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I'm thinking of getting a growlight for my nep...

FlytrapGurl

apple rings.. what more can i say?
I have my little Nepenthes I got a couple months ago in my room b/c it's getting WAY too cold for it outside; but it's not doing so well where it is... I think it's b/c it's getting no natural light whatsoever. It's just barely pitchering very small, permanently closed pitchers and isn't growing very fast. I'm thinking about getting a growlight for it. Exactly how should I use one? The only thing I don't know is how far away I should put the light, and, how the heck do I suspend it above the lil' guy
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flytrapgirl, if i recall correctly you got a N. ventricosa that you bought a short time ago. that plant is considered a highland Nepenthes and can tolorate the cold weather. as long as the temps stay above 50 it will be ok.
 
Ventricosa is an all-around Nep. Just like khasiana. Mine jsut endured a freeze to 20F and should come back. Most likely it would apprecaite the growlight.
 
if you are still wanting to hang a growlight up. hereis what ya do.

1. place 2 hooks up into the ceiling make shore there is wood where you screw them into.

2. take a chain 2 of them that are the same leanth and hang them from the hooks.

3. from the chain hang a 4' flor. light

4. place flor. light bulbs in the light fixture.

5. plug it in.

6. place the plant under the light.

7. plug in a ultrasonic humidifier. fill it with water and turn it on.

8. water the plant.

9. well if i think of anything else i will edit the post.
 
An ultrasonic humidifier isn't nessacary but nice if you have the extra money to buy one. May be a good last-minute Christmas gift idea too!
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Howdy,

Just my quick 2 cents. Pitchers not opening and slow pitcher formation are usually a sign of low humidity in my experience. A growlight may not help in correcting those particular problems. Finding a cheap way to enclose the plant some may be a better alternative.

Cheers,
 
I think a combination of factors. I agree with Pete's humidity assessment.

If the plant is getting no natural light as you mention then some sort of light fixture would be beneficial.

You could hang a 4 foot shoplight fixture from the ceiling or from a frame made of wood or PVC pipe. As long as there is some room to adjust it up and down a bit.

Tony
 
Well, the whole hang from the ceiling bit sounds hard, so, might it be just as good to place the plant in a 2 gallon fishtank and screw the bulb into the fixture on the tank?

BTW what wattage should the bulb be, at the least? And is it okay if the the tank is acrylic, not glass?
 
O...k then... <span id='ME'><center>FlytrapGurl sulks away</center></span>
 
  • #10
dont sulk fly trap gurl
dont have any neps.
but years ago when i got my first fly trap
i used one of them lights with a clamp on it
you can get them at pet stores or dept. stores and auto parts stores
just find a place were you can clamp it above the plant
i used a 65 w. grow lite bulb  it was shaped like a spot lite bulb funnel shaped if it gets to hot try a reg. shaped lite bulb
i have seen them at lowes and other places like that
i hope this will help
 
  • #11
flytrapgirl, i think you will find that a 2 gal. tank will be to small after a while and it will out grow it. i don't really like putting my plants in a fish tank unless it is the only way to provide the requirment for the plant or if it is a new plant that arrived and help it to ajust to the envirorment.
 
  • #12
Thanx
 
  • #13
Hey,
   I have a 36'' shop light that i was going to use in my room. It has regular flourescant lights. Is this ok? And about humidity, instead of a humidifier, can I mist the plants everyday or so?
                       Kevin

P.S. I am going to use it for N. Ventricosa, N. Khasainia, and maybe N. Sanguienea (sp?) i have the temps all figured out, its just that room that im moving into gets maybe 2 hours of light each day
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The room that I sleep in (right now), gets 6 hours, but Im switching rooms with my sister, and its sits where the house and trees block off all the light except for a little tiny bit of miday light
 
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