Question
Hello, I have been having a problem with the Poi Dog I bought from you guys last year. It has been growing very good with leaves coming in nice and green. The plant has also become much larger but i cant seem to get it to pitcher. I first put it in my window but all the pitchers died and t wouldnt pitcher. I then put it under lights and it grew fine but still wouldnt pitcher. I first thought my light intensity was the problem so i put it back in my window, where it is now. I then thought it possibly could be the humidity, so i started to spray it with a mister twice a day. I have been doing this for about a week. Is there anything you could tell me so i can get this plant to pitcher. PLEASE HELP!!!

Answer
Hi Christian,

You didn't really tell me how much sun your plant is getting, or what kind of lighting you used when you used artificial light.

Try this.  Place your plant back in a window, but make sure it is either a West or South window.  The plant needs to get at least 3-4 hours of direct sun when the sun is out.  Have the plant on the sill or a shelf, don't hang it.  (Often when a plant is hung in a window the angle doesn't allow enough sun.)  Make sure you are very consistent with your watering.  Don't let the soil dry very much, but likewise, don't waterlog the soil.  It should still drain well.  This will mean water every couple of days while it is still warm.  You might also try giving it an orchid fertilizer mixed to 1/4 strength once every two weeks.

For follow-up, once the plant is in a good place, don't move it.  Nepenthes need consistency.  Moving them around changes the micro-climate and inhibits pitchering; they like things nice and boring.  Same with the misting; Don't!  Over the years I've become convinced that misting Nepenthes inhibits pitchering.  If you want to increase local humidity (which almost sounds like an oxymoron in Georgia :) use a pebble tray.  This will increase ambient humidity as opposed to the up and down see-saw that misting does.  After this give your plant some time.

Now, unfortunately, since we are going into fall, there's a good chance your plant won't pitcher once we get into late October just because of the short days.  If you increase the photoperiod with artificial light, it will help.

Let me know how it goes.

Good Growing!

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