Milk, it does the nep good?

[Keely]

Has anyone tried dried skim milk powder instead? You could drop in a few granules.

Probably just the calcium that the plants like... there may be an easier way to supplement this than with milk.

 

[The Griffin]

Powdered milk has been used with good success on pings and sundews(at least it won't drip off into the pot off the leaves). I know it has been used with Nepenthes, but I can't remember.

Joe

 

[nepenthes gracilis]

Joe, I think the canned ones have stuff added. Tony has a bunch of freeze dried one and they look ok. Prey struggling is a good idea however, so if your feeding with dead insect swirl the pitcher around to stimulate the effect of struggling prey. I usually swilr the pitcher with live insects too, they get overcome by the fluid eventually and drown, rather than sit on top and invite mold in to ruin your pitchers.

 

[D muscipula]

I forgot to mention that i use a glass pipette and pipette bulb to feed milk, and this is MUCH easier than feeding with insects (especially live ones) for small plants. It permits feeding of pitchers almost too small for other foods. I'm careful to rinse off any milk that spills on the peristome or pitcher.

 

[schloaty]

Talkin' campanulata coloration....Check this out:

Pics are a little dark...The color you see is really more of a reddish rust, like brick.

 

[Guest]

I cant remember where I read this, but I know that shaking the pitcher up once or twice a day really works to reduce mold. That's what I did when I fed crickets, and it should work with milk too.

 

[nepenthes gracilis]

Yes it does, the motion of the pitcher fluids make the environment more acid and that "eats" the mold.

 

[Slyfi]

They really have quite an ability to absorb it to....I was worried when I over filled a pitcher with a 1/4 milk solution(cause I know how REALLY sour milk smells) but after 3 days I would estimate that 1/3 of the milk has been taken in by the plant...quite impressive.......