Question

Drosera Adelae   I'm hoping you can help me nurse this plant back to a better condition.

I have been trying to keep this drosera alive for the past year but obviously I'm not doing something quite right.
During the winter months it has been grown indoors in a south facing window. It keeps trying to put out leaves but they never seem to get much beyond a start before they turn brown on the edges and stop growing. You can sort of see what's been happening with the taller plant behind the more healthy looking one.

Finally this summer one of the plants in the pot seems to be having better luck as you can see from the picture. I am wondering if I might not be providing enough pot moisture and surrounding humidity for this species.

Since these new, somewhat healthier looking leaves have appeared I have tried to make sure I keep some water in the saucer and when it is not in direct sun I put a plastic cup (with a vent hole in the top) over it to maintain humidity.  I have it growing in a west facing window which is shaded for most of the afternoon by a large tree, so bright light but not so much direct sun.

I hesitate to put it outside for fear that the humidity may not be good enough and I have less control over the amount of direct sun it would get, however, I could possibly fashion a Remay screen to shelter it from the direct sun.

I water it with rain water and rarely with tap water (15.0 ppm TDS) when I run out of rain water (generally during the summer).  Climate wise, I live in Vancouver, British Columbia

Answer
Hi Anne,

It looks like what you may be having problems with here is inconsistency in you conditions with this plant.  Drosera adelae likes things nice and boring, consistency in temperature, light, humidity.  Here's what I recommend.  Find a window where the plant will get some direct sun, but a south or east window will be best.  These don't tend to like the hot afternoon sun, but need some direct sun.  From the appearance of your plant it looks like it actually hasn't been getting enough.  D. adelae should have red tentacles, and a slight reddish color to the leaves.  Make sure the plant has a water tray to sit in, and it very important with D. adelae to never let it dry out.  Don't worry about the humidity that much, they will tolerate lower humidity (I've had them in windowsills without covers dozens of times).  They won't tolerate even a little drying out, however.  Don't do the cover thing at night.  That creates more inconsistency that the plant has to try and deal with.  Also, once you find a spot, just leave it there.  Don't move the plant around.  I also don't recommend moving this plant outside.  I've not had good success with them outdoors.

After this give it a few weeks and see how it does.  It also wouldn't be a bad idea to transplant the plant to some fresh media.  Drosera adelae does fine in standard peat moss/perlite mix.  Let me know how it does.

Good Growing!

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