Nepenthes rajah

[phissionkorps]

A-ha! I knew I was justified in hating LFS. I've also had my share of bad experiences (i.e. rot or being too dry) when using LFS, but obviously nothing anywhere close to as terrible as losing a specimen rajah.

Out of curiosity Phil, what are you using now? I use aged fir/pine bark, charcoal, and perlite mostly for my HL/Intermediates. Some of them are also in bark/perlite/arcillite. LLs are in 5:2:2 peat/perlite/vermiculite. The mix containing arcillite is seeming to work rather well. I've got a vieillardi in it growing like gangbusters.

 

[Capslock]

I consider myself lucky enough to have seen Phil's plant in person before its demise. It was spellbinding!!! It has me panicked because my larger rajah is planted in a mix of mostly LFS, which its been in for years. This was one of the early plants I ever had, and I've since moved to mixes with little or no lfs, but this one is still in the old stuff. I'm terrified of re-potting it, and when I get the guts to do so, I'll will not try to clean the lfs from the roots, but rather just take the whole ball and plant it in the new container. When I get the guts to do it at all, that is.

Incidentally, I have another rajah in a pure mulch mix that is growing faster - I'm a believer in the fast-draining mixes, as over time I'm seeing that all my great-growing plants are in fast-draining mixes.

Capslock

 

[Ant]

So, if you get a nep in pure LFS you should replant it when it is young?

 

[Capslock]

Ant,
This is a problem that seems unique to N. rajah. Most of my plants accept replanting with no problems at all, though I rarely if ever try to extricate all the old media from the roots.

Max

 

[vraev]

hmm.....you guys are scaring me. Okay....my plant was initially in an 8 inch round pot of PURE lfs. This time however...when I repotted into the 12 inch....I just lifted the entire ball of moss + plant and put it in a mix of LFS+bark 60 : 40.

Also I have a thick layer of live LFS which drowns my plant...however..the plant seems to love it as u can see my the increase in pitcher size.

So this is my plant....drowing in live sphagnum as you can see. The central root ball is in pure LFS.....and around that is a mix of 3:2 LFS, bark.
I really don't want to touch it now as its finally started pitchering. I am still having issues wiht the leaf count. the plant doesn't have more than 5 leaves at once....right now it is sitting at 4 leaves only. (3 leaves u can see here...but another one is completely buried in moss) I always see leaf count as a way to indicate its strength...as more leaves....more surface area to photosynthesize.

BTW...phil, max and the other rajah experts out there....I realise that my sweetheart isn't really a "pretty plant". I generally refuse to cut off leaves till its totally blackened and withered. I also know that now it looks very un-symmetrical. However, I am hoping that soon it turns out to be a pretty specimen. One step at a time. By getting it to pitcher I feel I got it to the level of "satisfaction" in my humble grow conditions. Next step....waiting for aesthetics.

 

[Capslock]

Mine's been in LFS for five years, vraev. The plant likes it - it's just really hard to get it out of the roots for repotting later. But if you just put the whole root ball, lfs included, it may be perfectly acceptable (that's what I'm going to do). Your plant is obviously happy where it is, so I'd just let it go for a while.

By the way, I usually have between 4 and 7 active leaves.

Max

 

[vraev]

But max...wouldn't that mean the point of repotting is lost as the root ball compacted around the roots will still mean possibility of root and even stem rot

I am slowly moving away from pure lfs mixes. THe only plants now in pure lfs I have are my bical and ramispina. I am slowly moving to mixes that are heavier in bark..i.e., 60% bark 40% LFS....like the one i use for my lowii, mira and talangensis.

4 - 7 leaves?? wow! I have never seen more than 5 on my plant at once. However...the last leaf on the left which you now see as a remnant that was cut off was formed under low light conditions and much softer conditions: HIGH HUMIDITY, low light, no air circulation. These newer ones were formed in better conditions...higher light, 55% - 60% humidity, good aircirculation. Obviously...they are a bit thicker...glossier and the plant is obviously liking it.

thanks,

Varun

 

[Ant]

Does this big "I don't ever want to be repotted" thing include bicals and its hybrids? If I can get my Nepenthes bicalcarata x ampullaria growing good and seems healthy I might get a rajah next. I can't wait to see what it looks like in fall! I am sure you will get past the 4 leaf limit on you plant soon. I think leaf number is directly effected by root size, right?

 

[Capslock]

Yes, Varun, in the event of root rot it becomes trouble having all that lfs in there. However, for normal up-potting - meaning repotting simply for the need for a bigger pot, it's not an issue. I've yet to experience any root rot on my N. rajah (that I know of, anwyay - I never look!), so when I repot it will be simply to move to a larger pot.

Capslock

 

[vraev]

Hmm.... I do realise that LFS only is good for a couple of years..but phil's experience and other testimonials have made me slowly start going on the lighter side and all my plants in such lighter mixes are doing great...including cephs.

I guess in our case as you probably have a plant the same size as mine (8 inches diameter), we just have to stay vigilant and explore lighter media. I will probably try getting some charcoal. For a long while..I have shied away from charcoal...using only probably a handful or a few pieces in a mix....but maybe I will try using it more from now. I think when repotting we should try to get as much of the old media out and go for as open as a pot we can find...this way we can avoid probability of rot by having more air circulation in the media.

Varun

 

[Ant]

LFS is srtingy right? Well, why can't you just cut it into tiny bit so that it won't hold onto as much?

 

[vraev]

LFS is srtingy right? Well, why can't you just cut it into tiny bit so that it won't hold onto as much?

No! That would exacerbate the problem. Basically the idea is have a COARSE open media..with the biggest grain size possible to allow air circulation in the root zone.

Infact getting mushy...thats what happens to LFS..... becomes small mushy paste-like compacting the entire root zone...suffocating the plant to death.

THe problem is not with it holding the water. The problem is it becoming too compacted whcih would happen if you cut it into pieces: otherwise called MILLED LFS.

 

[Ant]

I thought the problem was that you can't repot it and I didn't know that, thanks.

 

[phissionkorps]

Vraev, try some of these things: coarse perlite (the big chunks), (almost) any kind of wood, glass beads, arcillite (find at aquarium store), burnt earth, hydroton, styrofoam peanuts.

Idk whats available in Canada or how easily, but with those components, you should be able to find enough components to make a good mix.

Like Phil said, rajah grows in a loose, well-draining media in situ. A very loose mix, which would require watering frequently, would probably be best. You'll get tons more oxygen to the roots and wouldn't have to worry about rot. Plus, in a mix composed of the above things, with the exception of the styrofoam, the roots won't really get stuck in those things.

 

[vraev]

@Ant: No prob! Glad to help.

I am seriously going down that route PK. I am slowly embracing the moving away from LFS as I am getting more serious into neps. I do however...still go for a good percentage of LFS as I don't have a RO unit yet (It will be my next purchase), and I try to be sparing on the water usage.

I have been looking at some coarse FIR BARK, CEDAR pieces, PINE bark at a local sheridan nursary who have a lot of mulch options. I will be bringing some pictures here this summer to get a consensus on what I should get. I also want something light as I move around a lot....so I might probably go down the road of styrofoam pellets.

HOWEVER...are you guys tallkng about the packaging pellets?? THOSE THINGS turn to mush the moment I wet them. ;p Yeah! I did try using it. lol!

 

[phissionkorps]

I need an RO unit too. When I was using a gallon or less every time I watered, I was fine without one. Now I use about 3 gallons per watering, so I need just pony up and buy one.

"Orchid bark" is either aged fir or aged pine bark, so you'd be fine with either. Lots of people (including myself) have had success with cedar mulch as well, so its really personal preference. Another factor to consider is the size...maybe you go with a certain one because its just coarse enough. They're all pretty cheap so cost shouldn't be a factor.

The packing pellets you used are made from corn, and are supposed to dissolve in water. The ones used for potting are the styrofoam ones. They look kind of like an "s" and are firmer than the corn based ones.

 

[Capslock]

I still love lfs for smaller pots as they don't dry out as fast, and being realistic, I travel a lot and take long weekends. I need it so my smaller potted plants don't dry out. Regardless, as they grow, I use less and less lfs and more the mix that PK describes. By the way, I love the Cedar Mulch, as it's cheap as heck and works great. BUT, you really have to wash it out quite a bit. That stuff is dirty!!!

Capslock

 

[vraev]

Yeah! I was using like 2 gallons per week before. Now I come up to using atleast a 3/4 gal. per day. My good friend Av8tor1 is helping me out. Maybe we should team up and look for a good system. I found this from CPUK: A good description on what to look for on an RO system:

http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/pages/show_article.php?article_id=510

yeah! the orchid bark I am currently using is like pretty big particle size...like 1- 1.5 inch pieces. I remember reading a bit about cedar from your usage as well as a lot of growers here...I will be on the lookout for some of it at Sheridan nursaries. I''ll keep ya guys posted on my persuits. But so far...I found that "BETTER GRO" Orchid bark has been giving be fantastic results for cephs, VFT's, neps and Darligtonia. lol! yes!! I use it in everything. lol!

 

[Nepfreak]

I use 1:2:3 tree fern fiber: perlite: orchid bark. I've had no problems with it but I have to water every day. I use wooden baskets (hopefully not tropical hardwood) for aeriation. Seems to work okay, but I haven't even had them for a year yet. And maybe my plants all look like turds anyway .
hey vraev, we posted at almost the exact same time.
lol it turned my ratios into smileys (: perlite, : orchid bark. fixed.

 

[Capensis]

I'm getting a Nepenthes ventricosa 'red form' soon, so what soil mix do you think is better 2 parts perlite to one part peat moss or 1:1:1 of perlite, peat moss, and LFS?