My nepenthes bicalcarata that I recieved via mail has not grown much at all since I got it on Oct. 30th. Its only major growth was a small leaf that it came with grew a little, but nothing else has happened. it is on a windowsill in a plastic jar like container. Any suggestions?
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why wont it grow?
- Thread starter droseradude
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It's only been a couple of weeks. Usually, neps received via mail have a little shock period for a while. The advice I was given was to not expect it to do much for a couple of months. You're still in the early stage there. I wouldn't worry about it for a while, just make sure you give it the best conditions you can.
Capslock
Capslock
It is new and has not acclimated yet, but unless your window jar is 85-95*F all day everyday and 70-75*F at night I wouldn't be holding my breath for any fast growth. N. bical is a lowland plant that requires high heat, high light and high humidity to grow fast and create the large pitchers and plant the size of a dining room table.
I would suggest figuring out a better growing situation if you want it to grow well. Once the plant is larger 3+ feet in diameter then it can take SLIGHTLY cooler temps and still do OK with days between 75-85*F and nights of 65-75*F but it will certainly not grow fast in these conditions and may not pitcher.
I would suggest figuring out a better growing situation if you want it to grow well. Once the plant is larger 3+ feet in diameter then it can take SLIGHTLY cooler temps and still do OK with days between 75-85*F and nights of 65-75*F but it will certainly not grow fast in these conditions and may not pitcher.
I think I have the heat problem figured out, I could move one of those lamps with the small flourescent screw-in lamps (with the coiled tube) that would provide some more light and heat. The temps in my house are about 70 degrees usually, but being in a jar raises the temp. And with the added heat from the lamp, the jar may just be up to the right temp.
This may not be the very best place to post this, but does anyone think that soft flourescent light is good for neps? The only flour. lamps I have for plants are those and it would be nice to keep the bical and this other gublers nep under some of these on my desk. In that lighting article in the greenhouse forum I thought it said soft light in unhelping for plants. However, my terrarium uses those and everything seems pretty healthy. (I dont know for sure if these are soft light, but there is a good chance they may be). any ideas on soft light? Thanx for the help
Hmm, you mean "soft white"? This term is usually applied to incandescents, whereas "warm white" is usually applied to fluorescents. A balance of soft white (or warm white) and cool white is generally the combination used when using fluorescents. Such as 2 SW and 2 CW is rather effective while the plants are young. The more light you can supply your plants the better off they will be because wish as we might, fluorescent light can not compare to sunlight.
Quality or color temperature of lighting is important. However, quantity/intensity of light is of more importance to photosynthesis and vegetative growth over color temp of light. That is, so long as the light is not too yellow (2400-4000 Kelvins) or too blue (10,000+ Kelvins). These color temperature bulbs reduce the available lighting intensity. Generally you should look for tubes that range between 4800-6500 Kelvins). These values are usually standard in cool white and warm white fluorescent tubes.
For an example of lighting intensity importance:
My intermediate chamber, is lit by a 400 watt metal halide. The plants in the middle 3/4 of the chamber do very well and become enormous very quickly. The 3 plants on either of the farthest ends do not pitcher as nicely nor grow as quickly (they pitcher easily but the pitchers are not as large as they should be) and this is simply due to the only slightly diminished light intensity.
I hope that helps some!
Quality or color temperature of lighting is important. However, quantity/intensity of light is of more importance to photosynthesis and vegetative growth over color temp of light. That is, so long as the light is not too yellow (2400-4000 Kelvins) or too blue (10,000+ Kelvins). These color temperature bulbs reduce the available lighting intensity. Generally you should look for tubes that range between 4800-6500 Kelvins). These values are usually standard in cool white and warm white fluorescent tubes.
For an example of lighting intensity importance:
My intermediate chamber, is lit by a 400 watt metal halide. The plants in the middle 3/4 of the chamber do very well and become enormous very quickly. The 3 plants on either of the farthest ends do not pitcher as nicely nor grow as quickly (they pitcher easily but the pitchers are not as large as they should be) and this is simply due to the only slightly diminished light intensity.
I hope that helps some!
According to my chart the following applies to fluorescent lightbulbs (some of these are specialty bulbs and not something you would find in a home improvement store):
soft white - 2700K
warm white - 3000K
neutral white - 3500K
cool white - 4100K
lite white - 4200K
chroma50 - 5000K
daylight - 6500K
chroma75 - 7500K
soft white - 2700K
warm white - 3000K
neutral white - 3500K
cool white - 4100K
lite white - 4200K
chroma50 - 5000K
daylight - 6500K
chroma75 - 7500K
NickHubbell
It’s a trap!
N. bical takes awhile to settle in. I have a small N. bical that has not grown for over two months as it came in what looked like good shape, but the roots had dried out in shipment and it lost all but two leaves. It has not produced any new leaves and has just been in suspended animation ever since.
The compact fluorescent bulbs I have seen come in Warm White, Soft White, and Daylight.
The compact fluorescent bulbs I have seen come in Warm White, Soft White, and Daylight.
Thanks for that list Tony, it'll be very helpful as a reference tool!
I will be saving that.
The only two I don't recognize on the list are Neutral White and Chroma75. Is Chroma75 marketed under a different trade name? I ask since Chroma50s are sold as "Sunshine" in some places (Wal Mart, Home Depot).
I will be saving that.
The only two I don't recognize on the list are Neutral White and Chroma75. Is Chroma75 marketed under a different trade name? I ask since Chroma50s are sold as "Sunshine" in some places (Wal Mart, Home Depot).
The chroma bulb is technically a trade name for GE bulbs. Part of the problem is Philips and Sylvania/Osram also make a variety of bulbs. The only definitions they use in common are the softwhite, warmwhite, and coolwhite and perhaps Daylight. All the others like the Chroma and other specialty bulbs (read nontypical Kelvin and or CRI) have a different name for each manufacturer.
For example a 5000K tube by GE is Chroma50, by Philips it is Colortone50, for Sylvania it is Design50. This is also not to say that a manufacturer only makes one bulb at each K temperature. They may make several with different names.
For example Philips Colortone50 and Ultralume50. Both are 5000k bulbs but the ultralume puts out 30% more lumens. And to confuse you further.. the Philips Ultralume line is comparable to GE's Specification Series SPX tubes..
Bottom line in my opinion.. stick with cool white at the bare minimum or something that says daylight/sunshine for a step up. Don't worry about manufacturer. And you should be in good shape.
Incase you all havn't had enough of my opinions. Using a warm white with the cool whites is not necessary.
Tony
PS I have never seen a neutral white or lite white bulb for sale anywhere either but figured I would leave my chart intact.
For example a 5000K tube by GE is Chroma50, by Philips it is Colortone50, for Sylvania it is Design50. This is also not to say that a manufacturer only makes one bulb at each K temperature. They may make several with different names.
For example Philips Colortone50 and Ultralume50. Both are 5000k bulbs but the ultralume puts out 30% more lumens. And to confuse you further.. the Philips Ultralume line is comparable to GE's Specification Series SPX tubes..
Bottom line in my opinion.. stick with cool white at the bare minimum or something that says daylight/sunshine for a step up. Don't worry about manufacturer. And you should be in good shape.
Incase you all havn't had enough of my opinions. Using a warm white with the cool whites is not necessary.
Tony
PS I have never seen a neutral white or lite white bulb for sale anywhere either but figured I would leave my chart intact.
I think I'm using warm white, then. thats what it says on one of the packages. The bical came in good condition, with I think four leaves and a tiny leaf that had just emerged. This small leaf has since grown out to about an inch, but then hasn't grown anymore. I didn't repot it or drop it or something so it probably isnt in shock. It probably just needs some more heat.
It IS in a state of shock. Anytime you change the growing conditions of a Nepenthes (from nurserys conditions to your windowsill and terrarium jar) it will be in shock and will take several months to settle in/acclimate to it's new conditions. Then when you move it to a bigger jar or whatever it will take another few months to acclimate to the conditions in that jar. And so on, and so on.
As far as the new leaf growing out and not getting bigger, this is a clear result of being moved from one type of growing environment to another and is exactly the sort of "shock" that the plant will express when simply moved around, even in a pot. If you were to take the plant out and play field hockey with it and repot it it would probably loose all it's leaves but if it was left in proper conditions it may bounce back.
The degree of shock which it displays is directly related to the amount of shock it experiences.
FYI: Once a Nepenthes leaf has fully expanded/unfurled it will not grow bigger. Once it's open, it's open. They increase in size with consecutive leaves.
As far as the new leaf growing out and not getting bigger, this is a clear result of being moved from one type of growing environment to another and is exactly the sort of "shock" that the plant will express when simply moved around, even in a pot. If you were to take the plant out and play field hockey with it and repot it it would probably loose all it's leaves but if it was left in proper conditions it may bounce back.
The degree of shock which it displays is directly related to the amount of shock it experiences.
FYI: Once a Nepenthes leaf has fully expanded/unfurled it will not grow bigger. Once it's open, it's open. They increase in size with consecutive leaves.
Hello,
I have a brand new lowland tank setup all ready for plants with 2 fixtures with 2 lights each. Im using warm white, so I am all set, heater, and all. So, make sure you have everything you need before the plant comes, that way you dont have to makeshift with un-proper requirements. Hope it helps,
Kevin
I have a brand new lowland tank setup all ready for plants with 2 fixtures with 2 lights each. Im using warm white, so I am all set, heater, and all. So, make sure you have everything you need before the plant comes, that way you dont have to makeshift with un-proper requirements. Hope it helps,
Kevin
welll, i think its growing now. For the past couple of weeks or so, that little leaf has uncurled and is now just about completely uncurled with a tendril and whatever you call those things that turn into pitchers. (pitcher hook was what I think swords called it). It would be really nice if it turned into a pitcher. Actually the leaf hasn't grown much/at all today and yesterday, but i think itll soon grow some. I'll definitely post a pic if I get a pitcher.
Clint
Stay chooned in for more!
this is a little OT, but i dont want to waste space for such a similar topic
do they make VHO grow lights? all i know of are VHO reef lights. i'm overdriving no flours on a VHO ballast, and i just wanted to get the most out of my flour.
what I use is 2 generic grow lights and 2 full spectrum lights (they come in orange tubes with a sun on them) and my baby sarrs grew well under them.
do they make VHO grow lights? all i know of are VHO reef lights. i'm overdriving no flours on a VHO ballast, and i just wanted to get the most out of my flour.
what I use is 2 generic grow lights and 2 full spectrum lights (they come in orange tubes with a sun on them) and my baby sarrs grew well under them.
JLAPill,
I have seen 6500K VHOs at the fish shop. This is aproximately noonday sun in Chicago so it would take care of the blue spectrum and those GE Chroma 50s (full spectrum lights in the orange sleeve with the yellow sun) will cover the warmer range with 5000K. I've never used VHOs because at the price they charge for the retrofit setup you can also buy a MH setup.
I've heard of people overdriving bulbs but often wondered if the bulb wouldn't be more susceptible to exploding.
I have seen 6500K VHOs at the fish shop. This is aproximately noonday sun in Chicago so it would take care of the blue spectrum and those GE Chroma 50s (full spectrum lights in the orange sleeve with the yellow sun) will cover the warmer range with 5000K. I've never used VHOs because at the price they charge for the retrofit setup you can also buy a MH setup.
I've heard of people overdriving bulbs but often wondered if the bulb wouldn't be more susceptible to exploding.