Question
Hi, i had a few questions reguarding my cape sundew seedlings.  About a month ago i put them outside and when i looked at them today there outer leaves were redish-brown.  They were all green before and don't know whats happening, i believe night temp. is upper 50s to mid 60s whild day time can range from, 70-80. This might just be the dieing leaves but usually that doesn't happen like this, they only have 1-2 new leaves forming, i'm pretty sure there all irght but just wanted to see why they would died back like that.  Also my S. Fledgling, i don't think its going to make it, ill have to check the roots to see i sprayed it with a fugiacid, but it doesn't seem to be helping.  There is no sign of new growth either but i'm not going to let it go until it is completely dead, to make sure.  Thanks for your help.

Answer
Hi Dustin,

It's pretty normal for leaves on a Cape sundew to darken when put outside.  They always go through a transition after being indoors.  If the color change happened suddenly after having been outside for quite awhile already, something else is happening.  Check around the stems and see if you see any little soil-like piles.  You may have a catepillar or cutworm eating at your roots.  Unpot one of them and inspect it.  On a larger plant a cutworm can bore right into the stem, and will appear as a white worm.  If the damage is bad, you may have to decapitate the plant.  The sundew will resprout from the roots.  Spraying with a systemic insecticide will keep them at bay.

It sounds like your Fledgling may have gotten a botrytis mold infection over the winter.  Unpot the plant and inspect the roots and rhizome.  If you see fresh growth anywhere, or the roots look nice and white, you may still have hope.  Cut away any brown material, spray with your fungicide, and repot.  If the whole rhizome is brown or mushy, it's too late. :(

Good Growing!

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