Question
Hi!How to grow sundew from seed? Last time I order some sundew seed I plant it in the sphagnum moss. After a few month, it don't germinate. Than i go to Internet to find the information of growing sundew seed. It say before plant it , must put it into the refrigerator.Is it real? And only put the seed into the refrigator or also put the seed with the sphagnum moss? And put it to the freezer or the fridge? Until when can i take it out and put it outside? THANKS~~

-Eric Lim

Answer
Hi Eric,

There are well over 100 different species of sundew with some being tropical plants and some being temperate plants that grow north of the Arctic circle.  Many need very different conditions.  It's important to find out the species of the seeds you are trying to grow to know best how to treat them.  If the sundews are species such as Drosera filiformis, Drosera intermedia, Drosera rotundifolia, these sundews need the cold stratification you are describing.  Many other sundews do not.  Also, seeds have a limited life span, know as viability.  Your seeds may have been old.  It's happened to us many times in ordering seed.

If you have varieties that need the cold period, do it like this.

1.  Sow your seeds on the sphagnum moss like you did.  Try to sprinkle them very sparsely.

2.  Spray them with a fungicide.  A sulfur or Neem based fungicide is best.  This step is not optional.  In a cold, dark refrigerator you will always have trouble with mold.  You have to spray to inhibit this.

3.  Cover the pot, or put the whole pot in a plastic bag.  Put it in the refrigerator for 2 months.

4.  After 2 months, bring the pot out, set it in a warm sunny spot and keep it in water at all times.  Use either rainwater or distilled water.

The seeds should germinate in about 4 weeks.

If you have seeds of tropical sundews, they can just be sown directly and put out to germinate.

Good Growing!

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