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Fertilized for the first time.

  • #21
Fry, its true that mosses and fungus go rampant with fertilizer, but if you flush the pots properly 2 days later, its not that big of an issue. Fertilizing has shown some dramatic improvements in some plants. I only fertilize my neps through the soil. I will, on occasion, put a little fertilizer in a heli or ceph pitcher.
 
  • #22
Sorry to necrobump this... sort of, but I wanted to retract my earlier statement. My N. Ventricosa is tucked away behind some stuff, and isn't very noticeable. As it turns out, that was the plant that I poured a cup of coffee over about a month+ ago. Well, I actually took a look at the little guy, and noticed to my astonishment, that the last 2 leaves it put out were almost a full 2 inches longer then the rest. I kind of forgot that I had used the coffee on the plant, and low and behold, it seems to have done something. Last week I gave my N. Truncata the treatment, we'll see what happens.
 
  • #23
While this is at the top of the list anyways - has anyone noticed any effect on Sphagnum growth in their pots? In particular, I'm curious about the effect of coffee as an occasional supplement. A lot of my Nep pots have healthy colonies of Sphagnum and I'd rather not disrupt them... I know Sphagnum isn't fond of fertilizing normally. I'm hoping that the micronutrients in the coffee will be an exception to that rule. Any ideas?
~Joe
 
  • #24
The sphagnum in my pots doesn't seem to mind the fertilizer at all. In fact I would have to say it has increased the growth rate dramatically
 
  • #25
I fertilize through the pitchers using only dried blood worms and 1/4 dilution orchid fertilizer. My results have been pretty similar in all of my Neps, from my sanguinea to khasiana each new leaf and pitcher is longer, larger and more robust then the last. Here's a prime example of what I mean, the left pitcher was first to inflate and the one on the right was second. There is an obvious difference.
http://frenchy.cplants.org/index.ph...penthes/nepenthes-khasiana&image=IMG_1840.JPG

Given the right lighting they will ooze nectar as well all over the peristome as well as the leaves. You can actually see the nectar on the lid of the left pitcher. Good signs of a healthy Nep.
 
  • #26
When I had LFS growing in my pots they did not mind being fertilized, or at least I did not notice a difference.

xvart.
 
  • #27
Huzzah! I'll be brewing up some Folger's and Superthrive tonight!
~Joe
 
  • #28
The orchid fertilizer you're using (19-31-17), and other fertilizers with a N:p ratio < 1, are typically used to promote flowering. Fertilizers to promote foliage growth usually have a N:p ratio significantly higher than 1.

Of course I'm speaking in general terms here. I haven't tried fertilizing my Nepenthes, but these ratios are significant for a wide range of other plants, so it seems reasonable that the same would hold true for Neps. Then again, perhaps there is something about Nepenthes that makes them require lots of phosphorus. I don't know. Have any of you tried an experiment to compare different fertilizers?
 
  • #29
ive made my nep fertilizing regiment this: lots and lots of flies and bugs in the pitcher, about once every 2-3weeks, followed by old coffee poured over the media and flushed after 24 hours. So far the following crop of [itchers are thicker (yay!) and overall better-er. Hopefully the leaves and overall plant appearance will follow suit!
 
  • #30
I watered with coffee a little over a week ago and did a mild flush about two days later. I'm going to do another, more thorough flush soon once the pots have had a chance to dry a little. So far, I haven't noticed a tremendous change, but I was surprised to find the new foliage looking distinctly greener on several plants just a day or so after. I think things may be growing at a faster pace, as well; I seem to have observed the pitchers coming in faster and larger too. It'll take some time to be sure. I also noticed that one N. fusca pitcher that got accidentally filled with coffee has started to turn - I'm guessing I messed up the pH of the pitcher fluid or something. I took the diluted coffee-and-peat mixture from flushing the pots and gave it to my Sarrs and other outdoor plants. I don't think I'll repeat until at least next month - probably more like three to six months. I want to see how things turn out, first. Plus, I mixed the grounds in with the coffee after brewing in hopes that it acts as a slow-release fertilizer, so I don't think my plants will go wanting anytime soon.
~Joe

PS - I guess I should note that my plants get a pretty much continuous supply of ants due to the myriad house ants that plague my neighborhood. Every plant with pitchers large enough to catch an ant has at least four or five, if not dozens. I'm pretty sure I'm the only one around here who gets excited when he finds a new ant trail. My friends next door keep asking me to bring some of my plants over to their place, but I don't want to move them...
 
  • #31
I've been using Miracid 30-10-10 on my Sarracenia every two weeks for the past 2 months. My flava are making leaves continuously. They are larger and larger. Usually the plants just make one or two flushes of pitchers for me, the first flush being the largest. Scarlet belle is making larger leaves too.

I use 1/3 teaspoon per quart in a sprayer. I mist to wet the leaves being careful not to make puddles on the lids or run off any into the media.
 
  • #32
I've been using Miracid 30-10-10 on my Sarracenia every two weeks for the past 2 months. My flava are making leaves continuously. They are larger and larger. Usually the plants just make one or two flushes of pitchers for me, the first flush being the largest. Scarlet belle is making larger leaves too.

I use 1/3 teaspoon per quart in a sprayer. I mist to wet the leaves being careful not to make puddles on the lids or run off any into the media.

Wow, really? I thought that much of a concentration would cause leaf burn or something on a Sarr.

I'll give this a shot with 20-14-13 at 1/4 tsp per gallon to try it out. My Sarrs have been kind of sluggish.
 
  • #33
While this is on the top anyway, I would just note that the ICPS magazine had an article testing Superthrive, and found no significant difference with or without use. Anyone using it might consider redirecting their money..
 
  • #34
My N. albomarginata seedlings are showing dramatic differences in their vigor, one being a fertilized batch, and the other being unfertilized. Same conditions, but the fertilized group is way more vigorous. My other ssedlings also show benefits from fertilizing, with their leaf sizes doubling or tripling after being fertilized. Before, they grew leaves that were just barely larger than the last few.

I use Schultz orchid fertilizer, barely below normal dosage. However, I do not fertilize nearly as often as the directions suggest.
 
  • #35
I let the first set of leaves harden before I started spraying fertilizer on my Sarracenia. Go with a fertilizer that designed for acid-loving or orchids. And as with anything new don't do it on your whole collection!

Wow, really? I thought that much of a concentration would cause leaf burn or something on a Sarr.

I'll give this a shot with 20-14-13 at 1/4 tsp per gallon to try it out. My Sarrs have been kind of sluggish.
 
  • #36
I let the first set of leaves harden before I started spraying fertilizer on my Sarracenia. Go with a fertilizer that designed for acid-loving or orchids. And as with anything new don't do it on your whole collection!

Thanks.

The 20-14-13 is intended for orchids. I'll try it on a Judith Hindle.
 
  • #37
fertilizer is useless for me. Bugs, insects, arachnids, small vertabrates, etc...are THE best kind of "fert" you can get. Its what the plants evolved for, its what they want! If they wanted more nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium, they would have evolved things specifically for that, but instead they have means to catch small creautes (which have tons and tons of good nutrients!)!

If your flava was overflowing with flies/wasps/flying insects (such as a few of my flavas), i believe you would see very similar, if not better results (such as what im seeing-and very happy to as well! more prey will cause the plants to make more pitchers; think more food for us=faster metabolism).

Bugs for life lol!
 
  • #38
Yeah, you can borrow my plants for pest control, my car for transpo, and my girlfriend for...
dream on. Start easy with something like my spleen! :D
 
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