FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Drosophyllum soil mix
The soil should be very free draining as the plant grows naturally in dry alkaline soils, not wet acid soils as most
carnivorous plants do.
I use a soil mix that contains by volume 1/2 coarse silica sand, 1/4 perlite, 1/8 vermiculite and 1/8 peat.

Seed pre-treatment
One at a time, rub the seed firmly between two sheets of medium (400-600grit) sandpaper until the hard seed coat is
lightly scraped. Then place the seed into distilled water to soak for 24 hours.

Sowing Drosophyllum lusitanicum seed
After soaking, sow the seed onto the surface of a shallow tray of vermiculite and keep it damp / wet and in a warm,
bright place – do not bury the seeds or cover the tray. The seeds should begin to germinate in a few weeks.
Upon germination, immediately move the the sprouted seed to a small (5cm across) *compostable pot filled with
Drosophyllum soil mix. Keep the pot very damp until the seedlings reach 3-4 inches high then gradually begin to
reduce the frequency of watering until the soil is just damp.

Container selection
The best containers to use for final planting appear to be appear to be ceramic or glazed pots, tall terracotta pots are also
suitable. Ensure that the pot is at least 12 inches high and a minimum of 8 inches across. Choose an attractive pot as your plant will spend it's entire life in it...and you'll have to look at it for the life of the plant.

Container preparation
Place 2 inches of coarse gravel in the bottom of the glazed pot, top this with moist sphagnum moss and firm it down
well so that it forms a layer approximately 2 inches thick, then fill the pot to within an inch of the rim with the
moistened Drosophyllum soil mix.

Transplanting
Transplanting should be carried out when the seedling reaches 4 inches in height.
Drosophyllum detests root disturbance and careless transplanting can often lead to the loss of an otherwise healthy
plant. To avoid root disturbance, transplant shock and ultimately death, plant the seedling complete with compostable
pot in the Drosophyllum soil mix and top it off with coarse sand. The topping of coarse sand will hide the small pot.

Watering
Watering of established plants is best carried out by immersing the glazed pot in half a bucket of water – this will wet
the sphagnum in the bottom of the pot whilst keeping the rest of the soil mix relatively dry. Watering once or twice a
week is generally sufficient. Water from the top until the seedling plant reaches 5 to 6 inches high and has established
itself in it's new pot, then reduce top watering and begin to water from below.

• Compostable pots are also referred to as peat pots or pre-formed Jiffy Pots, they are pots that are made from
natural products that will break down into the soil over time – the pellet type expanding or 'instant' pots are
not suitable in this instance.
• If you can't find compostable pots then you could use a cardboard tube, or a cylinder made from rolling
several sheets of newspaper together.

Hi Linton
dose this mean I did mine all wrong ??

Ha! I didn't say that this was the right way to do it, it's only a guide.

Pro's like you can throw the seed across the yard and into a pot of regular soil, ignore them for 3 months and still get germination - the rest of us need a guide... Well, maybe not all of us - the word is out that Chuck Norris doesn't need a guide. At least that's what I've heard.