Lowest temps

[Tim]

A practical question for experienced members.

In an unheated greenhouse, speaking generally, what is the lowest temperature highlanders can stand for short periods?

Thanks

 

[nepenthes gracilis]

Howdy there, for highlanders I would say hey could endure a dip down to 35F for a very short period, otherwise they may look like thawed lettuce!

For Ultrahighlanders, they could take light frost without harm. Villosa and Lamii could probably go down to 30F or maybe 28F for a very short amount of time without harm, but leave damage might occur.

 

[Tim]

Thanks. So an occasional 38 or so wouldn't do much damage?

 

[nepenthes gracilis]

I don't think it would do anything of significant harm but try to stray away from that temperature. The occasional 40F is ok, but getting into the high 30's is pushing it....

 

[Tim]

Thanks, Dustin. I think I'll throw a plastic tarp over my fiberglass greenhouse when the weather report indicates.

Regards

 

[nepenthes gracilis]

Good luck! I jsut got my poly inflation blower going on my double layer greenhouse last night. Boy the 30 dollars was well worth it! Keep it nice and warmer and the snwo slids off now!

Best of luck to you!

 

[Stefano1]

heyy i think at night your should put the tarp over, because if its sunny during the day itll warm it up the greeen house a bit?

then at night or liek at dusk throw the tarp over to trap that heat inside

just a thought?

 

[Tim]

Dustin, I got my 40 neps yesterday from Phillip, and they are a mix of vent, grac, and raffle. Last night got down to around 45, and the plants look great. I plan on getting a small heater which I plan on setting to come on at about 42-43, as the idea is that I can use the adult plants in my landscaping business, and I don't want hot house babies.

I guess the next step is to get the right percentage of distilled water with tap water, and given the tremendous range in local water sources, trial and error would seem the best route to follow. Perhaps flushing out once a week with distilled.

I'll plan on keeping you informed, and I appreciate your help.

The gracilis really look great. They're already about 6-8 inches tall, and I watered them in with a hormone/vitamin B mix, and they've perked up from the planting, which was 24 hours ago, and I have enough experiece with plants to know that they'd have shown major stress before now.

As I'm keeping the humidity high with the greenhouse and misting, do you think that they will fill the little pitchers by themselves within a few days?

Thanks

 

[nepenthes gracilis]

Heat sounds good. May stunt the lowland Neps a tad but once they've adjusted it shouldn't bother them too much. My gh is heated in the morning at 55 midday at 65 and night 50.

The mixing tap with good water is a great idea for Nepenthes. Nepenthes apprecaite a bit of hardness in thier soil and benifit from it. Remeber these plants are in nutrient and mineral deffecient soil not nutrient and mineral ABSENCE, so the mixed water should make them happy.

Gracilis would per up even without the vitamin solution! lol.

On the humidity issue, the pitchers may refill themselves if they have a little fluid in them right now, but if they don't you should fill them up halfway or more, the extra water will be reabsorbed and will greatly benifit the plant as it settles in to your gh. Misting it daily will keep humidity levels fine, but sadly I am not home enough to do that! With school and after school activity's it jsut isn't possible so my plants are still adapting to my environment, but under decent humidity (minimum-55% Max-100%)

 

[Pyro]

I have not read throught all of this because catching up after 5 days gone is hurting my head. I just wanted to put it that I froze my ventricosa and khasiana solid for 2 days last year and they didn't even notice. I don't recommend it but there you go.

 

[nepenthes gracilis]

Ventricosa and Khasiana are the plastic neps.

Whatever you give them they adapt to it.