Question
QUESTION: So I have two nepenthes. One is a Miranda and one is a Lady Pauline x spathulata. Ever since I got them, they haven't produced any pitchers. I think this is because I have too little light. My house gets about four hours of direct sunlight and the rest of the day is not-so-bright filtered sunlight. Is this the cause?
Things that I have to write because the instructions says so:
Water: distilled
The soil: ?
What color the leaves are: green
How long I've had them: Miranda- about 2 months Lady Pauline x spathulata- about half a year
Where I live: The Bay Area
Fertilizer: I give them coffee one a month

ANSWER: Hi Eric,

I could use a bit more information in order to help you out.  What direction does the window face that you have the plants in?  With the four hours of sun, are the plants right up in the window with sun shining on them?  Also, do you mist your plants?  How wet/dry to you keep your plants?  If you could send a picture of the area the plans are sitting in that would help me out too.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Good Growing!

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

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: They face a south western window. I put them about 2 feet from the windowsill(I put them on a desk). I don't mist my plants. I keep them moist, but not dry.(The top of the soil is wet as a sponge that has been squeezed a lot. Yes the sunshine is directly on the plants.

Answer
Hi Eric,

Here's a couple things to try.  Move the plants closer to the glass.  Indoors light intensity drops off dramatically as you move away from the window.  Most of my Nepenthes I 've had in windows I've had within 3-4 inches of the glass.  Also, if live in a newer house/apartment, or the windows are newer, you may have UV blocking glass.  Nepenthes need a certain amount of UVB to make pitchers.  (We found this out the hard way with our greenhouse.)  Your N. x miranda can be a good guide.  It's leaves should be slightly red if it's getting enough sun.

Try adding a conventional orchid fertilizer for your fertilization.  The standard amount is 1/4 tsp. per gallon of water.  Apply it as a foliar spray once every two weeks.  I know that on all the forums coffee is talked about as a miracle cure for Nepenthes, but we've tried it a couple different times, and just haven't seen much in the way of results.  It could be that it's effective under certain conditions, but not others.

Let us know if this works.

Good Growing!

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