I've read several threads where some use maxsea, others say you can drop a fertilizer pellet in each pitcher once a month then saw this guy on Reddit with MONSTER pitchers and he uses fish emulsion and top/bottom waters. ATM I have 3 hybrids and have only given them beta fish pellets, they're still very small. Anyone have any experience using fertilizer?
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Question regarding fertilizer
- Thread starter power270lb
- Start date
Nepenthes pitchers size are depend on species, age and growing conditions. Light, humidity, temperature and minerals in water.
But yes fertilisers could help them grow large pitchers.
Fish emulsion are works for nepenthes soil fertilisers, as its basically high nitrogen fertilisers (NPK ratio are 4:1:1 to 6:1:1). You could use this at full strength for terrestrial nepenthes. Highland & epiphyte nepenthes tend to easily overdosed.
But yes fertilisers could help them grow large pitchers.
Fish emulsion are works for nepenthes soil fertilisers, as its basically high nitrogen fertilisers (NPK ratio are 4:1:1 to 6:1:1). You could use this at full strength for terrestrial nepenthes. Highland & epiphyte nepenthes tend to easily overdosed.
the fertilizer I have is 20-20-20 or perfect plants bonsai fertilizer which are pellets. You recommend buying a lower grade?
I'm not sure by what you mean with lower grades. Different NPK ratio probably?
Anyway, I don't know for sure about high P & K for nepenthes fertilisers. Nepenthes got most of their nitrogen from chitin & protein in their insect preys. Insect also contains small amounts potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium & iron. And some other trace elements (depend on species).
Tropical rain are also somewhat high in nitrogen. Tropical soil surfaces also have some others macro/micro nutrients from accelerated organic matters breakdown by fungi.
So no doubt that they could benefitted from soil fertilisation (as long its not too much & accumulated) and complete (macro micro trace) trap feeding, but I'm not sure with high P K ratio. That's why usually I using high N fertilisers (with lower P-K and micro) for soil drench, and cricket/grasshopper for pitcher feeding (best insect for nepenthes from my experiences, possibly due good amino acid composition, as Nepenthes could extract & oxidise those amino acid and get energy boost)
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