FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

I've had a few different instances now with my drosera capensis, drosera hurcules, drosera Californica, and drosera Spatulata.

I've waited til the very last flower closes and then cut off the stem. It was my understanding you could then let them sit for a while in an envelope and dry out.

However, every time I've done it now besides the very first time with a capensis; I've gotten zero seeds.

I'm assuming I've been cutting the stalk too early... But still I've got the hurcules just sitting with its two stalks and neither one of them has released seedy outside.

What am I missing? I'm still not familiar with how reproduction works and what plants are sterile.

I've heard that too about cutting after the last flower closes, but that's never made sense to me since the seeds obviously aren't going to develop if the flower literally just closed and now the entire stalk is clipped and dead. Now I wait until either the stalk itself is dead down past the bottom pods, or when the pods start to open on their own which has worked fine for me. Just have to be a little careful shaking the stalk when you clip it so you don't get seeds falling everywhere is all, but it's usually manageable.

I'm not sure why you'd clip the stalk immediately after the flower closes. The seeds need time to develop and I wouldn't consider them ready until the pods turn brown.

nimbulan wrote: ↑Fri Sep 02, 2022 12:29 am I'm not sure why you'd clip the stalk immediately after the flower closes. The seeds need time to develop and I wouldn't consider them ready until the pods turn brown.

You know. I always questioned it too. But there are numerous sources that mention cutting it off after it's done flowering.

http://www.growsundews.com/sundews/dros ... sting.html

Like I said it worked once but the timing seems to be essential and thus far it seems better to wait...

I leave mine attached until the more recent flower pods are dried and brown, but as the lower ones dry up I shake/tap the stalk over a sheet of white paper every few days. Usually lots of seeds fall out. That being said, I currently have a "Hercules x self" that has been flowering but so far, like yours, nothing. Even if the wind blew the seeds out I would still expect at least a few. I'm nearby in Lakeland, so maybe it has something to do with the heat lately.

oval wrote: ↑Fri Sep 02, 2022 12:37 am I leave mine attached until the more recent flower pods are dried and brown, but as the lower ones dry up I shake/tap the stalk over a sheet of white paper every few days. Usually lots of seeds fall out. That being said, I currently have a "Hercules x self" that has been flowering but so far, like yours, nothing. Even if the wind blew the seeds out I would still expect at least a few. I'm nearby in Lakeland, so maybe it has something to do with the heat lately.

I really dislike keeping the stalks there throughout the whole harvest process so I'll have to figure the best time to cut them.... I've got like 6 Californica stalks to manage.

I'd absolutely like to talk to you more. I'm located right in Plant city and would love to have more connections in my local area.