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rawr.. my bical won't grow

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D

droseradude

Uhm.. I remember swords told me its supposed to be like 6 feet in one year or something. Mine is still 6 inches after 2 years
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HOwever I notice the PITCHER size is increaasing while the leaves aren't. Is this normal? am i asking an old question? should i repot it?
 
I'm glad you posted this, because I was going to ask about N. bicalcarata care tonight.

I recently aquired a N. bicalcarata (3 inch pot) and it's currently chillin' in my new 20 gallon long tank with 80 watts of flourescent cool white tubing. Humidity isn't that high, usually around 40 or 50 percent. Temps range from 70s to 80s. I'm using the tray method to water it, since I heard that this plant likes swampy conditions. It's still in a bit of shipping shock, so no new leaves or pitchers yet.

Are these good conditions for N. bicalcarata? It's my first one and I want to make sure it grows fast and gets big

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That huge N. bicalcarata is perhaps the coolest Nep I've ever seen!

I'm really hoping mine never gets that big, since I'm guessing that it wouldn't fit in my 20 gallon terrarium anymore
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Bical likes it very hot, and very humid. It does not like cold weather, and it does not like low humidity. It will cope with the odd cool spell, but will react negatively. The one thing it does cope with less of is light, although being a very large plant it does grow in full sun in habitat.
 
I think Trent and Michelle have a massive bical they call 'Big Mama', but haven't seen photos of it yet.

i.e. (hoping that they pop in and show us a photo)...
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indeed bical have very long leaves and pitcher huge as apple:D .The photo i took in Sri Aman does not show the length and pitcher size as i took from quite a distance. When i revisit and taken photos i will post again.
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My N. bicalcarata took two years to pitcher. It was fussy for me despite the fact that I am living in tropical lowland conditions. After shifting it around in my balcony, it decided that it loved a particular corner.

See pics.
 
Hey Cindy, when you repotted the Bical, did you encounter any difficulty? I am thinking of repotting my Bical but I've never actually repotted something so big before. Did you dig up the plant or did you turn the pot upside down to get the plant out? I'm just worried that I could cause it undue stress given that I read elsewhere that it's a fussy plant when it comes to repotting. However, it is getting quite big for its present pot.
 
I suppose this is OT but Cindy, can you share your successful Nep rooting method? I remember that you always have lots of cuttings to share and that probably means that you have a very good success rate with the cuttings! I am planning on doing some cuttings (primarily because my N x Gentle looks like it's getting very old and probably dying).

The last time I tried any cuttings, only 4 out of 10 (or so) worked - and 3 were of the supposedly very easy N.gracilis. I had them in LFS, slit the base at an angle, made some minor slits at the base and applied rooting hormone. I then placed the whole thing in a plastic bag, which I then transfered to a tank in a bid to keep the humidity (probably overdoing it) in. I watered by putting water directly into the tank, sort of like a big "tray method".
 
Hey DD,

Bicals have very large root systems, so it may be that you need to repot. Also, they like it hot,wet & humid. Mine is growing in a large pot (10" pot for a 14" plant) in LFS mixed with some orchid mix for a little "chunk."

Interestingly, my bical went into a long period of not pitchering....then finally decided, "what the heck," and began again. Only then did I put a thermo/hydromter in the tank....The day humidity levels were getting down to 50%. No wonder it wasn't so thrilled. Since I've increased the humidity levels (two weeks ago), the plant has perked up and SEEMS to be doing better....I guess it might be a little early to tell, though.
 
If you want your bical to grow fast, you need 75-90 percent humidity and day temps around 90 F.
When we repotted 'Big Mama' two years ago, her root mass was so extensive, she was molded to the contours of the pot. We simply moved the "root brick" into a much larger pot (20 gallon) and packed in the sphagnum moss around. Like Dave mentioned, a little chunk to add extra drainage would be helpful. We find pure Wisconsin lfs works great for us.
We'll get pics up soon, but are having internet problems right now.
 
Thanks for the advice. When you say "10 inch" pot, does the "10 inch" refer to the depth of the pot or the diameter? Trent, your 20 gallon pot... do you know the diameter or depth in inches? That would make it easier for me to find a similar one here
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10 inch refers to the diameter. Our 20 gallon pot is a standard size used by the palm tree nurseries here in Florida.
 
So since N. bicalcarata likes it hot, wet and humid, would it be safe to assume that I can keep my young plant on the tray system for watering?

I think I'm going to give the little guy a couple of weeks before I try raising the humidity in my tank. If after a few weeks it refuses to put out any pitchers I'll see about changing some conditions...
 
from what i heard, gecko, amps and bicals are the only neps that will do well with the tray method since they grow in swamplike conditions
 
You forgot mirabilis. I grow my 2 of my ampullarias using the water tray method. But I dont fill the tray I water from above until the water level is about 0.5 - 1 cm then let it eveporate. This 2 grows much faster then the one I have without the tray. And other species might work also. I think it depends on how open your subsrate is. Lets say you grow in peat/perlit mix. Then it holds a lot of water for a long time so you cant use the water tray method.
But if you grow in LFS/Bark/charcoal/lava rock well some mix thats very open then should be able to at least have like me about a cm of water.
 
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