Lids are dying...

[Daydreamergrl]

Hey guys,
I'm pretty unexperienced with Neps. And recently I decided to buy an Alata, and an N x XMixta. I put them outside on the lanai, where they get west sunlight. The lids and some of the the urns are browning up pretty bad. I'm not sure if they are getting too much sun or not enough humidity, or too much. I spray them with rainwater every morning and that doesnt seem to be helping.  I took the sheet's advice when I got home and it said to fill the picthers up with 1/3 distilled/rainwater. I asked someone recently, and they said that, that wasnt a very good Idea. I'm not sure if that could be killing them.  
I got them about 2 weeks ago on a friday, I think it was..and I'm not sure if the changing of environments made the maturer and some of the younger urns die brown.
The growth from the center is still pretty good, so I know they are not stunned, or rather hopefully they arent. If anyone from Florida or anyone from the south could give me a few tips, I would be MUCH obliged. Thank you.
~Rachael

 

[Starman]

Its much more important to spray at night, so try that. About the filling up the pitcher, the plants WOULD experience this in there natrual enviroment, older pitchers on a Nepenthes are often found with their contents diluted with rainwater.

 

[superimposedhope]

I am assuming you live in Florida. I would say that possibly the light is too intense.
Did they come from a greenhouse or what was the light where they were growing when you bought them?
Since Florida has pretty good humidity, I would say they probably need the light diffused a bit.
Remember when you fill them with water they no longer have the enzyme for a while so do not intentionally feed them for awhile or it might just rot, causing pitcher death. Try putting them in bright indirect light, sunset is pretty intense light.

Joe

 

[Trent]

Hi Rachael,
We're in Boca Raton, Fl., and have been growing Nepenthes for years, so can pretty much trouble shoot Neps growing in a Florida environment.
How long have you had the Nepenthes? Plants grown in enclosed greenhouses are in a very "soft" environment, and when removed and placed on a porch or patio, even when humidity is high and temperatures are fine, will experience lids drying out. Our Florida outdoors may be humid, but the breezes we experience can dry out the lids on a "soft" grown plant. The next crop of pitchers will be hardened off to your conditions and be fine. Misting the leaves with ro or rain water at dusk is a good idea. Not only will it raise humidity, but they enjoy the coolness of slow evaporation over the course of the evening. Also, you can take your regular garden hose and spray the ground or deck under them to increase humidity in the immediate area.
If you have any other questions, feel free to PM me.

Trent
Boca Raton, Florida