- Sun Jun 04, 2023 4:10 am
#436152
We have a fruit fly problem so I am hoping to get a little help from Drosera Aliciae. We have other fruit fly control methods in place but I feel like this is the perfect excuse to dive into this hobby. I chose the Alice Sundew for several reasons. I live in a tiny apartment with 3 children and a cat. From what I gathered, the Alice Sundew does pretty well with just room lighting but I also have a windowsill I can put it on if it needs more light. I'd like to keep it on my desktop if possible. Keeping our apartment below 55 degrees Fahrenheit for several months out of the year isn't an option so not needing dormancy conditions is a huge plus. I also read that the Alice Sundew will self propagate and is pretty generous with seed production. It was called the "weed" of carnivorous plants. Does all that seem right so far?
Now, for the cat, I figured it would be better for the plant if I put it in a terrarium but I also need the fruit flies to be able to get to the plant. So, I am thinking of getting one of those critter keepers that people keep crickets and small lizards in. It is plastic and has vents in the lid that should be plenty big enough for fruit flies to get in. I will have freeze dried meal worms on hand for the winter when the fruit flies aren't as abundant.
My thought is to burn holes in the bottom of the critter keeper with a soldering iron for drainage. I'd try to drill it but previous experience with drilling plastic has taught me not to drill plastic. I want to give the plant plenty of room to propagate and live a happy life. A lot of sites recommend a 4 inch round pot for this plant. Would the 9in L X 6in W critter keeper be too big? How deep should the soil mixture be? I will probably buy some premixed soil I found that is mixed specifically for carnivorous plants that like boggy growing conditions. There will be a lid at 6 inches from the bottom of the critter keeper. Should I add gravel to the bottom for additional drainage? Will that raise the plant too high? Would a taller, less wide container be more suitable? If I put the critter keeper in the windowsill, will it get too hot in there, keeping in mind the top is vented? Should I just put a 4 inch round pot inside the critter keeper and call it a day?
I live in Kentucky, USA. The average RH is 70.3% but the plant will be indoors. Not sure what the humidity in my apartment is. Would misting the critter keeper do any good, given that the lid is vented?
Any comments are greatly appreciated. This is my first go at carnivorous plants so I am not dead set on anything mentioned above. I am open to any and all ideas that fit within my limited budget. Thank you for your time.
Now, for the cat, I figured it would be better for the plant if I put it in a terrarium but I also need the fruit flies to be able to get to the plant. So, I am thinking of getting one of those critter keepers that people keep crickets and small lizards in. It is plastic and has vents in the lid that should be plenty big enough for fruit flies to get in. I will have freeze dried meal worms on hand for the winter when the fruit flies aren't as abundant.
My thought is to burn holes in the bottom of the critter keeper with a soldering iron for drainage. I'd try to drill it but previous experience with drilling plastic has taught me not to drill plastic. I want to give the plant plenty of room to propagate and live a happy life. A lot of sites recommend a 4 inch round pot for this plant. Would the 9in L X 6in W critter keeper be too big? How deep should the soil mixture be? I will probably buy some premixed soil I found that is mixed specifically for carnivorous plants that like boggy growing conditions. There will be a lid at 6 inches from the bottom of the critter keeper. Should I add gravel to the bottom for additional drainage? Will that raise the plant too high? Would a taller, less wide container be more suitable? If I put the critter keeper in the windowsill, will it get too hot in there, keeping in mind the top is vented? Should I just put a 4 inch round pot inside the critter keeper and call it a day?
I live in Kentucky, USA. The average RH is 70.3% but the plant will be indoors. Not sure what the humidity in my apartment is. Would misting the critter keeper do any good, given that the lid is vented?
Any comments are greatly appreciated. This is my first go at carnivorous plants so I am not dead set on anything mentioned above. I am open to any and all ideas that fit within my limited budget. Thank you for your time.