Question
QUESTION: Hi Sarracenia Guys,

I have read several past replies by you regarding D. Regia and its care but I'm still a little nervous as I don't want anything detrimental to happen to his royal highness.

I live in Southern California Zone 9 and I plan to keep this plant outdoors along with the rest of my carnivorous plants.  I have it in a 10" white plastic pot in a peat/sand/perlite mix and plan on keeping the soil moist (not sopping wet) with distilled water.

Should I:

1)  Grow it like a Nepenthes?  A few hours of direct sun in the later afternoon with bright indirect light the rest of the day.

or

2)  Full sun next to my VFTs and Sarracenia?  This is about 9 hours of bright, Southern California sunshine.  With summer approaching things can get kind of hot here, would I be better with method 1) at that time?

I know about keeping the temperature under 65F at night (not a problem in my location) but which method do you think would be better for The King?

Thanks.

ANSWER: Drosera regia is a mountainous plant.  It likes it very bright, but also very cool.  A hot day for this plant is 80癋.  At night, the temperature needs to drop below 65癋.  Without this nighttime drop, the plant will eventually die from exhaustion.  In fact, growers in southern Florida and Hawaii have a very difficult time keeping this plant alive for more than a few months.  Their nights are too warm.

In your region, you can grow it outdoors, but you should shelter the plant from intense hot sunlight.  A few hours of morning sun is best.  

Good growing!
Jacob Farin

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for the information.  However I now have another D. regia question.  I have read on the International Carnivorous Plant Society's site on cultivating this plant, they recommend using a brand of fertilizer to help seedlings grow.  Specifically Osmocote 19-6-12 should be used on the soil.

Do you recommend something such as this?  The site in question is located at http://www.carnivorousplants.org/howto/GrowingGuides/D_regia.php

Thanks.

Answer
This species is one of the few species that can tolerate a low dose of fertilizer in the soil.  However, if you're growing carnivorous plants for the first time, we recommend not doing so until you gain more experience.  It requires an attention to various factors, such as your watering method, the size pot you're using, temperature and amount of fertilizer you add to the soil.  (The release of nutrients in Osmocote is dependent on these factors.)

An easier method is to spritz your plant with a low concentration of fertilizer directly on the leaves.  This is a very suitable method and works well without the risk of over fertilizing your plant.  Use 1/4 strength of any orchid fertilizer.  Spritz it on your plant until the leaves are covered.  Do this no more than once weekly.

Good growing!
Jacob Farin