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I asked for basals and all I got was...

DavyJones

Is ready to take this hobby to a whole new level
an activated node. I will now give an unenthusiastic 'hooray.'
A few weeks ago (while still in Germany) I made sure my girlfriend had tied the growth tip on my N. Velvet below the soil level. I have also planted it at a 45 degree angle. Upon arriving home, I noticed this...

<a href="http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm317/herrkaleun7/?action=view&current=node.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm317/herrkaleun7/node.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Not the clearest, but my camera was running out of batteries, and I wanted to get my flower post up. (PLUG! If you have a flowering FEMALE nepenthes, this plant is male and flowering right now.) Anyhow, I guess the question is what can you do with a lame old activated node anyways? Besides now having some big ol' growth coming out of the side of my plant, I think it might probably be rather useless. Cuttings later maybe? Also, does this mean the arrival of the long awaited lower pitchers, or still the boring old green uppers?
 
I would take a cutting or just tie the new stem at ground level. Either way you still will have to wait for lower pitchers if the node makes uppers.
 
What are the chances of that. Try digging gently around the base to see if any are developing below the surface.
 
These things can take time. I tied down my n. ampullaria so the stem was on a 60 degree angle (instead of 90). And 3 months later i noticed one small tiny basal.
 
It really depends on the species. I (as well as others) have had basals from Ventricosa within a month of it being tipped over.

Same with Thorelii x Aristo.

EDIT: I was replying to "Its a Friday"'s post...
 
Tony: It is kind of crooked from my attempts at getting to to bend over, but I would guess probably between 12-14 inches. It has a fairly long woody stem, which I partially buried last year when I re-potted. Time to try my first cutting?
 
From what I have seen of N. maxima, fusca and the like, they are reluctant to make basal shoots and typically need to be several feet or longer before they decide to make basal shoots on their own accord. You could try cutting the top off but I think all you will succeed in doing is making the plant just grow a new shoot from the bud closest to the cut. But on the positive side you will have two plants to play with! Getting a plant to make lower pitchers can be frustrating. Stem cuttings from below the tip will sometimes make lower pitchers for a bit but they too usually start to vine and make uppers again fairly quickly.

Since you buried a portion of the old stem you may find that shoots pop out of the media at some point. It is not uncommon for Nepenthes to make new shoots from the stem below the soil surface. Personally I would just let the plant grow. It will make nice basal shoots in time.
 
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