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Today the Orchid shop was getting a huge shipment of Neps in and I snagged a 14" across Nepenthes bicalarata (not including tendril & pitcher) for $50! It's not a cutting but pot grown plant and it's only in a 5"-6" pot. I have the feeling I should repot it now since I just got it and it'll need to acclimate to my better-than-theirs environment anyway (some leaf edges are burnt and most tendrils are black but one pretty decent pitcher).  I always think new plants should be repotted..I let the ventricosa and coccinea go too far and had to reduce both plants to cuttings due to the pots being rootbound, so now I'm paranoid! :cool:   How long could this bical last before it's next move if I put it in a 9"-10"  pot?

My planned/usual nep poting mix for it is:
LFS, smaller size Orchid bark and a handful of charcoal. with live sphagnum ontop as extra humidity helper. (tank stays 90-100% almost all the time -if I wanna see in there I have to squeegee the glass! With 80*-90*F + I do the DIY co2 injection into the tank. but the lowlanders grow like they're high on speed or something-especially the alata.

I will also be using the same mix and pot size for the incoming: hamata, fusca and lowii. Do  any of you think I should swap ingredients for the highlanders?. Does anyone think small size river gravel added would help keep the highlanders potting mix cooler -anyone try that before?  
The highlander tank is 70*-80*F (80* is up nearest to the lights and 70* 3 feet below the lights where the plants pots are and it drops to about 60*-65*F at night. possibly cooler when I add the 4" CPU fan at the top) but humidity stays between 80*-90* and gets even wetter when the fogger starts up every few hours.

Thanks for your thoughts!
 
I agree 100% any new plant should be repotted No exceptions!

Even if it appears super healthy and in great shape. Repotting gives you a chance to view the root system and assess it's size and health. It gives you a chance to put the plant in potting mix you are familiar with for your own unique environment. Yes you may set it back slightly even with the utmost care taken during the process.. but in the long run the plant will be better off.

Your mix of LFS, charcoal, fine orchid bark sounds fine for just about any Nepenthes you put in it. I don't think river gravel would add anything as the charcoal and bark would act to keep the mix more open.
Tony
 
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