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Help my nep!

hey my neps (my ones that i had for a while)are growing very slowly i dont know why it has been kept in the same environment since i started growing cps and the pitcher size is small ... it havent pitchered in about a month i think...
the man in the orchid fest said that he uses liquid fetilizer 76 or something and it makes the leafs and pitchers huge...should i do this?my newer neps are doing great with bigger pitchers every leaf....
also how do you guys get larger pitchers?
the pitcher size should be bigger with every new leaf right?

oh yeah and they have been producing lots of shoots...is that the problem?
 
Wes,
We need to know the species and the enviroment (temp, humidity, light, soil) to really help you out.
I know some people do fertilize their neps, but I've never had the nerve.....I just feed them if I think they need nutrients.
 
Schloaty:

I have seen some pictures from Tony where he uses osmocote or some other type of slow release fertilizers on his neps. He usually advises to be very careful. So maybe he could give us some pointers.

Gus
 
Are you using fluorescent light? If so how old are the tubes? Also, how many do you have over the plant. Neps need LOTS of light if you are using artificial light (I use all different kinds of artificial light over difefremnt grow chambers). Also perhaps the humidity has fallen to an unacceptable level.
 
it's possibly the humidity...my ventrata hasn't pitchered yet and it's been a month! But my Bical is growing faster than I had heard (someone said bicals were slow..boy where they wrong) and it's only getting one flourescent light, a uvb light, and a compact light (mostly to redden the pitcher) and it pitchers nicely..
 
Is this the same amount of light all the plants are getting? How many watts and lux are those three bulbs combined? It sounds as if the terrarium is almost dark. What specifically is the UVB light for? You would do much better with six 40 watt flourescents or many more power compacts.

Nepenthes need a LOT of light to perform well, the more light the better. Do not believe the lowlight species hype, this simply means they can tolerate it, I do not have any neps who like less light. I use as much light as I can possibly fit over their growing environments this reduces leaf size (temporarily) and increases pitcher size and also adds a lot more color and vigor to your plants. Just be sure to increase the humidity levels in good light (meaning seal the gaps).

It is not wise to increase humidity in a dimly lit environment because that can lead to fungus and diseases so if you plan on making it wetter make it brighter at the same time.
 
my cps are doing ok except for my 3 neps( i dont have many neps as im a beginner).I leave the neps outside and it gets some direct sunlight in the after noon. i live in singapore so the sun is quite strong and neps are considered as shaded sun in nuseries. i dont add humidity for any of my plants because im very afraid of root rot/fungus, etc.
it has been raining alot nowaday. a while ago it made 1 pitcher in 1-2 weeks.
thx for the help
 
Light and Humidity. Those two factors you should take into account!. Regarding some neps liking low light levels:

veitchii. This is the one that's giving me headaches. the yellow orange spots that i reported some time ago, have not grown or spread out. Pitchers in this plant tend to dry out prematurely. So i am moving it onto a spot with lower light levels to see how it does!!. Is Glabrata another low light loving neps?

Regarding your problem, low light levels could be the culprit. Try to feed your plants with insects or skim milk. if you use fertilizer dilute it at least 1/4 or use a slow release fertilizer. To increase humidity, cut a bottle of coke in three parts and use the bottom part as a dome. If your plant is big, then use a large transparent plastic bag to cover it.

Gus
wink.gif
 
the temp is around 28-30+ C i think( near the equator) ...i use 100% spahgum moss with a little live spahgum moss on top and humidity is high, i think around 70-80% and i grow tropical pitcher plants like alata.
the conditions should be ok cos wild tropical pitchers grow in our country ( singapore)
 
  • #10
but some of my neps and other cps are getting a reddish tone on the leaf and pitchers...it cant be light problem
 
  • #11
</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (swords @ Sep. 28 2003,9:54)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Is this the same amount of light all the plants are getting? How many watts and lux are those three bulbs combined? It sounds as if the terrarium is almost dark. What specifically is the UVB light for? You would do much better with six 40 watt flourescents or many more power compacts.

Nepenthes need a LOT of light to perform well, the more light the better. Do not believe the lowlight species hype, this simply means they can tolerate it, I do not have any neps who like less light. I use as much light as I can possibly fit over their growing environments this reduces leaf size (temporarily) and increases pitcher size and also adds a lot more color and vigor to your plants.  Just be sure to increase the humidity levels in good light (meaning seal the gaps).

It is not wise to increase humidity in a dimly lit environment because that can lead to fungus and diseases so if you plan on making it wetter make it brighter at the same time.[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
My ventrata is outside....I've been spraying it heavily every night lately and so far it hasn't aborted it's pitchers....So i'm hoping to finally have more than one! I never heard any lowlander hype about light...It get's a new pitcher a week..so I'm happy with the set up..I can't fit 4 over a 5 gallon tank.... only 2..I think the combined lumens is maybe 6k-8000 The UVB light really isn't for anything...It's been spent and it producing any UV is doubtful it just gives off light now...
 
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