Starting/Sowing/Growing Carnivorous plants

[Lloyd Gordon]

For temperate dews, just above freezing at least.

 

[Jonathan]

OH wow those are looking fantastic! How long did they take to germinate? I’ll keep my seed trays wet and see what happens...also, how long did you stratify them?

Hello Cin,

1-Put a wet coffee filter in Petri Dish and added seed.

2-Put them in the crisper for about 6 weeks in fridge.

3- After their stratifying period I then filled a small pot with wet peat and placed the seeds in it.

4- I then got a Ziploc bag and placed the pot in the Ziploc bag and sealed it up.

5- Then proceeded to set them on a heat Matt under a 24/7 Led light.

6- Within about 4 weeks they germinated.

 

[Cin]

Thought I’d post my progress report on my own germination adventures...thanks again to Steve Bradford for the Drosera seeds! I mixed up my soil which was a basic 50/50 peat/ perlite blend, well rinsed with dechlorinated water. I sprinkled the seeds on the surface. I planted everything because A) sounds like it’s important to have fresh seeds, and B) they were so small I couldn’t tell if they were seeds or not, so small! I put them in a cool window sill with the window open a crack, for about 2 weeks. Started all this on the 1st of January, and on the 27th I had seedlings in the Drosera capensis ‘Alba’ and Drosera affinis. I know have two seed packs with loads of seedlings! Absolutely nothing happening in Drosera spatulata or filiformis. can anyone tell me what the average germination times are? They are in about 40-50% humidity and about 22 degrees, maybe a bit more. i keep them pretty stable, mist, fine water sprinkling.

One tiny Drosera spatulata “Tamlin” visible today! I hope I didn’t drown it when I watered!

 

[Cin]

Hello Cin,

1-Put a wet coffee filter in Petri Dish and added seed.

2-Put them in the crisper for about 6 weeks in fridge.

3- After their stratifying period I then filled a small pot with wet peat and placed the seeds in it.

4- I then got a Ziploc bag and placed the pot in the Ziploc bag and sealed it up.

5- Then proceeded to set them on a heat Matt under a 24/7 Led light.

6- Within about 4 weeks they germinated.

Thank you Jonathan! I’ll know for next time! So much to learn, lol

 

[Jonathan]

Thank you Jonathan! I’ll know for next time! So much to learn, lol

It is a learning process and with this community you will learn so much
Here they are now 90% done hardening.

 

[Jonathan]

.

 

[Doug McMillan BC]

Plant Care/Starting seeds
A basic guide for the cultivation of the common carnivourous plants.

Plant: temperature in C, lighting, soil, humidity (seed care)

Cephalotus follicularis
- 15-25 degrees, moderate light, peat mix, moderate humidity. (Seed. store in fridge dry, cold stratification, surface peat mix)


Darlingtonia
- 10-25 degrees, cold dormancy below 5 degrees for 2 months, moderate light, peat mix moderate humidity. (Seed. needs pollinator, store in fridge dry, cold stratification, 1mm deep peat mix)


Dionaea muscipula
- 5-25 degrees, moderate light, peat mix, humidity not picky. (Seed. needs pollinator, store in fridge dry, cold stratification not needed but can aid germination, surface peat mix)


South African Drosera
- admirabilis 18-25 degrees, Lots of light, Peat mix, moderate humidity. (Seed. self pollinating, store in fridge dry, plant anytime, surface peat mix)
- affinis 18-25 degrees, lots of light, peat mix, moderate humidity. (Seed. self pollinating, store in fridge dry, plant anytime, surface peat mix)
- aliciae 18-25 degrees, lots of light, peat mix moderate humidity. (Seed. self pollinating, Store in fridge dry, plant anytime, surface peat mix)
- capensis 18-25 degrees, lots of light, peat mix moderate humidity. (Seed. self pollinating, Store in fridge dry, plant anytime, surface peat mix)
- natalensis 18-25 degrees, lots of light, peat mix moderate humidity. (Seed. self pollinating, Store in fridge dry, plant anytime, surface peat mix)
- nidiformis 18-25 degrees, lots of light, peat mix moderate humidity. (Seed. self pollinating, Store in fridge dry, plant anytime, surface peat mix)
- venusta 18-25 degrees, lots of light, peat mix moderate humidity. (Seed. self pollinating, Store in fridge dry, plant anytime, surface peat mix)


North American Drosera
- anglica 10-25 degrees, lots of light, peat mix, moderate humidity. (Seed. self pollinating, Store in fridge dry, cold stratification, surface peat mix)
- capillaris 10-25 degrees, lots of light, peat mix, moderate humidity. (Seed. self pollinating, Store in fridge dry, cold stratification, surface peat mix)
-filiformis 10-25 degrees, lots of light, peat mix, moderate humidity. (Seed. self pollinating, Store in fridge dry, cold stratification, surface peat mix)
- intermedia 10-25 degrees, lots of light, peat mix, moderate humidity. (Seed. self pollinating, Store in fridge dry, cold stratification, surface peat mix)
- rotundifolia 10-25 degrees, lots of light, peat mix, moderate humidity. (Seed. self pollinating, Store in fridge dry, cold stratification, surface peat mix)


South American Drosera
- hirticalyx 10-20 degrees, lots of light, peat mix, high humidity. (Seed. Store in fridge dry, surface peat mix)
- riparia 10-20 degrees, lots of light, peat mix, high humidity. (Seed. Self pollinating, Store in fridge dry, surface peat mix)
- roraimae 10-20 degrees, lots of light, peat mix, high humidity. (Seed. Store in fridge dry, 6 weeks hot stratification 25 degrees, surface peat mix)
- tomentosa 15-25 degrees, lots of light, Sphagnum, moderate humidity.

Australian Drosera
- adelae 15-25 degrees, Moderate light, Sphagnum, loves humidity. (rarely produces seed)
- binata 15-25 degrees, lots of light, peat mix, moderate humidity (Seed. store in fridge dry, can be cold stratified for better germination, surface peat mix)
- burmannii 15-25 degrees, lots of light, peat mix, moderate humidity (Seed. store in fridge dry, plant anytime, surface peat mix)
- paradoxa 20-25 degrees, lots of light, sandy peat, moderate humidity. (Seed. Hot stratification 25 degrees for 6 weeks, store in fridge dry)
- prolifera 15-25 degrees, Moderate light, Sphagnum, loves humidity. (Seed. needs pollinator)


Australian Pygmy Drosera
- omissa 18-25 degrees, lots of light, sandy peat, moderate humidity.
- pulchella 18-25 degrees, lots of light, sandy peat, moderate humidity. (Seed. Self pollinating, store in fridge dry, 25 degrees for germination, surface peat mix)


Asian Drosera
- oblanceolata 10-25 degrees, lots of light, peat mix, high humidity. (Seed. self pollinating, Store in fridge dry, plant anytime, surface peat mix)
- spatulata 18-25 degrees, lots of light, peat mix moderate humidity. (Seed. self pollinating, Store in fridge dry, plant anytime, surface peat mix)
- tokaensis 18-25 degrees, lots of light, peat mix moderate humidity. (Seed. self pollinating, Store in fridge dry, plant anytime, surface peat mix)


Heliamphora
- hispida 15-20 degrees, lots of light, Sphagnum, high humidity.
- purpurascens 15-25 degrees, lots of light, Sphagnum, moderate to high humidity.

Nepenthes
Plant seed as soon as possible viability decreases rapidly. All nepenthes need both a male and female plant in flower to produce seed. Store seed at room temperature plant on soil surface.
- bicalcarata 20-25 degrees, low light, peat Sphagnum mix, moderate humidity.
- ventrata 15-25 degrees, Moderate light, Sphagnum, any humidity in fact this one is happy with anything.
- ventricosa 18-25 degrees, moderate to high light, Sphagnum, moderate humidity.
- veitchii 10-25 degrees depending on the variety, moderate to high light, Sphagnum, moderate humidity.
- mirabilis var. globosa 18-25 degrees, moderate light, Sphagnum peat mix, high humidity.

Pinguicula
- gigantea 10-25 degrees, low to moderate light, peat mix, moderate humidity (Seed. Store in fridge dry, plant anytime, surface alkaline mix)
- grandiflora cold stratification 2 months/surface, peat mix/Store in fridge dry
- lusitanica (self pollinating) plant anytime/surface, peat mix/ store in fridge dry
- pumila (needs pollinator) plant anytime/surface, peat mix/store in fridge dry
- villosa, cold stratification 2-4 months/surface, peat mix/Store in fridge dry
- vulgaris, cold stratification 2-4 months/surface peat mix/Store in fridge dry


Utricularia
- alpina (needs pollinator) plant soon viability decreases rapidly/surface LFS/
- bisquamata, plant anytime/2mm deep, peat mix/
- blanchettii
- calycifida
- dichotoma
- fulva
- graminifolia 18-25 degrees, moderate light, wet Sphagnum or water, moderate humidity.
- jamesoniana
- livida
- longifolia
- menziesii
- nephrophylla
- sandersonii
- subulate
- pubescens, plant anytime/2mm deep, peat mix/


Sarracenia
- All(Needs pollinator)cold stratification/1mm deep, peat mix/Store in fridge dry.

Thank you. This is exactly what I was trying to find

 

[Cin]

Thank you. This is exactly what I was trying to find

If I have done the wet coffee filter with cinnamon in the fridge trick, and sowed seeds with no soil covering, humidity about 40-50% and they haven’t germinated after 2 months, is it possible I didn’t successfully break dormancy? Is there any point in putting the damp trays in the fridge to try again?

 

[Lloyd Gordon]

Probably not viable. Just stick the seeds in medium where they won't be disturbed, like a recently potted plant. Then forget about them. Maybe they'll germinate one day.

 

[Sparrow]

If I have done the wet coffee filter with cinnamon in the fridge trick, and sowed seeds with no soil covering, humidity about 40-50% and they haven’t germinated after 2 months, is it possible I didn’t successfully break dormancy? Is there any point in putting the damp trays in the fridge to try again?

I have some Sarr. seeds that popped out of the moss that I germinated about 5-6 months ago. It happened when we had that crazy heat wave.
So I would wait longer.

 

[Sparrow]

never give up

 

[stevebradford]

never give up

Agreed!

Heat really helps convince seeds to germinate after cold stratification. Look up the maximum temperatures that adult plant would see and try near that temperature for germination.

Example Sarracenia purpurea would see a high of 30-35 degrees in the wild. To convince seeds to pop especially in unison give them the cold stratification then keep the seeds moist and at a constant 28-30 degrees. They won’t germinate very well at 20 degrees.

Seeds won’t want to germinate if the temps are sporadic and lower or drier than they like. Seeds are smart and will hold off threw what they precieve to be the coming hard time for the next growing season.

 

[Cin]

Thanks everyone, I’ll just keeps pretending I don’t know they aren’t responding, lol. Maybe I’ll trick them into germination. I’m getting slimy green gunk on one pot. Will that I hi it germination? The ithers look normal.

 

[Lloyd Gordon]

The slimy green gunk probably isn't good for seeds. If you can find the seeds move them elsewhere. If not, gently try to remove the slime.

 

[Cin]

The slimy green gunk probably isn't good for seeds. If you can find the seeds move them elsewhere. If not, gently try to remove the slime.

I can’t see the seeds at all but I’ll try to remove the gunk.

 

[Jonathan]

Never ever give up! I jad D.capillaris seed that took 7 months to germinate! I was about to throw them out once but then I thought to myself "Nah I'll just keep em a bit of longer and see" I had been looking for this seed for a long time and didn't want it to go all down the drain. Luckily I didn't throw them out and are now this size. Just never ever give up is what I've learned even though it seems like nothing is happening.

 

[Cin]

Never ever give up! I jad D.capillaris seed that took 7 months to germinate! I was about to throw them out once but then I thought to myself "Nah I'll just keep em a bit of longer and see" I had been looking for this seed for a long time and didn't want it to go all down the drain. Luckily I didn't throw them out and are now this size. Just never ever give up is what I've learned even though it seems like nothing is happening.
View attachment 16457

Oh wow! Then I have a ways to go, yet! That seedling looks great!

 

[Kevin1861]

A common questions FAQ is wonderful. I'm sure it will be helpful to many members!
One thing to note is that Genus is capitalized and species isn't. For example, Darlingtonia californica.
I used to cap everything too.

I never knew that! Thanks, Willy.

 

[Lloyd Gordon]

Sib caught me on the capitals thing years ago.

 

[Jonathan]

Sib caught me on the capitals thing years ago.

Willy caught me on mine