TerraForums Venus Flytrap, Nepenthes, Drosera and more talk
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Hey Ebeyonder,
I've noticed that with my N. gracilis, I can get basal shoots or very low nodes to sprout if I let the main growth point drop below the soil level, like having it drop over the edge of a hanging pot.
There was some discussion a while ago about whether you could "activate" a growth point by nicking it or something, but I don't know what the conclusion was.
I've noticed that with my N. gracilis, I can get basal shoots or very low nodes to sprout if I let the main growth point drop below the soil level, like having it drop over the edge of a hanging pot.
There was some discussion a while ago about whether you could "activate" a growth point by nicking it or something, but I don't know what the conclusion was.
In my high light terrariums most of my plants have nodes starting to grow. They usually stop after a leaf or so as Nepenthes are apically dominant (think of a tree) meaning they don't normally grow from a side node unless something happens to the main growing point. Some people try applying some sort of hormone paste (I think the same stuff they use for orchids called keki paste or something like that) on them trying to get them to grow, with mixed results.
I was looking at the big pic post at the top of this forum, I think Jalan Kayu just cut into bottom of a node (found out what that was) and little plants sprouted.Here, but scroll down a bit
elgecko
I've got a magic window!
My 1st post must have gotten lost with the change over.
I believe I've read (somewhere in a bonsai forum) where as a tree grows there is a hormone released that stops bud formation lower on the truck. I think I've read where people have made a small cut into the truck just above the bud, and it will start to grow. Maybe this would work on a neps node? I have not tried it yet.
I believe I've read (somewhere in a bonsai forum) where as a tree grows there is a hormone released that stops bud formation lower on the truck. I think I've read where people have made a small cut into the truck just above the bud, and it will start to grow. Maybe this would work on a neps node? I have not tried it yet.
the easy answer is no, because it doesn't need to. It's linked to the main rootstock and has no need to create it's own rootsystem.
However, some people have tried "air layering" to try and force the cutting to root while it was still attached to the mother plant.
Really all the fuss about Nep cuttings being hard to root is silly. I have rooted everything from Ventrata hybrid (said to be "easy") to N. rajah and N. macrophylla (said to be "hard") all were the same, easy! IF you have good growing conditions of continuous high humidity and bright lighting there is no reason you shouldn't be able to root a section of SOFT green vine off a Nepenthes stalk (or tiny basal rosette) in a small pot of moist pure long fibered sphagnum moss.
Only old hard stalk from the lowermost portion of an old vine or brown "woody" stalk will usually not root or grow.
If you do not have high humidity (90%+) then you should wrap a clear baggie over the small pot with the cutting in it and this will keep the humidity very high.
The soil for cuttings does not need to be wet, there are no roots for the cutting to absorb water anyway, simply letting it be moist is enough at this stage. You should mist the leaves oif the cutting every couple days. This is how the cutting can absorb water and not wilt until it sends out the first few pioneering roots into the new soil.
You do need to have bright lighting for cuttings (but don't let them cook in the baggie-like a vegie steamer) as the tiny section of stalk will not sustain the small plant long in dim lighting conditions. New growth will be leggy and limp and may not grow at all if the lighting for cuttings is inadequate.
I hope that helped some!
However, some people have tried "air layering" to try and force the cutting to root while it was still attached to the mother plant.
Really all the fuss about Nep cuttings being hard to root is silly. I have rooted everything from Ventrata hybrid (said to be "easy") to N. rajah and N. macrophylla (said to be "hard") all were the same, easy! IF you have good growing conditions of continuous high humidity and bright lighting there is no reason you shouldn't be able to root a section of SOFT green vine off a Nepenthes stalk (or tiny basal rosette) in a small pot of moist pure long fibered sphagnum moss.
Only old hard stalk from the lowermost portion of an old vine or brown "woody" stalk will usually not root or grow.
If you do not have high humidity (90%+) then you should wrap a clear baggie over the small pot with the cutting in it and this will keep the humidity very high.
The soil for cuttings does not need to be wet, there are no roots for the cutting to absorb water anyway, simply letting it be moist is enough at this stage. You should mist the leaves oif the cutting every couple days. This is how the cutting can absorb water and not wilt until it sends out the first few pioneering roots into the new soil.
You do need to have bright lighting for cuttings (but don't let them cook in the baggie-like a vegie steamer) as the tiny section of stalk will not sustain the small plant long in dim lighting conditions. New growth will be leggy and limp and may not grow at all if the lighting for cuttings is inadequate.
I hope that helped some!
