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ant plant help pleas.

I have a few ant plants and they are slowly going downhill. I grew them all from seed and they were quite well. The largest of the three leaves are slowly turning yellow and falling off at the slitest touch. The base is still firm so I don't think it rotting. It hets about 13-14 hours of light from two led shop lights. The media is LFS with some gravel and prelight mixt in for drainage. I also have a little Osmocote Plus mixed in. It gets distilled water like all my other plants. Any and all help is appreciated thank you.
 
Bonjour

do you know the name of your ant plant ?

around your plant what are the % air hygrometry ?

fully mineral substrate ?

may be some pictures .

jeff
 
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It sounds to me like your plant may not be getting the micronutrients it needs. Unless you have very hard water, it's probably worth watering ant plants with tap water. Osmocote and other fertilizers usually only contain macronutrients.
 
How wet do you keep them and what are your temps like?

I grow mine wet as does a friend of mine. His plants grow like gangbusters whereas mine are very slow putting on almost all their growth in the summer when I put them outside. Likely factors:
His grow in a greenhouse year-round with humidity around 60% or higher as I recall. Mine must deal with RH of about 10-15% during the winter.
His temps never drop below 60F. (Think he actually has 65F as his low cut off.) Mine winter on a windowsill where it likely gets into the 50s -- which I know they do not appreciate.
He does fertilize weakly but I don't recall how often. I rarely fertilize.

Mine also tend to lose leaves this time of year. I suspect temps and lack of humidity are the main reasons.
 
Here are some pics. I'm not sure what kind they are as they were seeds given to me by a local greenhouse.

39517620501_7e10409b80.jpg

39487287592_952ab04513.jpg

39517615961_dc3c73d4fd.jpg


I grow them on my rack with my CP. Temp is around 65-70 and humidity is around 30-40%. I water them when they get slightly dry. I was told to watch for root rot. I water little it runs out the bottom. The lights are two 3200 luminous shop light at 55k for about fourteen hours a day.
 
Bonjour

may be a Hydnophytum papuanum .

for me your plant is OK.

especially attention to watering, these are plants that rot fairly quickly.
at home always between 2 waterings I let dry substrate.
for fertilization I use a fertilizer NPK either 13-19-19 or to boost a little more 23-5-5 between 2 fertilization I come back to rain or spring

30-40 % air hygrometry seem to me just

jeff
 
delete please
 
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I grow them on my rack with my CP. Temp is around 65-70 and humidity is around 30-40%. I water them when they get slightly dry. I was told to watch for root rot. I water little it runs out the bottom. The lights are two 3200 luminous shop light at 55k for about fourteen hours a day.

If that is your all day temps, then that may very well be the issue. They like it warm. The temps I mentioned before are his night temps. He keeps it warmer during the day.
 
If that is your all day temps, then that may very well be the issue. They like it warm. The temps I mentioned before are his night temps. He keeps it warmer during the day.


Would covering the rack wish some plastic help with the heat? I'm using LED lights so they don't produce much heat.
 
  • #10
I could see where it really wouldn't on account of them not giving off much heat but you haven't anything to lose by trying.
 
  • #11
Bonjour

these plants grows in the same area ( east asia, australia ) as the nepenthes, so for me their conditions must be the same .

good light, good air hygrometry, good temperature

for the light your led 3200k 55w no ? it is a growing light ?

for the temperature 65-70 (18.5-21 °c ) seem too just , 20-30°c seems more appropriate all the year

add peat to your substrate this plant grow in epiphyte on the trunk of the trees

this one H.papuanum come from new guinea

jeff
 
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  • #12
Bonjour

these plants grows in the same area ( east asia, australia ) as the nepenthes, so for me their conditions must be the same .

good light, good air hygrometry, good temperature

for the light your led 3200k 55w no ? it is a growing light ?

for the temperature 65-70 (18.5-21 °c ) seem too just , 20-30°c seems more appropriate all the year

add peat to your substrate this plant grow in epiphyte on the trunk of the trees

this one H.papuanum come from new guinea

jeff


The light is just a shop light. 3200 lumens at 55k
 
  • #13
Bonjour

3200 lumen in LED = 200W ?

4000°k ?

if yes it is OK for the light

jeff
 
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