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Which Neps would Work for my Grow Rack?

TheFury

Oh, the humanity!!
Hi Everyone!

Last weekend, I got my first nep (N. Ventricosa) and put it in my grow rack. Now I'm hooked! What neat little plants. This one is small, in a 4" pot with 4 small pitchers, but I'm looking forward to having it grow for me. Hoping I can sustain it!

Over the months, I want to accumulate a few more. However, I've read that the distinction between highland/lowland neps doesn't dictate the growing conditions you need so much as your conditions dictate which of the highlanders and lowlanders you can grow together. Am I way off on this??

Anyway, provided I'm not mistaken, I was wondering if you guys could rattle off the names of a few neps that would work for the following conditions:

I have a grow rack with 4x 48" 32-watt fluorescent bulbs about 10 inches above my plants. The grow space is surrounded on 4 sides by reflective mylar. Inside the rack, temperatures range between 80 and 90 degrees F and humidity varies between 55% in the day and 80% or so overnight.

What do you think would work for me?

Thanks!!
 
Wow, at 80 to 90 degrees your probably looking at mainly lowlanders, if you could cool it to around 70 you could grow quite a few plants. With your current setup I would suggest:
N. Miranda
N. leesii
N. ampullaria
N. gracilis
lowlander hybrids and species
 
Awesome, thanks. I suspect temperatures in my rack over the winter will drop closer to 70 degrees simply due to the ambient temperature. I'd consider putting a cooling fan or two into my rack to vent some of the heat off of the lights, but I'd be afraid of messing with the humidity too much...

I know this isn't the right forum, but would these conditions support a heli, or would daytime temperatures need to be lower?
 
Awesome, thanks. I suspect temperatures in my rack over the winter will drop closer to 70 degrees simply due to the ambient temperature. I'd consider putting a cooling fan or two into my rack to vent some of the heat off of the lights, but I'd be afraid of messing with the humidity too much...

I know this isn't the right forum, but would these conditions support a heli, or would daytime temperatures need to be lower?

Firstly, your daytime humidity is too low for a heli, and many lowland neps as well. getting it up to 70% would be better.

Secondly, helis need day temps under 80F and night temps between 65-50F
 
Well that settles it then. Cheers!
 
Try some of the basic plants, like ventricosa that you have, maybe maxima, gracilis, also many hybrids can grow in a wide range of conditions. Sometimes even highlander hybrids can do just fine in intermediate/lowland conditions. It's a great way to have showy highland plants without the intensive temperature drop.
 
Are any highland hybrids particularly forgiving of the blunders of a new nep grower, or do they all exhibit more or less similar tolerance to idiocy :D?
 
My Spec x Aristo seems to do really well in my terrarium with temps near 90 by day and 70-80 at night.
60-90% humidity.
 
im having very good luck with my albomarginata, in similar conditions, rafflesiana would do nicely too. IMO
 
  • #10
Are any highland hybrids particularly forgiving of the blunders of a new nep grower, or do they all exhibit more or less similar tolerance to idiocy :D?

Spectabillis x aristo

N. "Lady pauline"

N. "predator"

Anything with venricosa or maxima in it's parentage.
 
  • #11
Thanks for all the recommendations! I'm really liking the look of the N. spec x aristo. Beautiful! I'm also a sucker for the deep red pitchers of the N. ampullaria "Harlequin." Definitely added to my want list!!
 
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