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What are the signs of low light ?

vraev

Carnivorous plant enthusiast
Admin
Hi guys,

I am still debating if my nepenthes are under low light that is "managable" or low light that is "unacceptable".

This is a quite old pic (about a month ago) of my nep enclousure:

nepenc.jpg


Since then,

1) The bical has made a new pitcher ... but completely GREEN and kinda flattened and not as "sphere-like" of photo perfect bical pitchers.
It has also made a full new leaf which is bigger than other leaves on the plant and it looks healthy and nice and clean and not floppy, but nice and rigid.

2) The miranda in the center has made in a total of 5 pitchers. The first 2 were the biggest. The last 3 had been slowly becoming smaller. But, when the first one formed, I fed it a nice dead wasp, random light attracted bugs and so on. This nep is growing pretty well. But, again, pitchers are not as spectacular and more on the green side with a red peristome....but they are lowers, not uppers.

3) Ramispina has made 2 new leaves, the latest one is the biggest of all leaves, its tendril is seemingly slowly becoming bigger and hopefully turn to pitcher. But, yeah, the plant is green.

657459379_608a480ff7.jpg



The left leaf is the newest and it has become bigger after this pic which was taken a bit like 10 days ago. Now, the growth point is readily facing the opposite direction forming a new leaf.


4) Rajah: This dude's growth point has basically grown 1 inch in the past 2 weeks compared to this picture: the plant looks exactly the same now...except for the growth point which is just a inch bigger.

652900472_773fe353b7.jpg



Now, after reading all of my current observations, can any of you nep experts advice me if the light I am giving is right now:

- Pretty good (unlikely)
- Acceptable
- Not enough but will do for now and will not kill the plant
- add more immediately as they desperately need it.

Reason, I am kind of unwilling to get another of those tubes in here is the temps are skyrocketing here in the summer with max of 90F in the enclousure which is kinda uncomfortable for the rajah. I do not want to add more salt to its wounds.

thanks,

varun
 
as far as Rajah's go, they're slow. Think Lowii...
 
is it true though, I remember reading in one of the very early posts here which said that in the wild, a rajah can probably make only one to two leaves in an year?? In that case, what about in cultivation? Is this pace normal?

Is there any relation of my experiences with the plants to the light source they are given?
 
I am lucky if my rajah even PITCHERS!! And yea, you may get one or two leaves a year, maybe more in ideal conditions. But don't you agree that it's worth it?

The low lighting may have a little to do with it. Some plants fare better than others in lower light. If it's a problem, just up the lumens. Or try a wider spectrum. But yea, my rajah is about the same pace grower. Just keep pampering the King!
 
yeah! I totally agree...this plant is totally worth it. I don't mind it being slow....I just want to know that I am providing it atleast acceptable conditions.
 
More (artificial) light will always help, and the bottom shelf looks too dark. Kinda hard to tell if there is another fixture down there or if thats a reflection, but if its another fixture at least put it in the middle. Whatever is in the blue pot is definitely too dark unless its a bical.
 
yea, the blue pot is too dark, but everything else is getting light it seems.
 
ohh...the blue pot at the bottom has just some sheet moss which I bought. I like moss. :p . The bical is on the topmost shelf to take advantage of rising hot air. During these hot days, temps up there can reach high 90's with mid or low 80's in the bottom. I will be getting a light in winter though...however, as I said, I am only concerned that i might burn the highlanders if I put one there now. :(
 
Rajah experiences temps in the 80s during the day...nothign to worry abotu as long as you have a nighttime drop. Even the 90s is fine if it gets cold enough at night.
 
  • #10
Ahhh! So finally...more concrete support that 90F is fine. Thanks! I guess I am giving it pretty decent cool temps at night with the 2 ice packs right on top of its shelf. I guess that they should atleast cool the bottom part of the enclousure along with 2 more frozen water bottles enough to last the ramispina and rajah cool temps through the night as the lights won't be on to bring up the heat. So far, the ramispina is seemingly thriving with fast growth. I guess I am probably in the zone for growing highlanders but far from ideal.

But coming back to the lighting, do u think this is fine for the time being?? until winter when I can get more lights which would even help bringing up day time temps??

thanks,

vraev
 
  • #11
Yeah the lights are fine, it's not going to kill them.
 
  • #12
sweet! :D lol! Thanks dude! :D
 
  • #13
It took a year for my N. rajah to form a pitcher. It's inflating it's second now.
 
  • #14
WOW!! That means when I got that rajah from BE, it must have been a few years old. :)
 
  • #15
Thanks for help guys. I will keep ya all posted. :)
 
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