Expert: Sarracenia Northwest - 1/11/2012

Question
Can the P. Gigantea thrive as a windowsill plant? Or is that too little light?

I currently have a 4 light setup that puts off 11,800 lumens added onto the sunlight that comes into my room from my south-facing window.

I also ordered a Drosera Dichotoma, Drosera Aliciae, and a Drosera Adelae along with 1 P. Gigantea from you just yesterday. Could you determine if the windowsill along with my fluorescent lights would work for each species?

Thanks!

Thanks!

Answer
Hi Devon,

If you have a good, unobstructed south window P. gigantea would be very happy there.  Butterworts are a little more shade tolerant than other cp.  When it's hot in the summer south windows are not as sunny, and in winter when sun is harder to come by, they are brighter, so it works well for butterworts.  I have a big old P. aphrodite and a P. x "Titan" in south windows in my home.

All of the sundews you mentioned will do fine in a south window as long as you have some solid direct sun coming in.  Don't put your terrarium there, however.  Your lighting sounds great.  It must be multiple fluorescents.  Use those as the sole source of light for a terrarium.  If you have a terrarium in a window you'll cook plants on a sunny day.  Your artificial light is fine for all those plants.  If they are T-12 or T-8 type fluorescent tubes, you'll need them within 3 inches of the tubes.  If you have T-5 high output, have them about 1 foot away.

Your D. binata dichotoma will be better off outside your terrarium either in the window, or under your lights.  They just get to big, and they do have a brief winter dormancy period.

Definitely consider taking a look at our DVD series.  They can help you avoid the pitfalls so common with new growers.  http://cobraplant.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=38

Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.cobraplant.com