Nep Lighting

[Nepenthesis]

I'm setting up a Harbor Freight 6x8 greenhouse in the sunniest part of my yard, which gets about two hours of direct sunlight, two hours of indirect sunlight, and the rest of the day it gets shade. It may get a bit more sunlight than that in the summer. I am planning to grow tropical fruits in the greenhouse, and I'll be hanging my neps from the top of the greenhouse. Is that enough light for neps? I read they need long hours of sunlight. There's really nothing I can do about it because that's the brightest part of my property, haha. I wanted to know if shade cloths are actually needed in the summer since it only gets a few hours of direct sunlight.

Morning: Full Shade

12:45: 25% direct sun

1:30: 75% direct sun

2:15: Direct sun

3:00: Bright, filtered sunlight

3:45: Filtered sunlight

The pictures were taken around the darkest time of the year here in winter, so the sun isn't as strong and the hours aren't quite as long. So will this be sufficient and do I need to shade the neps from the direct sun? Thanks!

 

[Nepenthesis]

Nobody?

 

[UnstuckinTime]

I dont know where you live, but I'm assuming you're more south than me (New England) if you took those pictures recently.

I have the good fortune of being able to grow my larger Nepenthes in the greenhouses at my university. Not only do they do well through the short winter days, they thrive. They get no supplemental lighting or fertilizer. (My profile picture here is a pitcher my N. x 'Miranda' threw out in the greenhouse this year)

Hopefully this was helpful,
CJ

 

[Nepenthesis]

I dont know where you live, but I'm assuming you're more south than me (New England) if you took those pictures recently.

I have the good fortune of being able to grow my larger Nepenthes in the greenhouses at my university. Not only do they do well through the short winter days, they thrive. They get no supplemental lighting or fertilizer. (My profile picture here is a pitcher my N. x 'Miranda' threw out in the greenhouse this year)

Hopefully this was helpful,
CJ

Thanks for the reply!

My greenhouse will have no heating, but I'll be experimenting with natural ways of heating. It gets down into the mid thirties during the coldest winter nights, but stays about 55-66F on winter days. Is the greenhouse yours is in heated?

 

[lance]

I would definently put a shade cloth over the neps in summer (remember today is solstice, the shortest day of the year). My greenhouse is in direct sun all summer (winter indirect) and I just leave the cloth on all year round. If you arent adding Ultra highlanders in your greenhouse, then a heater and a thermostat would be the best option. Also if it gets considerably hot in the greenhouse during summer I would add a cooling system and a thermostat.

My neps have never been affected by the 60% shade they recieve so I would think that the amount of sunlight doesn't matter for their health...just remember to adapt new arrivals to the sunlight...Ive faced the consequences and nearly lost some neps that weren't adapted.

Hope this helps.

Lance

 

[Nepenthesis]

I would definently put a shade cloth over the neps in summer (remember today is solstice, the shortest day of the year). My greenhouse is in direct sun all summer (winter indirect) and I just leave the cloth on all year round. If you arent adding Ultra highlanders in your greenhouse, then a heater and a thermostat would be the best option. Also if it gets considerably hot in the greenhouse during summer I would add a cooling system and a thermostat.

My neps have never been affected by the 60% shade they recieve so I would think that the amount of sunlight doesn't matter for their health...just remember to adapt new arrivals to the sunlight...Ive faced the consequences and nearly lost some neps that weren't adapted.

Hope this helps.

Lance

I see you live in Cali too, so you have an idea of the weather here. It will be very difficult to install a heating/cooling system given the layout of electrical outlets and positioning of the greenhouse, so that's out of question for a while. I am going to use natural ways of heating and cooling, however I will have a misting system to cool off the air and raise humidity.

I'll definitely get a shade cloth for the part of the greenhouse with the neps. Sounds like your lighting situation is similar to mine.