FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Big ups to Shadowtski and whoever donated the D. capensis various varieties seeds.

Yesterday afternoon (09/04/17) I finally sowed my first batch of Drosera seeds. Yay! I rinsed all my media this past week after receiving my TDS meter. What a wonderful tool! I learned that our water supply reading is quite low, less than 20ppm. How about that. I tested each initial media rinse, everything that I bought locally was less than 50ppm. The only significantly high reading of media was the NZ LFS that I purchased online; proceeded to rinse that thoroughly.

I had a few items I could have used to sow my seeds in, then decided on using one of those plastic apple containers that keeps them individually separated. I figured that the top half could be a mini-dome to help with humidity. I placed a mix of peat moss and silica sand around the surrounding and NZ LFS in the center. Initially this was where I'd water to add moisture, but I chose to sow some seeds on there as well just to see if there are any differences. I sprayed the tops of the lot with DI water, closed the top, and sealed the sides off with Saran Wrap.

***I do have a question or would like some input on the following... I figured I should place this set-up in a large plastic tub with some DI water so it may soak up from beneath where I plan on puncturing holes with a pin. Would it be better to mist frequently or proceed with this tray method? Input would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance.***

I have a relatively warm spot with minimal light until things start to germinate. *Fingers crossed!* This morning I noticed the domes have condensation, so it seems to be the set-up is working as hoped.

They say these CPs are simple to grow from seed... I'm still going to treat them with the same care as I would with a more difficult Genera. Practices makes better!

Honestly, that's an amazing idea and I think I need to go shopping for Apple's now...

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I've grown D. Cap in peat moss and watered via tray method. Put them in a baggy and set them in a sunny window for a month or two. Your method, I'm thinking, would probably be fine if you used the 2 middle parts as a well and fill with water. The seeds in there will probably grow anyway.

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Thank you for the quick response, thatonechick371!

I'm flattered you take a liking to my makeshift propagator. Got it from Costco, apples in bulk! Haha. It's a little oddly shaped, at least for longterm growth due to the concave bottom. Depth is around 1.5" though.

Yeah, watering via center wells seems like a good route. I wouldn't want the tray to end up doing more harm than good by over drenching the media. At least with the LFS being moist, it could circulate and the moisture would stay atop the soil, opposed to just beneath. Thanks again for you input!

I recently got some capensis seeds to germinate in chopped pure LFS, but your peat stuff should be fine. I suggest you read a little about water germination, found here (https://www.terraforums.com/forums/gene ... ermination)
Just thought I'd tell ya about it because I'm currently experimenting with it as well. For watering, I would water the seeds directly, maybe using an eyedropper to wet the media under the seed, and to keep it as humid as possible. I didn't use the tray method, as I'm planning on transplanting them out eventually. I used a cake container (it has its own handy lid) and a tomato/mushroom container covered in cling wrap for humidity. The tray method is more effective when the plant has roots that can absorb water from deeper in the soil.

Ps- if it's humid enough, the condensation can drip down and water the seeds. Good luck!
PPs- I put my seeds ~10" under 1050 lumen, 12W LED flood lights on a 15 hr photoperiod. I think the light helps trigger them faster. Light also increases temp and thus humidity. I'm not sure if I did that as per instructions, but two opened their first carnivorous leaves today, so I think I did something right!

I appreciate all the advice, Tryner78!

I have read a few posts here about water germination, I plan on trying that method in the future. Thanks for the link! I guess I wanted to try the more natural way before we get into more experimental. Lol!

Anyway, I would use an eye dropper except I can hardly see any of the seeds on the peat/ sand. It's more easily seen on the LFS. I've also considered watering around each well of media, hoping the seeds are more centralized when they fell off my finger. Might that be risky? I've read there's potential for the seed to be rinsed away...

The tray method for developed roots makes more sense. You learn something every day!

Maybe eventually I will invest in lights for more delicate CPs. As for now, I will move the seeds to a slightly more sunny spot to warm them up and hopefully get the condensation more than it has been.

Congratulations! I'm excited to watch your seeds progress. Let's hope the same goes for mine!

except I can hardly see any of the seeds on the peat/ sand

That is kind of a problem until they germinate, but how are they doing? Mine are coming along, and I added a few to another experimental media- cotton makeup remover pads. The pads are not treated or anything, just cotton. So far, they are doing well. I also moved a baby spatulata (accidental leaf cutting that decided to grow under the radar) and two capensis sprouts onto another pad. I'm interested to see if they will root well into the pads. Sorry these pictures came out blurry. If I have time, I'll post some better ones. The camera does not like to focus for whatever reason on these little guys.

Hi Tryner78, thanks for checking in!

I want to say they're doing well. I have had a little trouble with specs of peat drying at the tops of the bunch. It's mainly on the side where the container opens up. The Saran Wrap wasn't working as well as I had hoped. Lol. I have been trying to rehydrate the media via misting and decided to water around the circumference yesterday, then taped the sides down. I will try to get a photo tomorrow if that helps, maybe you can suggest something? I'm hoping this bump doesn't ruin germination, I can see beneath that the media is still quite moist. I have not seen any sprouts yet. It's been 2 weeks now, so more time is probably needed.

Pretty sweet you got some growth there! They are seriously so tiny! I should've saved some to try other methods, but there goes that. Haha. So from my understanding you've just transferred them to a more controlled area or experimenting to see how well they fare on the cotton? Once mine sprout, I'm nervous about transplanting them since I haven't had any Drosera before or grew from seeds!

As I was taking a look at my media this morning due to being worried about how my seeds were doing since my peat was slightly drying up at the top, I noticed some little green specs. We have germination, everybody! It may have been a couple days bc the sizes vary.

Now to figure out the next steps... Since there is some green, I'm guessing it's time to introduce more sunlight and also aerate a bit.

Any tips about transferring or how long until I do so? Or if there's benefit into spacing them out a little further as they grow?

Congrats!
For the first months or so, (or until you feel they are big enough) keep them under the same conditions, and they should develop some roots and leaves. Transplanting them or changing anything too drastic too early on could harm them. Even though capensis are pretty hardy, there's no harm in being too careful.
Let them grow a bit and eventually remove the pieces of sphagnum they are on and place them into separate beds of wet/moist sphagnum or peat covered in moss. They'll grow pretty fast from here on! It's also really exciting to see their first carnivorous leaves and feed the tiny guys. Did any germinate in the peat yet?

Ps- It's better to keep them a little too moist than too dry.

Thanks, I feel so accomplished!

Great, that sounds easy enough. By moss do you mean living shpagnum, or using dried as top dressing to the peat. For some reason I'm really fond of using peat for the base of all my media mixes, haven't tried mixing dried LFS in it tho.

I did get a good amount sprouting in the peat as well. Yesterday I decided to count whatever I could and am keeping tally to see if there's any more as time passes. I ended up doing what you said by adding a drop of DI water to each individual sprout. Finished off with a mist and sealed it back up.

When keeping it in the same conditions for about a month or so, does this mean foregoing slow acclimatation also? We wouldn't want the media to be too dry by doing that, correct?

Correct. Keep the media nice and wet, as the excess can evaporate off and increase the humidity. If they germinated, you did something right, so keep the same watering schedule, and if anything give them a bit more water. Have the first carnivorous leaves formed yet? I know this response is a bit delayed.

Not a problem, Tryner78. We all have lives outside of this forum! Well, by that I mean fixated on our plants and paying no mind to the interwebs. Haha.

Yeah, last night my fiancé was looking at my seeds with me and even he noticed it looked pretty dry. So I went ahead and watered them individually, juiced up each little well with 30mL of DI water, and finished them off with a good misting.

It also gave me time to count if any more have sprouted and to adjust those that are stuck on a piece of silica sand. For future media mixtures, I'll refrain from using so much sand. I think it's contributed to how quickly it dries up.

I think they should be starting to grow their carnivorous leaves soon. Quite a few have grown their cotelydons. I'm extremely excited for this week, hoping some dewy leaves emerge! And in time I'll see which varieties I was given!

Even though these are my first seed grown CPs, I've taken a great liking to the process. Are many of your plants seed grown?

After traumatizing experience after experience; media drying and drowning in the the rain. Here are the survivors of 80+ that I counted at the peak back in early Oct. Moved them to this 2" pot by Halloween. Now I know I don't need a massive getup for seeds. Doh. Fed them a week or so prior with a dried blood worm paste.

Looking good.
They're starting to look like Sundews!

Good growing,
Mike