FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

I’ve been lucky enough to win both seeds and a little dewy pine seedling, sadly none of them made it. The seeds I simply sowed incorrectly and I’m not sure what happened with the little seedling, it might have gotten too hot for it (I kept it damp every day). Either way, this is attempt #3 (I scared the fat end of the seeds and soaked for 24 hours before sowing) - cross your fingers for me please!


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I hate to say this but it looks like you were too aggressive with the scarification and damaged the embryo. You should stop at the first hint of white. I personally find it easier to nip the tip of the seed coat off on the narrow end.

I agree with nimbulan. I took a pair of nail clippers and barely nipped the end off of the pointed end of the seed. If after the first attempt you don't see white, then I would take a fine piece of sandpaper or an emery board and go lightly because after the first nip, you'd have to be awfully close already. Heres my baby growing up. Nevermind the paper with the square cut out of it. When you get old and lose track of seeds and other things easily you have to do something to keep track of everything.
Good luck with your endeavor

nimbulan wrote:I hate to say this but it looks like you were too aggressive with the scarification and damaged the embryo. You should stop at the first hint of white. I personally find it easier to nip the tip of the seed coat off on the narrow end.

Maybe on the second one, first one I think I was fine. Stopped before I even saw white


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Fishman wrote:I agree with nimbulan. I took a pair of nail clippers and barely nipped the end off of the pointed end of the seed. If after the first attempt you don't see white, then I would take a fine piece of sandpaper or an emery board and go lightly because after the first nip, you'd have to be awfully close already.

I like to use a razor blade. I get really close to the tip of the seed, angle it towards the tip, and it's like popping a little cap off.

nimbulan wrote:

Fishman wrote:I agree with nimbulan. I took a pair of nail clippers and barely nipped the end off of the pointed end of the seed. If after the first attempt you don't see white, then I would take a fine piece of sandpaper or an emery board and go lightly because after the first nip, you'd have to be awfully close already.

I like to use a razor blade. I get really close to the tip of the seed, angle it towards the tip, and it's like popping a little cap off.

That’s so weird because people I’ve spoken with say not to do the pointed end because that’s where it will grow from.


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I know a lot of people like to scarify the side of the seed, though I haven't heard anyone specifically recommend not touching the tip before. It probably doesn't matter where you do it, I've just found this way to be the easiest to do without damaging it.

If you cut too far on the tip, you may damage the embryo. You can be more aggressive with the fat end but it really doesn't take much to see a little white.

Your mix has too much peat IMO. For seedlings it may be fine but 10% peat is more what I go for. I actually germinate on pearlite and sand only then transplant.

tannerm wrote:

nimbulan wrote:

Fishman wrote:I agree with nimbulan. I took a pair of nail clippers and barely nipped the end off of the pointed end of the seed. If after the first attempt you don't see white, then I would take a fine piece of sandpaper or an emery board and go lightly because after the first nip, you'd have to be awfully close already.

I like to use a razor blade. I get really close to the tip of the seed, angle it towards the tip, and it's like popping a little cap off.

That’s so weird because people I’ve spoken with say not to do the pointed end because that’s where it will grow from.


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It will germinate from either end of the seed, or if you scratch just the side even. Ive had them do this several times no matter which end is scarified. Problem for me was always just getting them past seedling stage where theyre prone to damping off.

Damp-off with Drosophyllum? That's new to me too. I tend to keep the seedlings in a water tray until they're 3-4" tall and then move them to their final home. I've only lost one plant so far doing this and I'm not really sure what happened to it.

After testing a soil sample, Pythium was the cause of damping off I was having for a good period of time that i was growing. Used to keep a vat large enough to store about 12 cu ft of spagnum peat moss in. Everything I planted in the stuff was dying from it. Finally discarded the whole lot of it, and went with a different brand, although it may have just been that batch as opposed to the brand I was purchasing at the time. I have kept my peat pot raised drosophyllum in a tray of water since day 1 (with the "newer" peat moss) until my recent repotting it into the 14" terra cotta. Am now slowing down quite a bit with watering.

Yeah contaminated peat can be a nightmare. I know some people really struggle with damp-off with perennial Byblis species too but I haven't had any issues so far.

It is a nightmare like you say! It also can be airborne in some cases, although it is usually spread through mechancial processes. Infected gardening tools, blades, scissors, flying insects, dirty unsanitized reused pots etc. I almost gave up on growing anything alltogether once upon a time because of it lol. On another note, I have watered my droso a bit more than what has been suggested to me by many growers, but I provide a very intense light for it and the water doesn't stay around long before the upper soil level dries up.
*edit: i didnt see the byblis comment until just now lol. I tried B.gigantea and it died immediately after I got it to germinate. I was very discouraged afterwards and haven't attempted with that species since. Then again, I do not know of a good source besides cz for those seeds. Im thinking next time I will pretreat the soil and give it another go.
Sorry to jack the thread Tanner, I really wish you luck! I like to ramble lol.. Please keep us updated with your progress!

Fishman wrote:After testing a soil sample, Pythium was the cause of damping off I was having for a good period of time that i was growing. Used to keep a vat large enough to store about 12 cu ft of spagnum peat moss in. Everything I planted in the stuff was dying from it. Finally discarded the whole lot of it, and went with a different brand, although it may have just been that batch as opposed to the brand I was purchasing at the time. I have kept my peat pot raised drosophyllum in a tray of water since day 1 (with the "newer" peat moss) until my recent repotting it into the 14" terra cotta. Am now slowing down quite a bit with watering.

Yeah yours look great now. Did you use lava rocks as top dressing?


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also were you not cleaning the media? I boil it. Some people microwave


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