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Question about fish food

Hey everyone, I just received three new Nepenthes, and I want to feed the open pitchers to promote some better growth. I've read through most of the stickied feeding post, and many people are saying that koi pellets get the job done very well, while others seem to think they make the pitchers rot. I really don't want to go through the hassle of purchasing crickets, and fish food seems like a much easier alternative. So if anyone has any thoughts on this could you please give me some suggestions?

Thanks,

Zach
 
I actually add a bit of water soluble orchid fertilizer (mixed with water already; just to clarify) into the pitchers on top of whatever other critters they happen to capture. This may not be the same as koi pellets but it certainly hasn't harmed my plants. If you do decide to go with this method (even thought it wasn't one you listed) just remember to wipe off the excess from around the peristome or it may encourage black fuzzy mold which although does no damage is unsightly.

Hope this helps,
-J.P.
 
I use koi pellets and the pitcher can rot if it is overfed. The trick is to use as much as the pitcher can handle. I soak the pellets in rainwater prior to feeding.
 
Which is best - food in the pitchers or foliar feeding? Does anyone still use Osmocote?
 
I use the dried bloodworms that are sold as fish food. They are small, easy to handle, and you can get a lifetime supply for like, $3.
 
I don't think "foliar feeding" does much for Neps. I read somewhere that the pitchers are the leaves. The "leaves" on Neps are modified petioles. Besides, the whole purpose of the pitchers is to absorb nutrients. I would think they've have a more efficient uptake of nutrients than leaves or roots, so I always feed pitchers. :)

Will
 
Hey guys thanks for the replies....

Dave S. - What would you say is the right amount? I really have no idea as I have never even seen a koi pellet before so I do not know how big they are. I would hate to just plop one in there and have the pitcher rot in a few days!!!

Zach
 
I've used fish food before but I used tropical fish food, like Tetrabits 'cause it's what I had on hand to feed my discus. I think they may have changed the name of it now.

I've noticed that pitchers catch A LOT of insects as food. I was growing some Neps outside and I brought one into the house and put it in a terrarium. I didn't know it had ants in it. It's amazing how effective even the tiniest pitchers are at capturing food.
 
  • #10
Yes... we call the petioles leaves when the pitchers are actually the leaves. If we call them petioles people would think we meant the leaf base (which we call incorrectly the petiole). We just do this for convenience but really it's not right. Fertilizing the pitchers would be foliar feeding, but if I said foliar feeding and meant to fertilize the leaves (pitchers) people would think I meant to fertilize the petioles.

OK.... it makes sense if you read it slowly lol. I started out foliar feeding the petioles ("leaves") until my confidence built up to fertilize properly. Most of our plants have a waxy cuticle so it just rolls off, and those plants who's leaves aren't, the amount that stays on the leaf is so small it's pointless. If you think about it, the residue that builds on the leaf would block out light, so you're probably doing more harm than good.

Has anyone ever had a controlled test to see if root feeding or foliar (pitcher) feeding is best?
 
  • #11
What is the method for root feeding anyways?

I have some Osmocote slow release fertilizer pellets, but I don't know how to use them with neps.
 
  • #12
Mixing up either fish emulsion/seaweed or orchid fertilizer and just watering the plant normally with that water. I always root feed. I tried to foliar feed for a while, and guess what happened - NOTHING! I switched to root feeding and my plants have gotten better.
 
  • #13
Mixing up either fish emulsion/seaweed or orchid fertilizer and just watering the plant normally with that water. I always root feed. I tried to foliar feed for a while, and guess what happened - NOTHING! I switched to root feeding and my plants have gotten better.


Really? Don't the fertilizers build up in the soil and kill it?

I've used foliar feed a lot lately and it seems to work for me, especially on Copelandii, Ventrata, and Ventricosa, which have doubled the sizes of their leaves.
 
  • #14
Hey there jeff,
This is the system that I use to feed nepenthes with Osmocote.
1 pellet per inch of pot.
3 inch pot equals 3 pellets evenlly spaced. 4 inch 4 etc.
This has been working for me.
add ever 3-9 months as presribed on the Osmocote label.
Lois
 
  • #15
Phissionkorps has it right - this is what most of the major nepenthes growers do. Feed the roots with a seaweed fertilizer (I use Maxsea) once a month, give or take. Or a light orchid fertilizer. Water the plants with the solution like you're normally watering. This works.

Capslock
 
  • #16
I have tried fish food it helps but not much foliage feeding does jack . I'm broke right now but sometime later I'll try seaweed like some people do around here.
 
  • #17
I'd use seaweed if I could get the good stuff like caps uses. For me, the only stuff I can get is the lame-o seaweed that I think is about 0.8-1-0.6 (talk about waste of my time!). I'm using Schultz Orchid, which I think is 19-31-17, and I have no problems with it. I flush my pots about 3 days after I water them, and I haven't had burn or anything.
 
  • #18
Great guys! I'll use your advice. Thanks.
 
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