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Pitcher plant help

Hello,

I'm relatively new to the carnivorous plant world. I just bought a pitcher plant at a local grocery store that looks very healthy and hopefully, with some help from the forum, it will stay that way.

I know this plant likes full sun or bright light. Does it have a humidity requirement? What about watering (I read that they like to be constantly wet....does this mean I can let the pot stand in shallow water?). Lastly, since it will be kept indoors, can it be fed fertilizer?.....add fertilizer to soil or spray on pitchers?

Thanks for your time!
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sounds like you pretty much know already! lots of sun, yes, you can keep the pot sitting in a tray of water. i'm not sure what your situation is, but Sarracenia are truly happiest if kept outside, at least for the summer. you can fertilize with a very dilute fertilizer, best applied directly to the leaves. catching a bug here and there can take the place of fertilizing it. the main requirements are the sun and water. especially during summer, i would say they need at least 4 hours of sun, just to grow. at least 6 hrs a day if you want full coloration to develop. they don't necessarily have to be waterlogged all the time, but at least stay damp, during summer. make sure the water is relatively pure, either rain water, distilled or r.o.water works great. tap water varies by location. they do need a dormant period in the winter. less sun, less wet, cooler temps. freezing temps aren't necessary, but they don't really hurt either. good luck.
 
sarracenia is right (he usually is) lots of sun, outside is best, and keep watered, the last step is just to sit back and watch and enjoy
BTW-Superthrive is the best kind of fertilizer you'll find for cps
 
Kirk! Again I reiterate, Superthrive is a root hormone, not a fertilizer. And it is always best to NOT use fertilizer on your plants. Let the sun and Nature take care of it. Otherwise, I have no problem with Sarracenia's instructions for you.
 
Thanks for the info. New question about artificial lighting, if you don't mind.

They've been alive for one week now. I'm in an apartment complex and with all the kids running around, I can't leave them outside. So I have it growin ~5" from a regular 40W soft white florescent light that's on for about 9hrs/day. IS THIS ENOUGH? I have the pot standing in shallow water and mist them 2x day with distilled water.

There's some browning of the tips on a couple of the pitchers, but I figure this might be due to some stress.

Thanks again for the help.
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bugweed- it is a growth hormon, not exclusively a root hotmone. it also contains vitamins.


your light isn't sufficiant, chloroplast-tell the kids to leave them alone and put ot outside.
 
I have never been able to grow Sarracenia well indoors much past the seedling stage: too difficult to get the lights close enough to the crown of the plants, and I use 8 flourescents! Outside is the way to go with these plants.

If you must err on watering, it is better to drown them than to have them dry out. The former causes no harm to my plants which I grow nearly as aquatics with good results, although others have said they have problems if the plants get too wet. So what works for me might not for you, but do be careful about having them dry out.

Forget the fertilizer. If outside they need nothing other than water and admiration.
 
Looks like the consensus is no artificial light. Obviously, I'll defer to the wisdom of the forum and put them outside. I'll let you guys know how it works out. Thanks again.
 
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