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Does my merrilliana need

superimposedhope

Somewhat Unstable
My merrilliana put out a new leaf but it is significantly smaller than the previous one. Does this mean it wants the deeper pot I hear merrill'ies like to have? It's still in the pot it came in which is like 3" across and 4" tall. The plant other than the latest leaf is 3-4" across.

Thanks
Joe
 
N. merrilliana for me at least has proven to be an extreme lowland plant, that require a deep pot, warm temps and very humidi air. The soil can be allowed to become almost dry with no ill effects. How long have you had it since this newest leaf came out?
 
Hi Joe,
Merrilliana can be a bit of a challenge. If you want the big pitchers, they need constant high humidity-I mean really muggy conditions. Our big merrilliana is in a five gallon container and is just now starting to produce traps for the season. Around November it stops and takes a winter rest. I believe this is as much caused by the shorter daylight hours in winter as any response to temperature drops. If you grow under lights then no problem. They do need lots of root space, and do not like re-potting. Move it up to something oversized so it can grow undisturbed for a while. I make a special mix for the merrilliana, using double the amount of aliflor (clay balls used for growing orchids) that I use in our regular Nep mix. It likes good drainage (don't all Neps?), but still be careful not to overwater: flush it thoroughly, and then allow it to dry out a little more than most Neps. And keep that humidity high!
Good luck! N. merrilliana is one of my favorites.
Trent
Boca Raton, Florida
 
Ive had it for about 6mos now and the newest leaf unfurled about 3 days ago. It got a pitcher about 2mo's ago and still is opening it. Nothing is drying out or dying just v.....e......r......y s......l......o......w and the new leaf is small. The leaves are very red and bumpy. The new leaf is probably 1" and the other leaves are 2-3" each and curl under.
80deg.F.__75-80%hum. very bright light

Joe
 
Just curious: Would algae in the pot make a difference to it?

Joe
 
If it's algae-kind of slimy-then conditions are too wet. Moss growing across the surface of the mix is good-it indicates proper humidity.The red leaf is good-it indicates proper light. The small leaf size-sounds like it's time to re-pot.

Trent
 
Ok I repotted and guess what:?

MY MERRILLIANA HAS NO ROOTS!!!
I was confused so I broke up the mix it was in and there are no roots in the mix no decayed dead ones even.
It still is green/red no brown, pitcher is alive and flexible, leaves as well. Trunk is flexible too, but solid.
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What the ---- ?
Any body have an answer or guess?

Joe
 
Thats odd.......N. merrilliana has a network of fiberous roots in a tap root shaped cluster....hmm no idea.
 
  • #10
So Ive been told, but not mine. It's a rebel!
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It makes no sense to me. I know what a dead root looks like and not a single one in the mix. It's like it was a cutting and stuck in the mix and some how it still alive and growing slowly but alive non-the-less.

Joe
 
  • #11
Guessing it was a prepotted plant from Malesiana?
T
 
  • #13
Well then I guess they didn't establish it very well.. or the roots have gone to the point of disintegrating so you were not able to find them when you repotted.

Best bet is to put it in fresh mix and keep it moist but not sopping wet and very humid.. ie treat it like a cutting. Bright indirect light and nice warm temperatures and see what happens after a couple months.
Tony
 
  • #14
Will do.
I guess so far it likes the way it already is

Joe
 
  • #15
Question:

Would giving it another go with some rooting hormone (like a new cutting) be of any benefit?

Aaron.
 
  • #16
Don't wig out Joe,
Just cut off a couple of the bottom leaves so you have about 1" of stem to stick in the soil, slit the stem and dust with rooting powder if you like. wrap stem in damp spahgnum moss and pot with a well draining mix: I personally like LFS and about 50% small orchid bark with a bit of charcoal. pack it tight so it doesn't wobble. This will ensure a good stem/soil contact and new roots will easily "grip" the surrounding pot.

I only water this one about 1/2 as much as my other lowland Neps. I ran into the same problem you're experiencing only with my N. inermis about 2 years ago when the pot tipped over and it fell out and there was like 2 roots on it! Now that I barely water it but spray it's leaves alot- it's a total weed!

Trent, I haven't seen that clay stuff around here, is it as small (1/4") and light as small grade bark?
 
  • #17
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Tony Paroubek @ June 08 2004,7:48)]Guessing it was a prepotted plant from Malesiana?
T
Hi Tony,

is this a known problem of MT plants?

Disappearing roots may also be caused by to wet and compact soil. The roots easily rot under these conditions.

Just as a note I won't ever cut of any living material of a plant in these conditions. It costs the plant an enormous amount of energy to build the chlorophyll (sp?)! Just place it in very high humidity, i.e. a plastic bag, and only humid soil - LFS prefered.

Cheers Joachim
 
  • #18
The presence of algae and lack of a root system for me indicates too wet at the roots. I agree with Tony and Joachim. Keep it moist(not wet) with extremely high humidity.
Aliflor comes in three grades. Sounds like you would use the seedling size, "fine" grade. Fine grade fir bark is good too. Our small merrillianas are very happy in a mix of 1.fine aliflor, 2.fine fir bark, 3.l.f.s.(easy on this) 4.fine grade pumice, 5.sphagnum peat moss to hold it all together. The proportions are hard to explain: I mix by feel. It drains rapidly when water is poured through it.
Once in the plastic bag-leave it alone! Carefully check on it-do not budge the soil, do not change its orientation to the light. The trick to re-establishing is consistent conditions with no disturbances.

Trent
Boca Raton,
Florida
 
  • #19
I did these things and I guess we will see. Thanks all

Joe
 
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