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Question for veteran growers

For the past few years I have noticed that when I obtain a plant, its leaves have large increases in size every time a new one unfolds. I have also noticed that sometimes this doesn't always correlate to a larger pitcher. I have a burkei x hamata that is putting on large size with every new leaf but the pitchers remain small. I've seen others that retain their smaller sizes but the pitchers grow to much bigger sizes with each new leaf. Could this be due to some environmental factor that I haven't met, or is this largely related to the genetics of the plant? Curious if you guys have had any similar experiences.
 
I'm not familiar with this hybrid but, what you're describing usually happens if humidity is too low.
 
If you are ensuring the soil stays moist (not dry and not soggy) then most likely the humidity or lighting may be too dim - or both.

What temps are you keeping it in? Hamata likes cooler temps and will make smaller and smaller pitchers if it stays warm too long then it makes smaller and smaller leaves if it's not corrected. But like Johnny, I'm not familiar with that hybrid you have and I've never grown a true N. burkei so I don't know what sort of influence it has as a parent.
 
I find that there isn't always a correlation between leaf size and subsequent pitcher size. In my experience that's a very unreliable correlation. In general, if your plant is producing good growth and larger leaves every time then you are doing something right. The plant will put out larger pitchers when it's ready, provided that the conditions continue to be conducive of healthy growth, which it seems yours are.
 
I keep it around 65 at night and it gets up to 75 during the daytime. Right now I have it under LED's and I water it once every couple of days. It looks really healthy to me, but this problem is something that seems to be a theme among my other plants as well so it probably is a humidity issue.
 
65F at night is about ten degrees too warm.
 
What kind of LED setup do you have? Unless you have a terribly expensive LED setup (several hundred dollars) the cheap LED systems aren't good for plant growth. I tried a couple 12" x 12" panes over an orchid terrarium and it was not enough light even for growing the very low light orchids of the Pleurothallid Alliance. Etiolation (not enough light) will give you big leaves and small pitchers, no amount of time and patience will fix that.

65*F at night is very warm for N. hamata, I shoot for 50*F or 55*F and I run the AC for the terrarium if the temps are 60*F or warmer at night.
 
  • #10
In my experience:

Adequate light = smaller leaves & large pitchers

Less-adequate light = bigger leaves (more surface area) & small pitchers (not enough energy to produce them)

If you're getting the plants from a source that grows them in a greenhouse and then attempting to grow them indoors, this is the expected result.
 
  • #11
Thanks so much for the info guys. I'm going to work on upping the humidity and increasing the light and see if that works.
 
  • #12
Thanks so much for the info guys. I'm going to work on upping the humidity and increasing the light and see if that works.

And reduce the night temps!
 
  • #13
In my experience:

Adequate light = smaller leaves & large pitchers

Less-adequate light = bigger leaves (more surface area) & small pitchers (not enough energy to produce them)

If you're getting the plants from a source that grows them in a greenhouse and then attempting to grow them indoors, this is the expected result.

This is my experience as well. Also, Paul is right. Hamatas like very cool night temps, and burkei is also a highlander, so, my guess is this hybrid would prefer very cool night time temps.
 
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