D.paradoxa looks sick

[powersensor]

Hi guys,

I noticed that my D.paradoxa does not look healthy it is infested with aphids and mealie bugs. What should I do to help save the plant?

[alcran]

Cut back on the watering, spray with an insectide, and let it go dormant. It looks like yours is trying to go dormant. Paradoxa has a dry dormancy. The soil should only be barely damp at the most. It should be dry enough that the algae on the moss dies.

[kentosaurs]

Hi Alcran

i thought i heard somewhere that if you keep a wooly sundew wet whole year round it doesn't need to go dormant? Or did i mistake that for another sundew? My sundew too has lots of dead leaves and only 2-4 traps at a time....Me and sundews just don't mix well..

Ken

[Khoas]

You are thinking of pygmy sundews.

[bactrus]

Try looking closely in between the petioles see there is any aphids.

[kentosaurs]

Hi Khaos

Some stuff from a book

"When the soil dries out during the annual drought most plants die back to they're thick often hairy bulblike stems for several months of dormancy.However in cultivation the plants remain in growth if they are kept wet."

Sooo i'm just basing everything i said on this few lines...Correct me if i'm wrong.

Ken

[Amelie.Poulain]

I had the same problem with my paradoxa. I used neem oil, it worked!

I'd also recommend using soap bubble treatment & then reduce water until the media is barely wet. Remove water tray & give bright light but no direct sunlight.

Ah, also make sure you keep it away from other plants so it won't infected them.

[alcran]

"When the soil dries out during the annual drought most plants die back to they're thick often hairy bulblike stems for several months of dormancy.However in cultivation the plants remain in growth if they are kept wet."

The Savage Garden is a older publication. Some of the information is outdated.

[caseyhoo]

aphids like to attack paradoxa!!!!

Check is there any yellowish/brownish things that stick to "stem of the paradoxa". If yes, try to push it a bit to see whether it move or not. If confirm, it is aphids. What you can do is, use tweezer or anything to scatch those aphids. Then, put it under water for 5 minutes+-. Repeat it few times till no more aphids. Keep the plant away from others. Do the same thing for few days till aphids 100% killed!!!!!

Else, can use CO2 treatment too...

[Amelie.Poulain]

Casey, since discovering the soap bubble treatment, I don't scratch off aphids any more because doing so you risk damaging the the stem.

Here's what I usually do, I make bubble using bio-degradeable soap. Apply the bubbles to the affected area using tooth-pick. Avoid the dewy parts.

Leave it on for approx. 30 minutes. Then dunk it under water like what Casey suggested to remove the soap residue & the those pest.