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By Bicyclemaster
Posts:  43
Joined:  Fri Aug 26, 2022 10:37 am
#425427
Hello there, I just got these sundews from someone that was donating them. First of all, I've never had sundews so I don't exactly know if they are just dormant or if they are dying. As you can see all of them have some white pests on them as well. I checked the roots and there are like 2-3 roots for each plant, about 5 cm (2 inch) long. I moved them to these smaller pots because they were in a pot with 3/4 of it just empty soil with no roots. I was also wander what type of sundews these are? They look like drosera capensis to me but I'm not sure
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By Intheswamp
Location: 
Posts:  3305
Joined:  Wed May 04, 2022 2:28 pm
#425428
Bicyclemaster wrote: Wed Dec 07, 2022 12:28 pm Hello there, I just got these sundews from someone that was donating them. First of all, I've never had sundews so I don't exactly know if they are just dormant or if they are dying. As you can see all of them have some white pests on them as well. I checked the roots and there are like 2-3 roots for each plant, about 5 cm (2 inch) long. I moved them to these smaller pots because they were in a pot with 3/4 of it just empty soil with no roots. I was also wander what type of sundews these are? They look like drosera capensis to me but I'm not sure
I'm a newbie to CPs, but I'll throw some thoughts your way...

I agree that they look like capensis, but I'm no expert. They do not go dormant, though they can/will slow down in growth during the "off season".

As for the white specks on the plants and elsewhere, I'll have to let someone more experienced comment on that. I really can't make out a shape for them. I have heard of people "dunking" the plants for 24 hours or so under water to drown pests...sundews seem to handle the submersion just fine. Also, many people use "BioAdvanced 3-in-1 Spray" ...it is a insecticide, fungicide, and miticide and does a pretty good job taking care of things. Or, the white specks could be springtails, I suppose...basically harmless and can be a food source for the plants.

How long have you had these plants? How long since you repotted them?

Are they under lights? Windowsill?

You're using only distilled water, rainwater, or RO (reverse osmosis) water, aren't you? Air-conditioner and dehumidifier water *can* be used but, in my opinion, can be questionable...I've seen where some people use it with no problem while others appear to have problems. A TDS meter can help discern whether your water is heavy in metals, salts, and other minerals (they're fairly cheap...~$15.00 on Amazon). When trying to figure a problem out I like to leave any variables out...a gallon of distilled water is cheap and lasts a long time for a couple of small pots of plants....rainwater is even cheaper but in some areas it can be "iffy" (a TDS meter lets you know what you've got). Also, some people are fortunate to have water from their faucets that is good for CPs...but you have to test it to be sure....with a TDS meter.

What type of growing medium and what level of water you're keeping them in? They don't ever need to dry out.

I'm not sure moving the plants to a smaller pot was the best thing but watch them a while and see how they grow. If they go into a growth spurt I would looking to move them back to the larger pot...you want them to have enough room for the roots to grow into...and under good conditions they can grow fast.

Did you replace the soil they were planted in when you received them or use the old soil? Growing medium breaks down over a period of time and needs replacing...usually every year or two is what I'm seeing people doing.

I would clean up the debris around the plants. Clear out the dead leaves (that will remove a lot of white specks, too). Water from the top and let drain through...empty the tray out afterwards so that maybe only 1/4" of water is in the tray/saucer.

I see very little dew drops on the plants. Get them in some good light...not too hot of a light, but some good bright light. If a windowsill then a couple of hours of direct sun. If grow lights then 12+ hours. They will take a while to settle in if they've just been shipped to you plus being repotted. Time will make a big difference. As long as you're seeing some new growth coming out the middle the plant is holding its own. If that growth is really slow then the plant may be struggling...if the center growth is fast then it's doing good.

Water, growing medium, and light are the three main ingredients for a healthy plant. Naturally, dealing with pests is required if they appear. Don't drown the plants but never let them dry out...they like their medium even to the point of being soggy. Never use "potting soil"...only something like a 50:50 mix of peat moss and perlite. Never use any grow mix that has *fertilizer* in it. Never fertilize your plants (though, there are exceptions to fertilizing it is easy to overdo it and kill the plants). Avoid Miracle Gro products ...they all have added fertilizer. Provide the best light that you can. Do not feed sundews unless dew drops are present...feeding without them present means the plant can't digest the food and the food simply sits there and molds/rots on the leaf...not a good thing.

Anyhow, maybe some of my ramblings will trigger something for you that will help your plants. Best wishes with them!
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By Shadowtski
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Posts:  4720
Joined:  Tue Mar 22, 2016 8:19 am
#425435
Those are Drosera capensis.
It's normal for plants to throw a hissy fit upon arrival until they acclimate to your conditions but those plants look like they've been light starved for a while.
They appear to need much higher light levels.
I treat bug infestations by submerging the whole plant in a gallon bag of distilled water and leaving it for a week.
That kills the creepy-crawlers and lets the hidden eggs hatch and kill off the next generation also.
Follow the Big 4 and your CP should thrive.
1) Lotsa, Lotsa, Lotsa, Light.
2) Very Pure Water with TDS below 50.
3) Nutrient Poor/Free Acidic Growth Medium.
4) Respect Dormancy Requirements of Temperate Plants.(Drosera capensis is subtropical, not needing dormancy but follow this rule for your future temperate plants.)
Intheswamp liked this
By Gary
Posts:  441
Joined:  Fri Jul 08, 2022 3:23 pm
#425436
I just had a mild spider mite problem with my Capes. The dunking method (4 days in distilled water) eradicated the bugs. You have a lot more bugs than I did, so you may need to submerge them for a week. The plants won't mind though they'll pout for a couple of weeks, so don't panic if you don't see dew right away.
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By Intheswamp
Location: 
Posts:  3305
Joined:  Wed May 04, 2022 2:28 pm
#425437
Shadowtski wrote: Wed Dec 07, 2022 3:43 pm Those are Drosera capensis.
It's normal for plants to throw a hissy fit upon arrival until they acclimate to your conditions but those plants look like they've been light starved for a while.
They appear to need much higher light levels.
I treat bug infestations by submerging the whole plant in a gallon bag of distilled water and leaving it for a week.
That kills the creepy-crawlers and lets the hidden eggs hatch and kill off the next generation also.
Follow the Big 4 and your CP should thrive.
1) Lotsa, Lotsa, Lotsa, Light.
2) Very Pure Water with TDS below 50.
3) Nutrient Poor/Free Acidic Growth Medium.
4) Respect Dormancy Requirements of Temperate Plants.(Drosera capensis is subtropical, not needing dormancy but follow this rule for your future temperate plants.)
Thanks for the clarification on dunking the plants in water!

@Bicyclemaster , the marines have landed, they know what they're talking about. ;)
By Bicyclemaster
Posts:  43
Joined:  Fri Aug 26, 2022 10:37 am
#425438
Thank you all for the replies, it really helped a ton! I just got the plants from someone that couldn't take care of them anymore and I think they were just kept in a storage area. I'll put them on the windowsill next to my other CP after I keep them in distilled water like Shadowtski suggested. I will put them in spagnum moss after the one week and hope they will be fine. Right now it's cloudy daily where I live and at 4PM it's already dark outside. I really do hope that they survive but they're in a rough shape.
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By Nepenthes0260
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Posts:  1774
Joined:  Mon Apr 30, 2018 1:59 am
#425440
As others have mentioned, those capensis definitely have pests. I’ve had the same issues with my collection in the past but have found Bayer/Bio-Advanced 3 in 1 (with imidacloprid!) is an effective treatment.

Additionally, those specimens look a tad green, so I would recommend an increase in light before they grow too etiolated. Other than that, they look pretty healthy!
Yellowish leaves on N. ventrata

So, what's your watering frequency? :)

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