Question
QUESTION: Hi i plan to buy a drosera regia. I am in Nashville, tn. I read from this site the temperature at night should not exceed 65f or the plant will die from exhausion. From late October to early March keeping the temp around 65f at night is obtainable. The other months would be in the 70s f.  Would i still be able to keep this plant alive assuming it is being taken care of on other needs?

ANSWER: Hi Rickey,

Wintertime you would have no problem.  Summers could be challenging, however.  What I would recommend is to plant the plant in an large,unglazed terracotta pot.  This will help cool the roots since you would get evaporative cooling from the sides of the pot.  You would also want to top water the pot daily during hot weather with cool water, especially in the evening.  It tends to be the nighttime cool down or lack thereof, that causes the problems with the cool-growing plants.

Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
growcarnivoorusplants.com

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QUESTION: Thanks for the quick response. To cool the plant during summer, besides topping with cool water in the evening, would i be able to use ice instead? My fridge makes ice from filter water.

ANSWER: Hi Ricky,

The ice might be a bit too cold.  Also, the ice from your refrigerator is going to be hard water if you live in Tennessee.  The filters they put in refrigerators for their ice machines are simple carbon filters, and they don't remove minerals.  You would need to freeze cubes of purified water.

Definitely try the terra cotta pots.  I became a believer in these after trying them for this purpose.  Here's some other information related to it:  http://www.theinnovationdiaries.com/709/zeer-pot/

Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.growcarnivorousplants.com

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QUESTION: Thanks, Jacob from your company told me he may have some of this plant available this early December. I can't wait to get one. I will definitely get the terra cotta pot. In terms of height in inches, what is the tallest pot i can get to avoid repotting? How should I water this plant during the fall and winter season as well as spring and summer? Would you suggest the tray method?

Answer
Hi Rickey,

As far as pot size, go as big as you have room for.  If you can accommodate a 12" pot that's great.  These plants get big, and they have long roots.  The taller the pot, the better.

You do always want a water tray under them, but here's the thing with Dewy Pines.  You need to learn to feel your soil and get a sense of when they need water.  You top-water them when the soil starts to feel dry, and water until you get runoff.  A little water in a tray for a short time is ok, but you don't want them sitting in water for long periods.  You'll get root-rot and kill your plant.  These things are not really a sundew.  In summer the plants use lots of water, so you'll water more.  In winter not as much, so you water less.  The terra-cotta pot helps to since you can see from the sides if there's water in the soil or not.  On the flip side, they are not a cactus.  They will wilt if they get too dry.  This is why you have to get in the habit of feeling the soil.  Too dry to the touch, water the plant.  Feels moist?  Leave it alone.  We go into lots of detail with demos on the volume #2 DVD on Dewy Pine care.  http://www.amazon.com/Grow-Carnivorous-Plants-Volume-Butterworts/dp/B002YALU5I/r

Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.growcarnivorousplants.com