FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Sponsored by FlytrapStore.com

Discuss Drosera, Byblis, and Drosophyllum plant care here

Moderator: Matt

User avatar
By evenwind
Location: 
Posts:  2160
Joined:  Sun Jul 07, 2013 4:16 pm
#430147
When you open the packet, do it over a clean white sheet of paper. It's hard to imagine how small they are until you actually see them.
Intheswamp liked this
User avatar
By Intheswamp
Location: 
Posts:  3303
Joined:  Wed May 04, 2022 2:28 pm
#430148
And...don't sneeze. Or even breathe on them. Seriously! :o

I'm "OCD-Me" about lots of things. So, when I get ready to plant I'll take a paper plate, or sheet of paper with the edges bent upwards to work over...if some seeds spill the safety net hopefully catches them. I'll take a small, say postcard-sized sheet of paper, crease it in the middle and (try to) bump out the amount of seeds I want to plant to a pot (or cell). I'll then slowly move the creased paper with the seeds on it over the surface of the pot as I lightly tap the paper...hopefully to scatter the seeds out. It mostly works...sometimes it doesn't and you end up with a clump of seedlings. It helps, though. Pouring only a few seeds on small sheet of paper gives me kind of a safeguard against accidentally dumping way more seeds than I want to in a pot and moving it slowly helps keep me from dumping all of those seeds one spot in the pot. ;) Evenwind is definitely not over-exaggerating the smallness of the seeds. I seriously got some seeds from a guy where I thought he had forgot to put the seeds in the envelope...I thought about it a second and grabbed a magnifying glass and SHAZAMMM!!!!!! there they were...incredibly small!!!! Those were burmannii seeds...some orchid seeds (from what I understand) are even smaller than those!!!! :shock:
StephenB200+ liked this
User avatar
By Andrew42x89
Location: 
Posts:  135
Joined:  Mon Jan 23, 2023 3:18 pm
#430222
You guys weren’t kidding! Smallest seeds I’ve ever seen. I used a dampens skewer to try and distribute them evenly, but I got impatient trying to pick up one at a time and there will definitely be some clumping if they take. Should have listened to you and gone with your collect a few and sprinkle method, Intheswamp. Next time!
Image
Intheswamp liked this
User avatar
By evenwind
Location: 
Posts:  2160
Joined:  Sun Jul 07, 2013 4:16 pm
#430228
I hope your skewer method allowed the seeds to stay on the surface. Buried seeds are unlikely to germinate.
Intheswamp liked this
User avatar
By Intheswamp
Location: 
Posts:  3303
Joined:  Wed May 04, 2022 2:28 pm
#430232
I made a mistake when I showed you that 1.5" square area in the cup of filiformis. That was actually only about a 3/4" square area. Here is an image closer to 1-1/2" square. I was trying to guesstimate the size by the 3/4" wide plant label...I forgot to double the width.<duuuhhhhh> :mrgreen:

<chuckle> Yeah, those were small but you're very apt to run into smaller ones in the future!!! ;)
Attachments:
IMG_8144cropped2 (Custom).jpg
IMG_8144cropped2 (Custom).jpg (703.61 KiB) Viewed 1529 times
Andrew42x89 liked this
User avatar
By evenwind
Location: 
Posts:  2160
Joined:  Sun Jul 07, 2013 4:16 pm
#430235
Meanwhile, you may not see any germination before the end of the month. No reason to miss out on your February seed bank request. You can certainly ask for another Tier 0 pack and a mixed rosettes or mixed drosera bonus. You can store the packs in the refrigerator until you're ready to try again.
Intheswamp liked this
User avatar
By Andrew42x89
Location: 
Posts:  135
Joined:  Mon Jan 23, 2023 3:18 pm
#430236
evenwind wrote:Meanwhile, you may not see any germination before the end of the month. No reason to miss out on your February seed bank request. You can certainly ask for another Tier 0 pack and a mixed rosettes or mixed drosera bonus. You can store the packs in the refrigerator until you're ready to try again.
Oh I plan on it! I have a problem with collecting and buying more seeds than I can use. And as impatient as I am, I’ve become accustomed to the waiting game. My VFT seedlings have certainly gotten me prepared for long haul growing.
User avatar
By Andrew42x89
Location: 
Posts:  135
Joined:  Mon Jan 23, 2023 3:18 pm
#430397
Just noticed some thin white presumably mold filaments creeping along the surface of media. Carefully removed what I could, but it’s obviously going to keep coming back. Any advice on how I should further attack this thing? I have some neem oil and hydrogen peroxide on hand and could always grab something different but weary of adding anything that may do more harm than good. I’d love to kill it dead, but I don’t want to compromise the seed germination.
Last edited by Andrew42x89 on Sat Feb 11, 2023 4:41 pm, edited 2 times in total.
User avatar
By Andrew42x89
Location: 
Posts:  135
Joined:  Mon Jan 23, 2023 3:18 pm
#430401
I also have a little colony of springtails that showed up in my tent recently. I put a few of those buggers in there. Well, I think they made it it there anyway.. Hopefully they’ll help with that some and not harm the growth? They’re bound to find their way in there anyway.
User avatar
By evenwind
Location: 
Posts:  2160
Joined:  Sun Jul 07, 2013 4:16 pm
#430404
Andrew42x89 wrote: Sat Feb 11, 2023 2:42 pm Just noticed some thin white presumably mold filaments creeping along the surface of media. Carefully removed what I could, but it’s obviously going to keep coming back. Any advice on how I should further attack this thing? I have some neem oil and hydrogen peroxide on hand and could always grab something different but weary of adding anything that may do more harm than good. I’d love to kill it dead, but I don’t want to compromise the seed germination.
I'd suggest increasing the airflow/decreasing the humidity, i.e. uncover them. I've found it's always a difficult balance between best conditions for germination and too much of a good thing. I grow my seeds in open pots in trays. I probably don't get as much germination but I don't usually get mold, either. If you do decide you need to spray them, consider a cinnamon spray. I know it works on mold, I'm just not sure how it affects germination.
User avatar
By Andrew42x89
Location: 
Posts:  135
Joined:  Mon Jan 23, 2023 3:18 pm
#430405
evenwind wrote:
Andrew42x89 wrote: Sat Feb 11, 2023 2:42 pm Just noticed some thin white presumably mold filaments creeping along the surface of media. Carefully removed what I could, but it’s obviously going to keep coming back. Any advice on how I should further attack this thing? I have some neem oil and hydrogen peroxide on hand and could always grab something different but weary of adding anything that may do more harm than good. I’d love to kill it dead, but I don’t want to compromise the seed germination.
I'd suggest increasing the airflow/decreasing the humidity, i.e. uncover them. I've found it's always a difficult balance between best conditions for germination and too much of a good thing. I grow my seeds in open pots in trays. I probably don't get as much germination but I don't usually get mold, either. If you do decide you need to spray them, consider a cinnamon spray. I know it works on mold, I'm just not sure how it affects germination.
Thanks, I was considering this. I think I’ll try leaving the dome on and opening the vents for now and see if it improves.
User avatar
By Intheswamp
Location: 
Posts:  3303
Joined:  Wed May 04, 2022 2:28 pm
#430406
Airflow seems to be a big factor in preventing fungus and mold for me. I always have my germination pots vented…top propped open a good bit, multiple slots in the plastic sheet coverings, etc.,. As long as I can see condensation on the inside of the vented plastic covering I consider things “good”.
Andrew42x89 liked this
By hollyhock
Posts:  5656
Joined:  Thu Mar 05, 2015 8:56 am
#430408
Andrew42x89 wrote: Mon Feb 06, 2023 10:16 pm Good to know, appreciate the pictures! I haven’t opened the seeds yet, waiting until I have everything set tomorrow. There should be roughly 30-50 seeds in the packet though? I’ll probably just split them evenly-ish between 11 cells.
Well when you do open them you will see why one per cell would probably be impossible :lol: drosera seeds are tiny as dust. I doubt I've ever been able to count some types with any accuracy. Good luck and good growing 👍
Drosera germination time

What Chef Dean said... But if I had to pick a num[…]

Counting to infinity.

2491

assuming they have enough light and water, are gre[…]

My sundew isn’t eating!

How about your leaf cuttings? Did you get any pla[…]

Hello, New to the forum

Archery is silent, just sayin'. A well flung arrow[…]

Canadian Carnivores

If there are any Canadians here, I had a good expe[…]

I believe Floramite works on contact so if it wa[…]

Hello again, from Texas

Welcome back to the forum! Be sure to check out th[…]

Support the community - Shop at FlytrapStore.com!