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Too wet and too dry???

  • Thread starter Sappho
  • Start date
My two pitchers were doing fine for months with the amount of water they were getting but they weren't producing pitchers so I got a humidifier. Now they have some browning leaves as if they are over watered. I know the humidifier is necessary because the air is very dry and now most of the leaves appear healthier. They are both in containers with holes in the bottom so I know they are not sitting in water. And the first plant has leaves dying in the middle of the stem rather than at the bottom?
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It looks like your media is pure peat which is too dense for most nepenthes. I would switch to something more loose like peat with a lot of perlite or long fiber spaghnum moss.
 
I wouldn't worry so much about water. Get that plant some more light.
 
As Nimbulan said, the lighting is the main reason that the plant is not pitchering here.

With lack of light, nepenthes tend to produce a lot of large green leaves with no pitchers. The leaves that are dying off don't seem to be an issue unless it is happening to new growth.

I also second the point about the soil. I have had success growing a few hardier plants in peat, but once I repot them they grow much more vigorously. Long fiber sphagnum and perlite is a great choice!
 
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The problem with just peet is it's to dens. There's no room for the roots to spread out. Nep roots are vary fin and don't have the strength to push throow. It also may be retaining water as there is poor drainige in pure peet.
 
Thank you for the replies! Can I repot it immediately or should I wait until a warmer time of year? If the roots are delicate how can I change the soil without harming the plant?
 
You need to save your plant so repot it right away. Just be delicate and try not to stress the plant more than it has to be during the process. The Nepenthes will be very happy quicker than you think. Especially if you get more light too.

Good luck! :D
 
If the roots are delicate how can I change the soil without harming the plant?
You know, since you are specifically asking about how to do this without harming the plant, I will offer my personal delicate touch method for repotting plants. If others have advice or contrary opinions, feel free to correct anything I do. It works for me, but I am not saying I am perfect by any means. :)

Just know, that you don't have to be THAT delicate. Just don't break any roots and you can re-pot it without concern. Just make it quick, keep the roots covered until the VERY MOMENT you re-pot it and don't let it get dry.

Specifically, this is what I would do.
  1. Prepare the new soil so you can quickly replace the plant without any delay
  2. Hold your hand over the top of the pot with your fingers spread out palming the top soil and bracing the Nepenthes. Tip the pot until you can get the entire soil AND plant to come out together, preferably with gravity and zero pulling.
  3. If the soil and plant are not budging with gravity because it is impacted tightly into the pot, squeeze and flex the walls of the pot to loosen the entire ball of soil and KEEP the soil on the plant while you do this. You want the whole thing coming out of the pot without pulling AT ALL.
  4. Don't separate the plant from the peat yet. Let the plant lie on a clean surface, clean towel, new paper towels laid out on a counter or table and let it sit with the soil STILL in tact around the roots of the plant.
  5. Clean up your pot with some distilled water and some wiping it out. Prepare it for new soil.
  6. Put the new soil in the bottom third of the pot.
  7. Now go to your Nep that is still laying there with the Peat ball around its roots and delicately help the soil FALL OFF the roots. Don't tug or pull or DIG just help the soil fall off the plant.
  8. Once the Nep and roots are bare bring the plant to your pot with the new soil and with one hand hold the nep in the pot with roots dangling and start delicately pouring in handfuls of the new soil around the roots. Start to bury the roots and the base of the Nep with soil. DO NOT BREAK ANY ROOTS IF YOU CAN AVOID IT.
  9. Keep filling the pot until the plant can stand on its own and then top off the pot with the new soil medium.
  10. Don't pack it in. Keep things naturally loose. A little tamping is fine but don't smash anything.
  11. Give the plant and its new soil a good watering with distilled water and let it be until its next watering.
  12. Get more light for the plant so it can start pitchering.

Hope that makes sense! :D
 
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