TerraForums Venus Flytrap, Nepenthes, Drosera and more talk
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I should think if they are older pitchers there is absolutely no cause for alarm.
For larger Nepenthes daily watering will not harm the plant so long as it can freely drain away and the pot is not sitting in water.
Small plants 2.5 cm (1" )-8 cm (3") can be killed off by overwatering because their roots don't soak up the water fast enough and this suffocates/drowns their roots. They will usually rot from the growing tip down, it will turn dark and start to shrivel. If this is happening, that is what I call a "Nepenthes meltdown". This has only happened to a tiny N. mikei and a tiny N. rajah clone that both arrived from overseas almost completly dehydrated. Both died with the same "meltdown" type symptoms. Upon examination of the deaths and pots they were in I found that the roots had not grown much and the soil was very wet since the roots had no way to soak up that water. I now water small plants and cuttings very sparingly, usually opting to soak them good with the sprayer instead of actually watering.
Your Gentle is probably not in this tiny plant catergory, as mine is in a 8" hanging basket. If your plant is larger than those small sizes I mentioned and it is only the lower/older pitchers then do not worry. Pitchers will die continually when their effectiveness has run out.
In some species pitcher lifespan in ideal conditions is only a month or two (N. mirabilis) and some last nearly 9 months or more (N. bicalcarata, N. hamata). Their lifespan depends upon their growing conditions as well as genetics of the particular species. Generally however, the better the conditions the longer the pitchers will last before dessication. If your cultural conditions are correct in all respects then likely it is just time for them to go. If you've got good light and feed the plant well then the next pitchers should continually get larger and larger. It seems N. gentle doesn't seem finicky about temps as I keep mine in an intermediate terrarium.
For larger Nepenthes daily watering will not harm the plant so long as it can freely drain away and the pot is not sitting in water.
Small plants 2.5 cm (1" )-8 cm (3") can be killed off by overwatering because their roots don't soak up the water fast enough and this suffocates/drowns their roots. They will usually rot from the growing tip down, it will turn dark and start to shrivel. If this is happening, that is what I call a "Nepenthes meltdown". This has only happened to a tiny N. mikei and a tiny N. rajah clone that both arrived from overseas almost completly dehydrated. Both died with the same "meltdown" type symptoms. Upon examination of the deaths and pots they were in I found that the roots had not grown much and the soil was very wet since the roots had no way to soak up that water. I now water small plants and cuttings very sparingly, usually opting to soak them good with the sprayer instead of actually watering.
Your Gentle is probably not in this tiny plant catergory, as mine is in a 8" hanging basket. If your plant is larger than those small sizes I mentioned and it is only the lower/older pitchers then do not worry. Pitchers will die continually when their effectiveness has run out.
In some species pitcher lifespan in ideal conditions is only a month or two (N. mirabilis) and some last nearly 9 months or more (N. bicalcarata, N. hamata). Their lifespan depends upon their growing conditions as well as genetics of the particular species. Generally however, the better the conditions the longer the pitchers will last before dessication. If your cultural conditions are correct in all respects then likely it is just time for them to go. If you've got good light and feed the plant well then the next pitchers should continually get larger and larger. It seems N. gentle doesn't seem finicky about temps as I keep mine in an intermediate terrarium.
