I understand where Jen is coming from, but in some circumstances, I would actually advocate against solely "googling" certain aspects of horticulture, specifically because of misinformation made ubiquitous by the forum system. As well as all the useful information it provides, so much specious advice has been given, and has been made relatively permanent, through forum threads. In some cases, it's almost impossible to remember the thousands of posts one has made on forums, so that going back, years later, to edit any advice that may no longer be appropriate isn't an option. As a personal example, I used to tell people to use Turface in their Nepenthes mix, because I thought it worked well at the time, only to find it practically stunted root development in many species, specifically in smaller plants. I don't know where the hell or how many times I posted that information, so now it's just out there for someone to stumble upon. Obviously, that typically wouldn't happen in conversation, as people simply recant what they once thought and respond with what they've found works better.
The Facebook carnivorous plant groups that have sprung up are very useful in the sense that information comes and goes very quickly, as people from around the world comment almost immediately, with helpful or not so helpful information, and debate in a manner that is more similar to conversation than editorials in a newspaper. Unfortunately for those who refuse to participate in that particular website, an absolute plethora of information and photos that are being shared by hobbyists and professionals alike (and by "professionals," I mean active taxonomists and botanists who do not participate in forums) is being mistakenly overlooked. I'm sorry to advocate a website with such an abysmal user agreement, but it has simply become a much more proactive source of information - and one that has, noticeably, sucked some of that info from the forums. My continued participation shows that I still enjoy these forums, but I think some of the members here, who I'm "friends" with over there, would probably agree with what I'm trying to convey.
A little bit to your earlier question.. it's often a smart idea to avoid these "discussion" groups altogether and find pertinent information from sources outside the hobbyist tribe, whether from peer-reviewed journals, meteorological websites, or, if possible, correspondence with those who live in those areas. More often than not, hard evidence is what you should search for, but be wary of simply looking at raw, fluctuating climate data from these regions, as it's very possible there are other factors to take into account when trying to grow plants within those types of parameters. I would hesitate to grow anything with temperature highs in the 60s while still watering as often as that weather chart would indicate. Who knows what kinds of mycorrhizal or endophytic mutualists allow the plants to thrive in these conditions, not to mention the oxygen content of actively falling rain, because without them, perhaps they can't. I suppose this is where asking directly becomes so important. Butch is a self-taught pro when it comes to this genus, so it's better to ask than to potentially lose expensive specimens.
And to your last question.. you should always make a habit of flushing fertilizer from the soil, regardless if it's just in the pitchers. It will save you a lot of repotting work down the line when the media begins breaking down prematurely and may help in sparing you the heartache of watching a favorite plant die of rot.