Question

Photo 3  

Photo 2   My drosera intermedia x filiformis is dying off now--- late June. Seems early!!
I've had it from Sarr NW for a few years now.
Just repotted this year with standard mix- pitchers and flytraps doing well in the 50/50 peat/perlite mix
Mineral free water in tray (aluminum)
More than 6 hrs sun per day. San Jose, CA- usually mid 80s. Outside in winter and hibernates
About 7 plants in the pot that all came out nicely with new growth in spring. First one whole plant went brown, now others are starting at tip of leaf to die off.
Leaves have dew and have caught a couple flys
What could be happening?

Answer
Hi Doug,

Thanks for sending the photos.  That always helps.

You may have a couple things happening here.  First, it's not unusual for D. x hybrida to go dormant early.  Ours usually start doing it in late August, and your growing season is much longer than ours, so if spring was fairly warm for you, it may just be time by the plant's internal clock.  Look at the crown of the plants.  If you see a mass forming, this is the winter resting bud (hibernacula), and that is what's happening.

The other possibility is the way the plant was transplanted.  I see that the plants are sitting on a crown of moss sitting way up high.  When you transplant these, you want to do it in the winter when the plants are fully dormant.  Totally take that old moss away.  They are not the least bit delicate when they are dormant.  Transplant the resting buds in new media with the crowns of the hibernacula just at the soil surface.  They should not be totally buried, but not all the way out of the media either.  You can also separate them when dormant to get new plants too.

What might be happening with them sitting way up on this mound is they are just a bit too dry.  Try to keep the pot a little deeper in the water until they are fully dormant.

Good Growing!

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