Growing Darlingtonia from seeds

[VFT2001]

I am trying an experiment with one plant. I put it in pure perlite and am feeding it weekly. And its going nuts.
You can see the growth jump from when I started. Check out the cool roots.

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Beautiful plant! Is it under grow lights or just receiving natural light? What are you feeding it?

My seeds germinated a little over a week ago. Hope some of mine look this good in a few years!

 

[Sparrow]

Its under an LED sunblaster T5. I feed it either Maxsea or some bugbites cichlid formula.

 

[VFT2001]

Darlingtonia seeds germinated about 9 days ago. Pretty high germination rate with fresh seeds (above 90%) on a peat/sand layer on top of LFS/perlite mix.

 

[Sparrow]

Very nice.

 

[Sib]

Stunning plant @Sparrow ! With how bloody cold we suddenly got I fear the worst for mine

 

[Sparrow]

Stunning plant @Sparrow ! With how bloody cold we suddenly got I fear the worst for mine

Really? How cold did it get there?
They can handle down to around -9 C

 

[Sib]

Cold...

 

[Sib]

Dunno what my gh got to exactly... there was a big snowdrift and to be honest, I was afraid to break something with this unreasonable cold. I'll be venturing out tomorrow, wish me luck

 

[Lloyd Gordon]

I thought you were warmer than in Toronto.

 

[Sparrow]

Are they sheltered at all? I bet they'll be fine.

 

[Sib]

i checked on them today and they don't look terrible? they're out of the wind in a cold greenhouse, but they do get chilly

 

[partisangardener]

Another little highlight is the last survivor from a full pot of Darlingtonia/Oregon mountain form. Seedgrown, seeds from Mr.Wang
Highest altitude he ever had.
All from this pot died while in care from a drought spell some years ago
I got it back as a pot full of brown shriveled specimens. This pot stood one year always in some water looking dead.
The next spring I discovered some life shoot appearing which I Itransplanted to a small island with some Cephalotus seedling.
It is still quite small but has a beautiful color.
So don't give up too early especially with Darlingtonia.

 

[VFT2001]

Seedling update: Seedlings have been separated and moved from the starter plastic containers to one large shallow terracotta pot and another styrofoam cup. Substrate is 60/40 long fibre sphagnum / perlite with a layer of sandy peat on top. Also moved the seedlings from under the grow light to a south-facing windowsill. They're finally beginning to show some colour.

 

[coconut]

Growth has stalled out a bit. But looking healthy!
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Hi Sparrow, how do you divide them to put in separate pots without breaking the roots system ?

 

[Sparrow]

Hi Sparrow, how do you divide them to put in separate pots without breaking the roots system ?

With the help of water, you can loosen the medium. If you have a spray wand or spray bottle it helps.
I have a small plastic tub I fill halfway with water and break them apart in that.

 

[coconut]

With the help of water, you can loosen the medium. If you have a spray wand or spray bottle it helps.
I have a small plastic tub I fill halfway with water and break them apart in that.

Thank Sparrow.

 

[partisangardener]

Good idea I will do this with my small ones.
The little red one from the mountain form is now again outside. Has started to grow inside. Without artificial light, but quite cold in my studio.

 

[Sparrow]

The new growth is insane this spring.

 

[VFT2001]

The new growth is insane this spring.

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Nice! Are they outside year-round?

 

[Sparrow]

Nice! Are they outside year-round?

They were last winter, for the first time. Under some pine needle insulation.