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Northiana looks like a mutant

  • #21
Er, swords says. Trent and swords, whatever.
 
  • #22
Beagle, Seriously, the best northiana I've ever seen was the one grown next to the auto propagation misters in the Miami greenhouse. It was potted in the same mix he uses for rafflesiana, bicalcarata, alata, in other words, nothing special. It is very well drained, as all Neps should be grown. We are finding the shade and humidity issue is critical. Northiana really does not like humidity drops, even if slight. Our plants are looking so much better since being placed in those big clear plastic storage containers, and then putting those under the benches. Maybe you should try that, and then bring the whole thing in when temps fall below 65F.
Trent
 
  • #23
The northiana is in a plastic covered rack now -- it wasn't before. That should keep the humidity up. The condensation suggests that it is working so far. I hadn't actually covered anything -- aside from the general situation back there -- until now.

I'm not too worried. It's been growing slowly, albeit not looking so great. I'll just give it some time. Having just transplanted it twice in one day, I'll give the poor little north a break. It's so small you could mistake it for a butterwort.

I'm going to have to bump the humidity on all the neps soon. Usually around the end of October we get some truly cool and dry weather. I have grow house (4 tier rack) space for everything. If need be, I've already got the bedding area in the back yard scoped for the little greenhouse I bought. Out go two bedding plants to another part of the beds, in goes the greenhouse. I will put the grow houses in the greenhouse and steam the house up to deal with some temporary nighttime lows or serious dry.

Then, if it gets really cold, I guess I'll be using the ladder to arrange some neps over the shower in the bathroom.
 
  • #24
Hmm, thanks
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.  My coniditions prove to be satisfactory for just about everything (from some ultra highlanders, to bannana plants
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) exept nepenthes like the ultra lowlanders, and a few extreme highlanders. Some wont grow at their full potential, but they all grow fast enough for me, and pitcher often (this including N. lowii and N. burbidgaea). It would probably be better to put my N. northianas in a propogator dome, while they're still relatively small, so the temps and humidity inside will be high.  That should also keep them warmer at night also...  I hope it'll work
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.
 
  • #25
Hey Josh:

Your northiana is a very beautiful plant. I'll give you that. However, the shape is not like a typical northiana. Usually the pitcher are wider and somehow squatter. Any explanations??

Gus
 
  • #26
A few remarks regarding cultivation of N. northiana:

This species is really quite easy to grow. The principal difficulty which I believe most growers face is the challenge of providing a consistently warm and humid growing evironment. Once this challenge has been met, the only other issue with which one must be concerned is the species' preference for shade. If your plants' leaves are showing signs of discoloration or damage, it is likely due to an overabundance of light.

This species is not, in my experience, terribly picky about its compost; almost any standard acidic medium recommended for growing Nepenthes will do. Please see my article in the June issue of the current volume of CPN for further details.
 
  • #27
Gus, it's a young plant. Most photos available are of adult plants with mature pitchers which have mouths/flaring peristomes almost as tall as the pitcher body. If you go to Borneo Exotics main page there is a picture of a 4" northiana pitcher which looks almost identical to mine. I'm revamping my website so the photos in all my posts are gone for now.

Nathaniel, It would work to place your small lowland neps in an enclosed tank and heat it seperately but it might screw up the night time temperature drop for your other plants if it's left in the same room. As the heat escapes the propagator it will radiate into the rest of the room raising it by a few degrees. As I said, it's hard to come up with a single middle of the road setup that will please all Neps.
 
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