Highland photos also

[nepenthes gracilis]

Well Josh put on one heck of a show!

I don't have anything that good but here's a few of the more uncommon plants:

Very large (13cm tall 6 cm wide) (Whole plant is 20cm in diameter) N. veitchii Bareo Highland pitcher:

Closeup:

N. diatas 'meadow form'

This is a neat form of the plant with the speckling and "burbidgea like looks" pertaining to the colors.

 

[lithopsman]

I just looked at yours, and haven't looked at Josh's yet, so- so far you are one up, but I'm looking at them next!

Also, the veitchii looks a lot bigger then 20 cm, did you mean inches in diamater, as well as everything else (in. not cm?) NICE PLANTS AND PICS!!

 

[nepenthes gracilis]

Well those measurements are from 2 months ago also. (the plant size) The picher size is correct. Those measurements are present.

Thanks!

 

[Beagle]

I've looked at both. Very nice.

Highlanders... Sigh. I need to think of some creative use of space in the house.

 

[eplants02]

I love the Veitchii.

 

[wezx]

wow thats so nice i like the veitchii

 

[Andenes]

I know this has nothing to do with highland nepenthes, but what the heck

I've recently posted a topic of my n. x coccinea having an intermediate pitcher, well, guess what? It opened! FINALLY!

And in adition, my rafflesiana surprised me with a huge pitcher! Its 3 times bigger than the last one!

 

[swords]

That's a very nice N. veitchii Dustin! I sure wish I had your greenhouse space! Did you get a heater set up for winter so you won't have a re-play of the tradgedy from last fall?

Is that a cutting in a hanging basket or did you start it from one of the standard small 8cm/3" diameter plants?  If a small one how long did it take to reach that nice size?

I have the Batu Lawii form of N. veitchii and it seems to be rather slow. I also have a few slow growing hybrids: veitchii x truncata and veitchii x Trusmadiensis. I guess I assumed since N. veitchii is used in so many hybrids is was a faster growing species. Perhaps it depends upon form?

Anwyay, nice job! Lets see all of the N. diatas! I'm getting one soon I think it is the same meadow form which supposed to be the larger, more impressive of the two forms (forest or meadow). Of course mine will most likely only be 2.5 cm in diameter when it arrives!

 

[nepenthes gracilis]

Hey Josh, yeah it is getting awfully big now that I have increased my misting time on. It was a one of the bigger plants at Tony's about 4-5 inches across. Now that latest pitcher in the photograph could fit any of the other pitchers on the plant in it! N. diatas is a neat plant. Mine is unique with the coloring. It should be a beaut when it grows up!

Yes, my heating system is fixed....the problem was extremely poor fuel quality. And I mean BAD paint chips, dirt, water, you name it it's in it! So I washed the tank out till the kerosene ran cyrstal clear. Next I called agway for a delivery date....um 280 someodd gallons basically 300 gallons cost me about $380 with the additional heater upgrade about $70. So it was an expensive BUT necessary asset! I'd rather spend that than spend +$2000 for a new collection of Nepenthes!

 

[swords]

Definately! After all the work you don't wanna back-track and start over (not even to mention the money).

Will that 300 gallons last all winter season? Since I live in a condo I don't know anything about gas/oil heating.

 

[nepenthes gracilis]

The monitor type keresene heaters a extremely efficent even at the highest burner setting (around 48,000 BTU's) it only uses about 1 gallon of fuel per hour of run time. And it probably takes about 15-30 mintues to heat it up a good bit. I am hoping it lasts most of the winter. I think it will, I plan on heating the gh anywhere in between 60-70F

 

[lithopsman]

I didn't realize that heaters needed so much fuel!!

Anyways, nice pics again, those are some great plants!!

 

[nepenthes gracilis]

Well the heater doesn't need that much it's to last me the winter. Like I said it is quite efficent, about 90% to be precise.

 

[swords]

Is there any chance of carbon monoxide poisoning using the gas heaters? I know you probably won't be in the GH long enough to affect you but how about the plants? I've seen a few orchid growing specials on TV where people are moving towards electric heaters saying they're safer for the plants and cleaner maintenance. But the electric heaters looks like it would be way more expensive to keep them running.
Other than refinement methods is there any difference between gas and oil heaters? Looking at greenhouse kits they always offer a choice of oil or gas heater. Is gas more efficient than oil?

 

[Guest]

You guys have some great looking plants

. Hay spec, how much time did it take for it to get that size from the day you bought it? The one I just got is about 7" in diameter, and I'm hoping it will grow relatively quickly.

 

[nepenthes gracilis]

Josh, no mine is a direct vent heater. I can get you a pic of the whole do-hicky. What it does is draw air frm the outside via a combustion fan for ignition, then pumps kerosene via a small pump to the burner mat where a spark ignites the whole deal then the flame is controlled but how hot it can get but the pumps flow of fuel to the burner. All the exhaust is vented outside and everyone is safe. I belive natural gas heaters are quite efficent but more expensive to run. Electric is not probable unless you are a billonaire. We used a small space heater that kept the gh at about 45-50 in "the inccident" and the electric bill was 75$ while our house bill is around 80 to 90. Yikes!

But lke I said I PRAY that the heater will work...........

 

[Trent]

Gracilis,
Your veitchii is absolutely beautiful. One of my favorite species.
Can't help but chime in on electric heaters. They are expensive to operate, not very efficient (low btu's output, high electric bill) and leave you at the mercy of power failures.

Trent

 

[swords]

Yes, I can well imagine the price of running a 300,000 BTU heater for a 100 x 30 greenhouse on electricity! I have a tremendous electric bill ($130) from August for the air conditioners, metal halide and other appliances in my condo (and they A/Cs are only 5200 BTU each). Thankfully I'm not using the A/Cs anymore!

 

[Casper]

Man, I call you lucky! My electric bill has been outragous since I bought my house. My last bill was 159.77 and that was BEFORE I had an indoor grow light in my house. I dread to see next months bill.


Casper

 

[nepenthes gracilis]

Hi trent, thank you for the kind remark on the veitchii.

The next pitcher coming should be a beaut. It is really picking up in pace now.