From today's blog post about Nepenthes fertilization, the following excerpt:
In September, I researched what Orchid-friendly formulas were available to me and selected one made by Dyna-Gro: a 7-8-9 NPK formula, containing no urea. As suggested by many other Nepenthes growers, I did not use it as a root application, instead applying it as a very dilute foliar misting every few weeks. As I continued to research Nepenthes' nutritional needs, I discovered a number of recommendations for Seaweed fertilizers, which could, because of their low nutrient content, be applied to the root zone of the plants. I opted to try Maxicrop's seaweed formula, with a nutrient content of 1-0-4 NPK, applied no more than every two weeks, with generous flushings of plain water in between applications, to remove any accumulated nutrients. (Nepenthes are sensitive to soil conductivity exceeding certain, very low levels, which is why traditional fertilizers, which tend to accumulate salts in the media, become toxic)
And so, my plan was this: occasional mistings with a very dilute Orchid fertilizer (one or two drops in 32 ounces of water) plus once a month I would apply the Maxicrop Seaweed at recommended dilution (One teaspoon per gallon) to the soil/root zone. While it is far too soon to glean anything genuinely meaningful from my experiment, (especially since I started so late in the season) I have witnessed an increase in pitcher size since I began this treatment. Case in point: the photo you see here.
Here is the rest of the article for your reading pleasure: http://nitrogenseekers.wordpress.com/2011/11/29/nepenthes-red-leopard-makes-a-leap/
In September, I researched what Orchid-friendly formulas were available to me and selected one made by Dyna-Gro: a 7-8-9 NPK formula, containing no urea. As suggested by many other Nepenthes growers, I did not use it as a root application, instead applying it as a very dilute foliar misting every few weeks. As I continued to research Nepenthes' nutritional needs, I discovered a number of recommendations for Seaweed fertilizers, which could, because of their low nutrient content, be applied to the root zone of the plants. I opted to try Maxicrop's seaweed formula, with a nutrient content of 1-0-4 NPK, applied no more than every two weeks, with generous flushings of plain water in between applications, to remove any accumulated nutrients. (Nepenthes are sensitive to soil conductivity exceeding certain, very low levels, which is why traditional fertilizers, which tend to accumulate salts in the media, become toxic)
And so, my plan was this: occasional mistings with a very dilute Orchid fertilizer (one or two drops in 32 ounces of water) plus once a month I would apply the Maxicrop Seaweed at recommended dilution (One teaspoon per gallon) to the soil/root zone. While it is far too soon to glean anything genuinely meaningful from my experiment, (especially since I started so late in the season) I have witnessed an increase in pitcher size since I began this treatment. Case in point: the photo you see here.
Here is the rest of the article for your reading pleasure: http://nitrogenseekers.wordpress.com/2011/11/29/nepenthes-red-leopard-makes-a-leap/
Last edited: