If you love Nepenthes as much as I do...
....the following may be hard to see.
So this summer was hot, and I lived in a place without AC. Needless to say, my highland Nepenthes were not happy with that. But then I moved, and also upgraded from a fishtank with lights set up to a bona-fide grow shelf. My plants sat there, ungrowing, for nearly two and a half months. I lost more than a few. I thought maybe they weren't getting enough light (since the lights on the shelf were totally different from what I was using before). I reorganized and redid things, and got it so natural sunlight shines on them through the south-facing window. I thought they were being kept too wet, so I repotted everything into fresh media, and mesh pots. I finally unpacked my hydrotherm, and when I plugged it in, I saw the humidity was only 50%!! So I sealed it up with some cellophane and tape, and also got an ultrasonic humidifier.
And I'm proud to say that I'm seeing signs of recovery!!! I would like to share these with you, and ask you a few questions along the way.
My conditions are as follows: Day: ~78*F, Night: ~65*F or so, depending on how cold it is outside. My hydrotherm is set to 80%RH, and clicks on the humidifier when it gets down into the mid seventies.
The shelf that upon which my Nepenthes grow:
A new plant in my collection, N. (merrilliana x truncata) x vetchii 'Caesarion'
I haven't had this guy for too long (a few months), but it doesn't look too happy. When I bought it, the guy told me it'd grow fairly well as a highlander, which is why I got it. But it occurred to me that, given the parentage, that might not be the case. Hence why I put it on a pot-pedestal, in hopes that the lights would keep it warmer. Do you have any thoughts? Im pretty sure they used the highland type of N. vetchii to make the cross.
The humidifier clicked on, so this next one is a bit foggy looking. My N. burbidgae, not looking the best. It hasn't grown a millimeter in three or four months. I've been told that a key for this species is to pot it in a 100% cypruss-mulch media, what do you think?
Another new one, N. (spectrabilis x ventricosa) x aristolochiodies. I can't take any credit for how awesome this one looks, since I literally just got it. I just have high hopes! I love how tubby the pitchers are.
N. robcantlyi. I was so happy that this wasn't counted among the lost. Even though it was a free rescue, I appreciate it nonetheless. Its showing signs of just growing right along, though no hint at pitchering again yet.
N. (spathulata x spectabilis) x (albomarginata x eustachya) 'Sunset,' showing signs of both happy growth and readiness to pitcher!
N. x 'Judith Finn,' nothing special. But I'll take any happy Nepenthes at this point. The new leaf looks good so far!
N. sanguinea, with what I *thought* was a dead growing point.
I checked it every week for a basal or side shoot, until I finally picked at the dead growth point. When the dead tissue fell off, it revealed this!!
A tiny, slightly-out-of-focus leaf!!
Thank you for taking the time to look, and I hope you comment. I really fell out of my passion with carnivorous plants, but these little glimmers of hope have gone a long way in bringing me back in!!
-CJ
....the following may be hard to see.
So this summer was hot, and I lived in a place without AC. Needless to say, my highland Nepenthes were not happy with that. But then I moved, and also upgraded from a fishtank with lights set up to a bona-fide grow shelf. My plants sat there, ungrowing, for nearly two and a half months. I lost more than a few. I thought maybe they weren't getting enough light (since the lights on the shelf were totally different from what I was using before). I reorganized and redid things, and got it so natural sunlight shines on them through the south-facing window. I thought they were being kept too wet, so I repotted everything into fresh media, and mesh pots. I finally unpacked my hydrotherm, and when I plugged it in, I saw the humidity was only 50%!! So I sealed it up with some cellophane and tape, and also got an ultrasonic humidifier.
And I'm proud to say that I'm seeing signs of recovery!!! I would like to share these with you, and ask you a few questions along the way.
My conditions are as follows: Day: ~78*F, Night: ~65*F or so, depending on how cold it is outside. My hydrotherm is set to 80%RH, and clicks on the humidifier when it gets down into the mid seventies.
The shelf that upon which my Nepenthes grow:
A new plant in my collection, N. (merrilliana x truncata) x vetchii 'Caesarion'
I haven't had this guy for too long (a few months), but it doesn't look too happy. When I bought it, the guy told me it'd grow fairly well as a highlander, which is why I got it. But it occurred to me that, given the parentage, that might not be the case. Hence why I put it on a pot-pedestal, in hopes that the lights would keep it warmer. Do you have any thoughts? Im pretty sure they used the highland type of N. vetchii to make the cross.
The humidifier clicked on, so this next one is a bit foggy looking. My N. burbidgae, not looking the best. It hasn't grown a millimeter in three or four months. I've been told that a key for this species is to pot it in a 100% cypruss-mulch media, what do you think?
Another new one, N. (spectrabilis x ventricosa) x aristolochiodies. I can't take any credit for how awesome this one looks, since I literally just got it. I just have high hopes! I love how tubby the pitchers are.
N. robcantlyi. I was so happy that this wasn't counted among the lost. Even though it was a free rescue, I appreciate it nonetheless. Its showing signs of just growing right along, though no hint at pitchering again yet.
N. (spathulata x spectabilis) x (albomarginata x eustachya) 'Sunset,' showing signs of both happy growth and readiness to pitcher!
N. x 'Judith Finn,' nothing special. But I'll take any happy Nepenthes at this point. The new leaf looks good so far!
N. sanguinea, with what I *thought* was a dead growing point.
I checked it every week for a basal or side shoot, until I finally picked at the dead growth point. When the dead tissue fell off, it revealed this!!
A tiny, slightly-out-of-focus leaf!!
Thank you for taking the time to look, and I hope you comment. I really fell out of my passion with carnivorous plants, but these little glimmers of hope have gone a long way in bringing me back in!!
-CJ