Tips on buying a Nepenthes hamata from Europe please

[dsrtfox1942]

I am looking into purchasing a Nepenthes hamata from a certain European nursery. Does anyone have any tips that would help me out? I plan on keeping it in my terrarium when it comes, in a bag so it has high humidity. The humidity in the tank is normally 40-60 percent and around 75 during the day and 60 at night. I have read many many people's experiences about these plants and have come to the consensus that nearly all people have good experiences. From what I read, as long as you keep the humidity very high for young plants they do well, and when they get larger they can be hardened off to normal levels. If anyone can add anything I'd appreciate it. Last thing I want to do is waste a good chunk of money and kill a beautiful plant. Thanks!

 

[dsrtfox1942]

Well, I have decided to go for it and ordered it Wednesday. He isn't shipping until end of the month. I will keep everyone posted when it arrives. Thank you to RL7836 for his help and tips. Hopefully mine turns out half as nice as his.

 

[Raven01000]

I believe that N. hamata is a lot tougher than most people think. I received mine last November from the same European nursery, and I acclimated it to low humidity via baggying. I did not rush the acclimation process--it took me two months of cutting holes in the baggy--but now it's just sitting in my room in low humidity pitchering. I know that Thez Yo has several small N. hamata pitchering on her balcony in somewhat low humidity as well.

The idea that it has to be at least 6 inches across before it can be hardened off seems to be a myth. The real thing to avoid is introducing it suddenly to new conditions without proper acclimation.

Anyway, I wish you the best of luck with your new N. hamata.

 

[dsrtfox1942]

I believe that N. hamata is a lot tougher than most people think. I received mine last November from the same European nursery, and I acclimated it to low humidity via baggying. I did not rush the acclimation process--it took me two months of cutting holes in the baggy--but now it's just sitting in my room in low humidity pitchering. I know that Thez Yo has several small N. hamata pitchering on her balcony in somewhat low humidity as well.

The idea that it has to be at least 6 inches across before it can be hardened off seems to be a myth. The real thing to avoid is introducing it suddenly to new conditions without proper acclimation.

Anyway, I wish you the best of luck with your new N. hamata.

Yeah that is the method that I plan on using when it arrives. My terrarium has an avg humidity around 50%, which I can easily bring up by putting a cover on top, so it shouldn't be to bad. All my neps grow on my windowsill during the summer, but since my only window is north facing, I put them in my uncovered terrarium with a light for winter. This is where my little guy will live and prosper, I hope.

 

[Taliesin-DS]

i put my Nepenthes hamata from aw without any baggies etc next to my other hl neps in my bedroom and its doing fine.
Humidity is about 50% there

 

[Exo]

I find that hamata is pretty easy to grow as long as it gets a night drop below 65F...otherwise, it won't pitcher for me, but still grows fine.

 

[dsrtfox1942]

I have mixed feelings on the bag method the more I read. AW claims he hardens off his plants before shipping. If he does, bagging them may actually set them back further. My terrarium has an avg humidity of 55%. the night time temp drop may be my only snag. My day time temps get near 80 and night time at 70, sometimes a little lower, depending how cool my house gets. I mist my plants at night and in the morning. I can't wait till the little guy arrives.

 

[Pyro]

AW claims he hardens off his plants before shipping.

With respect, in this case "hardening off" simply means it has been hardened from flask in a greenhouse. Conditions in a greenhouse are rarely as "rough" as they are in a home grow area so... Yeah...

FWIW, I have a lot of experience with plants from there. I never had to bag anything to acclimate it but I also had some large grow areas I was working with. If you are just working with windowsills and small tanks then just keep a real, real close eye on your plants and all should be well because you can act fast enough if you should see the need to act

 

[dsrtfox1942]

Thank you all for the help. Think I will bag it up when it arrives, but maybe already have the corner snipped off so it's not 100% humidity in there.

 

[amphirion]

"have patience, have patience, dont be in such a hurry...if you dont have patience, you only start to worry"....XD
being set back might not be a big deal when comparing in the long run---a slightly set-backed plant is much better than a brown crispy dead one.