket of distilled water for 24 hours, take it out, and then submerge it again for 24 hours. That would drown the aphids and you would not have to use chemicals at all.

Christopher

Carnivorous Plants

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Christopher Littrell

Expertise

I am capable of answering questions about the most common carnivorous plants found in cultivation. I have no personal experience with Byblis, Drosophyllum, Aldrovanda, and Heliamphora. I have not cultivated gemmae forming pygmy sundews nor tuberous sundews. For information regarding those aforementioned species, I would suggest contacting other experts. I can answer questions regarding most species of Nepenthes, tropical and temperate Drosera, Mexican Pinguicula, Sarracenias, and Dionaea. I have some limited experience with growing Utricularia, Cephalotus, and Darlingtonia.

Experience

I have grown carnivorous plants off and on for about 27 years. I have made the same mistakes and suffered the same mishaps that many growers make as they attempt to separate the myths from the realities of growing these plants. Currently, I am successfully growing a variety of tropical sundews, a Nepenthes, several Venus Flytraps of varying ages, and Sarracenias. I have been successful in stratifying Sarracenia seeds and providing artificial dormancy requirements for my temperate plants when needed.

Education/Credentials
I hold a Master's degree in Educational Psychology. Over my lifetime, I have constantly read books involving the growing conditions of carnivorous plants. I hope to incorporate the educational aspects involved in psychology with teaching other people how to cultivate carnivorous plants.

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