Question

stunted growth  

more stunted growth   Hi there I have six nepenthe's pitcher plants which were all growing very well indoors until summer time came when I moved them out doors. They have had plenty of time to adjust to their new growing conditions which here in New England should be close to ideal as it is naturally humid here with hot but not too hot days 75-85 degrees Fahrenheit and cool nights. I water my plants regularly but not too much they get plents of sunlight as well and they are not standing in any water. What appears to be happening is that the terminal leaves are trying to open up but the can't. The terminal leaves on all but one of my plants are all coiled and twisted before they've  even opened. What could be the problem?

Answer
Hi Brad,

This is most likely damage from Thrips, a very common pest in the summer.  Thrips are very tiny, long-bodied insects that suck plant juices.  They are often very hard to see unless you use a hand-lens.  They often fly in from fields as they are a common pest on crops.

The top two choices for controlling them would be to find a product with either Spinosad or Acephate.  Thrips are immune to imidacloprid found in most of the Bayer products, so those would be of no use.  Spinosad is a biological insecticide, and should be readily available in garden centers under various brand names.  Acephate (Orthene) is harder to find.  You usually have to order it online as a powder.

Whichever product you choose, be sure to follow label directions for application.  Let me know if this takes care of the problem.

Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.growcarnivorousplants.com