You can propagate sundew or Drosera yourself by cutting leaf cuttings or growing the plant from seeds. You can get seeds from well-stocked specialist retailers. With a bit of luck, you can harvest it from existing sundew plants.
How do you sow sundew seeds?
To grow sundews from seeds, prepare small pots with carnivore substrate, moisten them, spread the seeds thinly and press them lightly. Place a plastic bag over the pots for humidity control and place in a bright, warm location. Make sure there is enough water in the saucer.
Sundew is self-pollinating
Sundew is one of the plants that are self-pollinating. If the Drosera is cultivated purely as a houseplant, it may make sense to additionally pollinate the flowers with a brush.
Capsular fruits form in the flowers, in which countless small black seeds ripen. In nature, seeds are spread by the wind.
How to harvest the seed
The sundew capsules open when the seed is ripe. The very small grains then fall out.
If you want to harvest seeds for sundew propagation yourself, place a flat plate under the flower. As soon as it has completely faded, you will see the capsule fruits. Gently shake the seeds from the fruit onto the plate.
Growing sundews from seeds
Subtropical Drosera species can be cultivated indoors all year round. You can and should sow the seeds straight away. To do this, prepare small pots that you fill with substrate for carnivores. Moisten the substrate well.
Spread the seed as thinly as possible and press it lightly onto the surface.
Put a plastic bag over the pots to keep the humidity constant. Ventilate the film regularly to prevent the seeds from rotting.
Caring for Drosera seedlings
- Place pots in a bright and sunny place
- Refill water in the coaster
- Prick out after emergence
- repot later
Place the pots in a warm, preferably full sunny place. In order to keep the substrate moist, the seeds are kept in the so-called damming process.
To do this, place the pots in a deep saucer, which you always fill with water when the substrate has absorbed the water.
It can take up to five weeks for the seeds to germinate.
Tip
Seeds from hardy Drosera species require a cold phase. If you don't want to sow the sundew outdoors right away, put the seeds in the refrigerator for a few weeks. You can also put the already seeded pots in the refrigerator.
