San jose area growers

[vft guy in SJ]

Hi everyone, I am thinking about getting a Nep. that I can grow here without any significant extra expense ie: grow chambers, fancy lights ect.... Does anyone know of a species that will grow well here? I'd really prefer to grow it outdoors but I'm afraid it gets too warm and dry for that. I have a bright north facing window that gets no direct sunlight, and a big glass patio door under an awning facing east that only gets direct sun for a couple hours right after sunrise. The swamp cooler keeps the house in the 70's and occasional 80s on extreme hot days, and also provides some humidity, but I dont have any exact numbers on my relative humidity indoors. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Steve

 

[Capslock]

Hi vft guy,

Hmmm. There doesn't sound like a perfect place, but I'd give it a shot on your glassed patio. If you can, get a CHEAP compact flourescent bulb and an even cheaper regular lamp fixture and put it close to the plant to supplement the morning sunlight. I don't know if your patio is heated, but as long as it doesn't get too cold, you should be alright. I'm growing neps indoors and one outdoors up here in San Francisco, where it's cooler and more humid. I'd start out with something hardy and cheap, like a N. ventricosa or any N. x Home Depot. It should work fine!

Capslock

 

[vft guy in SJ]

Yeah Capslock, I have pretty much figured out that I might be sol in growing Neps here without setting up some kind of terrarium deal or something...  *sigh*  Its all good..  I will just have to wait till I'm more prepared to go for a Nep. For now I have a bunch of new plants that will keep me occupied till I can.  

 
Thanks  
Steve

Hmmmm *reads Capslock post again..* the patio door is the outside door, ie:the plant will be indoors. I dont typically let my house get too cold.. hot would be more of a worry.. but if I try I bet I could pull it off..

*scratches chin.....* hmmm.. lol think I'll keep reading on this.. hehehe

Steve

 

[Tony Paroubek]

Well I don't personally know exactly what your weather is like. I consider N. truncata just about bomb proof. I would think it would grow fine once acclimated but just how well it pitchers would be harder to say without giving it a try.

What's the relative humidity and temperature range outdoors?

Tony

 

[vft guy in SJ]

Its WAY too  dry outside unfortunately... Consistently into the low 20% range durring the day. (At least that I've seen since I started wathching it a few weeks ago)  sometimes in the 40's but either way too low outside for a Nep I'm afraid  

 I might be able to keep one indoors in a window with the light setup Capslock suggested..  I'm mainly looking to find out what species is hardy enough to take my conditions (seems that most are very intolerant of either heat or cold.) Typically we get high 70's/ mid 80's for days (with  some 100's mixed in just for fun) and high 50's low 60's at night outdoors. My VFT's love it, but I fear that a Nep would be much less tolerant of those conditions

Indoors I could keep the temps in a more tolerable range ( I hope) I'm not sure on humidity though, I'll have to take some measurements durring the next few weeks and see what I have.
Thanks  

Steve

 

[Tony Paroubek]

The temperature range would be fine for N. truncata but I agree you would be pushing it with that humidity level. Although you might be surprised.. I had a N. truncata on my east windowsill for 2 years and it grew from a couple inches across to over a foot. (no supplimental lighting) It pitchered most of the year although in the winter with subzero temperatures outside and the wood stove going full blast in the cellar it was somewhat iffy.

Tony