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Carnivorous Plants/Leaving plants alone and repotting
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QUESTION: Hey there! I am growing a Drosera Adalea and a Drosera Multifidia in Days Creek, Oregon. I was wondering if I could leave them alone in my window for more than two weeks. I could fill up their water tray which is about 2 inches tall and goes a little about half the pots. I still have them in the small pots that they were shipped in and they are both growing very well. They are in the soil that they were sent in with bottled distilled water. They are in a east-facing window sill with about 4-6 hours of morning sunlight if it is a clear day. They would be without any care. I would just be worried about no water. Thank you very much for your help!
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ANSWER: The main issue when going on vacation is making sure the soil never dries out. It's hard to say if your plants will have enough water for the duration. At this time of the year, it shouldn't be a problem since temperatures are a bit cooler and ambient humidity is slightly higher.
You have two options. The first is to use a very large water tray or bowl for your plants. A teflon baking pan might also work.
The other option is to use disposable plastic containers with lids. Cut a hole in the lid, just large enough to fit the pots through. Fill the container with water, put on the lid and place your pot right in the hold. The lid will help slow down water evaporation.
It's also OK if the water level is slightly higher than halfway up the pots. When you get back, set the pots outside of standing water for a couple days to aerate the soil.
Good growing!
Jacob Farin
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Thanks Mr. Farin!
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I was also wondering if I can restrict my plants growth by keeping them in small pots without damaging them. I am running out of space on my window sill so I need to keep them small. Sorry for all my questions but thank you for your very prompt and precise responses!
Hi Sterling,
Both of those species will do fine in a small pot for quite awhile; perhaps a year. They will eventually get to an unmanageable size and you'll want to transplant them. Drosera adelae gets big and bushy with lots of dead leaves, and the D. multifida will get quite long draping leaves even in a small pot.
Good Growing!
Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.cobraplant.com
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Answers by Expert:
Sarracenia Northwest
Expertise
If your plant is showing poor growth, discoloration, abnormal leaves or possible infestation, the growers at Sarracenia Northwest can help! Carnivorous plant experts Jeff Dallas and Jacob Farin will help you diagnose the problem and get your plants on the right track. Their no nonsense approach has helped thousands of growers all over the world. They can help you too!
Experience
With over 40 years of combined experience, Jeff and Jacob has definitely taken a straight forward approach to growing carnivorous plants. They have encountered many types of diseases, abnormal growth and infestations related to carnivorous plants, and they know what it takes to get plants looking beautiful and healthy again.
Education/Credentials
Authors of Secrets to Growing Beautiful Carnivorous Plants for Your Home and Garden and producers of the Grow Carnivorous Plants! DVD Series. They also produce a monthly video podcast to illustrate how plants cycle through the seasons.
No terrariums. No myths. No nonsense.
Just the straight facts from guys who grow and propagate
thousands of carnivorous plants each year.
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PLEASE READ BEFORE SUBMITTING YOUR QUESTION: We no longer answer how-to questions (i.e. How do I propagate...?; How do I grow...?). Instead, we help growers by diagnosing a specific plant problem and offering solutions (i.e. Why is my sundew not producing dew?; Is now a good time to divide my Sarracenia?; Why are the traps turning black?; What's a good substitute for perlite?; Why didn't my seeds germinate?; Can you identify this carnivorous plant for me?) For general plant care, please read our care sheets on our main website: http://www.cobraplant.com/caresheets For business questions: http://www.cobraplant.com/contact |
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