Caring for Pygmy Sundews- Drosera pygmaea, D. occidentalis, D. dichrosepala, D. pulchella, D. palacea, others.
These tiny Australian sundews come in many forms and species.We grow ours in a mixture of about 50/50 sand and peat moss, having sifted out the larger clumps of peat. It is important not to damage the fragile roots and to plant them so that the crown is at the soil surface and not buried. Use gentle drops of water to settle the soil mix around the roots. A child's medicine dropper is a useful watering tool! Avoid splashing water on the leaves. Flood around the plant and do not let them dry out. Use fairly pure water or rain and periodically flood so that any accumulated salts will wash out the bottom of the pot. We recommend plastic pots with drainage. Keep moist, not soggy, and in a humid environment. Do not freeze. Plants tolerate from at least 40-98 degrees F.
Gemmae are tiny disc-shaped propagules which form seasonally in the crown of many species. These vegetative "clones" are splashed about by rain and distribute them in their habitat. When these are present, the plant crown appears to almost fall apart with little green or reddish discs. Gemmae should be sown on the surface of a sand/peat mix and misted to keep moist. Bottom watering is OK provided that the water is free from salts. Because gemmae splash around, do not locate different species next to each other or you may end up with a confusing mixture of plants!
We find jeweler's tweezers or fine forceps handy weeding or handling tools. Mosses should be carefully pulled away from the plants, as they can easily be out-competed.