Truncata is slow

[carnivorkid]

Ok my truncata has been staying the same for a long time. IT only grew 2 leaves since i got it. and it has never pitchered since I had it but it had some when i got it. Its in a 3 inch pot and the leaves just about fill the pot they dont really hang over it. It is really wierd cause it doesnt pitcher and its so slow. what could i do

 

[peter]

It doesn't pitcher for you? Well that's a first considering it's an easy growing species. The only thing that comes to my mind is Humidity levels. What conditions are your plants growing in?
I think that all of them are pretty slow growing, mine is growing at a steady rate though, but look pretty fast since it's so big.

 

[NepenthesMaster]

My truncata has been growing very slowly, then, once it got past a certain size, it's growth speed stayed the same, but the pitchers were much larger with each new leaf.

About humidity, i've heard since they have thick leaves stems and pitchers, they could tolerate lower humidity, but not Sahara like. Maybe temps are the problem.

 

[nepenthes gracilis]

N. truncata grows slow when its small. Growth speeds up very quickly once it gets larger (about 6 inches diameter) then it takes off and gets large very quickly. Pitchers do take a while to inflate. How do you think I like to wait for a 1.5 foot tall pitcher to inflate fully! lol Regarding on what is bothering it, I would check your light levels. More light will certainly help it snap around, I would be careful with humidity levels also, generally they should remain above 60% for good growth, anything lower and I'd be a little leary, although the plant does have thick leaves it really pitchers and grows better if its mild and moderately humid.

 

[Tony Paroubek]

Some more cultural details would certainly help alot in trying to evaluate the situation.

How long you have had the plant. Day and night temperatures, type of lighting, amount, and daylength (if artificial lighting), size of the plant when you got it, size it is now etc. The more information the better the odds at coming up with a solution.

Tony

 

[leucophylla]

Hi all,
A few weeks ago I recorded the growth of a young truncata (compared with a hybrid) and documented it with photos here
I'd also recommend to increase light levels, humidity can get pretty low here. However, i if the humidity stays higher the pitchers will last longer.

Volker

 

[carnivorkid]

ok i grow them in my room with other neps and they pitcher. i would say humidity is about 60% i am not sure. i spray them daily and they get plenty of water. i grow a huge nep sanguinea with it. day temps are bout 75 and night temps arnt more then 10 degrees less. day length is 15 hours.

 

[Tony Paroubek]

well.... temps are a tad low so that will slow it down. Maybe the light isn't bright enough? Or maybe it just hasn't adjusted to your conditions yet. You didn't say how long you have had it but did indicate it has only grown 2 leaves since you got it. That is not a whole lot for a new plant to become fully established.

Tony

 

[NepenthesMaster]

Yes, maybe it hasn't adjusted yet. When i first got my N. Burbidgeae, i could have sworn i could have pulled a Rip Van Winkle and it would have looked exactly the same when i woke up. Now that i have had it for 5 months (with only one leaf might i add) it is now growing about, oh, ten times as fast with another leaf already starting to open up. I know the humidity isn't too low, since i have a hygrometer, and it's at (almost) a constant 75% a bit higher at night. I use natural light. And the temps are about 70-75 during the day, and 55-60 at night, so i think i have everything right.

 

[NepenthesMaster]

Besides, all my other neps are pitchering very well. (Alata, Ventricosa, Ventrata, Sanguinea, Maxima, Macfarlanei, Ephippiata) I have a new macrophylla, but that doesn't count since this is the day after i got it.

 

[carnivorkid]

i have had the plant since last christmas thats 11 months.

I moved it under a desk lamp which is alot brighter as the plant was about 3 feet below the growlights it was under before. This desk lamp is very bright and warm . i stuck a thermometer under it and it said 90 deggress. i was like wow thats good enough and as soon as the light goes off it drops to 70 room temp.

 

[Tony Paroubek]

Sounds like you have a lighting situation. What kind of growlights was it under? Three feet is a long distance!!! Guessing by desklamp you mean an incandescent fixture If so these produce alot of heat, as you noticed. They are however very poor light for a plant to grow by. And the excessive heat drys the air out a tremendous amount if the plant is not in some sort of enclosure to maintain the humidity.

Think you need to seriously rethink your setup and lighting situation.

Can you give more details on it now?? Type of lights and number, distance to the plants, terrarium vs windowsill, etc

Tony

 

[NepenthesMaster]

That's an powerful desk lamp you have there, i can safely assume that the humidity would get too low though. An interesting problem here. Maybe misting it a lot would be good, or placing a humidifier in the room might work.