Arrg! Only 2 pitchers at a time!

[Drosera36]

My N. x 'Judith Finn' seems to only be fast enough to make 2 pitchers at a time, so that there are two fully-developed pitchers on the plant, while there is an old, dead pitcher and some new little pitchers forming. But by the time the new pitcher forms, one dies off, and then the process repeats. The plant is perfectly healthy, it colors up nicely, and every new leaf and pitcher is bigger than the last. So, is there anything I can do to make more pitchers on the plant at a time?

-Ben

 

[Tropics]

If you're not fertilizing, you might consider it. Maybe a few pellets of some kind of slow release fertilizer like Osmocote.

 

[srduggins]

Higher humidity?

 

[SarraceniaScott]

I grow mine in a hot, humid growth chamber. It pitchers like mad.

 

[Drosera36]

It lives in a bright terrarium where its neighbor, N. fusca 'Sarawak', grows like crazy. The temps stay around 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit in the day, 70 at night. Humidity is around 40%-60% in the day, while it is 75% or so at night. I feed it often, and water twice a week, but it still grows really slow, taking about a month to make a 3" pitcher. Tropics, should I put an osmocote pellet into one of the pitchers? I have misted it with a very dilute solution of Epiphyte's Delight in the past, with some nice results. So, what's wrong here?!

-Ben

 

[Capslock]

I'm going to go on record and say that N. x "Judith Finn" is one of the hardest neps to grow.

Capslock

 

[srduggins]

Wow, thats something you don't hear everyday. I have had a fair amount of trouble with mine, but have always attributed it to environment. I grew it in my office for a couple years in low humidity. It would only carry four leaves at a time, and eventually stopped pitchering. Took it home and put it outside and it does a lot better for me. Partial sunlight and cool nights seem to do the trick. It did slow down in the winter here, but everything does.

I think your plant may be tired from evenings that are too warm.

 

[killerplantsguy]

The N. 'Judith Finn' I have is a poor grower as well - it's headed for the compost pile.  It was raised from seed.  I heard that there are good and bad varieties out there, and most plants sold now are from tissue culture, I believe.  Also have the N. spathulata x veitchii H/L from EP.  It grows great.
KPG

 

[The Griffin]

I think there might be multiple clones of this out there(I think Phil Faulasi said he had for of them once-Phil?) and they seem to behave differently in cultivation.
I have a handful in a 10 gallon tank in the basement under lights and some went crazy and some are still small.

Cheers,

Joe

 

[dewy]

I bought mine from a local nursery. It has 2 growth points with 8 pitchers. It is potted in pure lfs.
dewy

 

[Tropics]

Osmocote in the pitchers may be difficult to control.  Since it's not made to be used in water, it may release the nutrients faster than desired.  You might try some kind of water soluble fertilizer without urea at a quarter or half strength.   Alternately, some people swear by milk.  I haven't tried it for very long, so I won't say anything about that yet.

 

[killerplantsguy]

Just for comparison, here is N. spathulata x veitchii H/L striped - coloration quite different from the 'Judith Finn' form.

KPG

 

[dewy]

Here are 3 pics of my N.judith finn