What's new
TerraForums Venus Flytrap, Nepenthes, Drosera and more talk

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Completely brown, need help on how to revive it if possible.

I have a red form of nepenthes reinwardtiana that I've had since August 31 of 2009.
The plant is over 12" tall, I didn't have room in my terrariums so I put it on my window. I supported the vine with two stakes and put a large clear bag over it.
I planted the plant in fresh growing medium (1:1 peat moss/perlite) in a one gallon nursery pot.
My windows face south. My room is 60-65F during the day and 50-55F at night during the winter.
During the summer, since I no longer have room to fit an A/C in my window due to all the plants growing on my windows, it gets about 75-85F in the day. At night, I open my french doors and let fresh air blow in as it cools down in the evening. I can get it to about 60F doing this.
Anyways my reinwardtiana was growing sluggishly. It didn't get watered one week, and the lower portion of the stem died, however a few leaves and the main growth tip was still green. I made sure to water it after that, but the rest of the stem continued to turn black from the bottom up. Now it is completely brown and I am wondering if I can salvage it.
I spent $90 dollars on the plant, and I'd like to try to do activate dormant nodes or encourage a basal to pop up if I can.

I know that the growth tips in nepenthes contain a chemical which supresses basal production.
Do you think that I can encourage a basal to form by cutting of the growth tip even though its brown?
Any other advice/suggestions are welcome.
Thanks much.
 
You can certainly cut the top off and attempt to root it. Check that the vine stem is still alive with living tissue under the brown "bark" (or is still green in that area). This will also encourage new growth tips to form.

I have cut vines down to about soil level, with them looking dead, and in time have had new growth form. Just keep nodes on the vine, which is where new tips usually form.
In doing this, you should have 2 or more chances for new growth (the end in the ground w/roots, and the cutting(s). (Have you rooted cuttings before? Same situation, only doing it out of need!)

I usually cut into the vine (stripping small portions of bark away) down along the stem, to see where my vine might be dead and where it is still alive. I then cut into good tissue and make my cuttings... apply rooting medium, and plant it up..... and wait.

Good luck!

Paul :water:
 
I agree with GrowinOld's advice. However, I like to re-pot the roots in order to check if the roots are still alive and in case fungal infection sets in. When a plant dries out severely the fibrous roots can die back, inviting fungus. Either way, you may want to treat the roots with fungicide. Hopefully, you can make cuttings from the top of the plant as well. I've had to do this before a few times and it can be a tense wait to see if the plant can recover. Hang in there, and good luck!
 
Back
Top