Question

Happy Nepenthes   I would like to get your opinion on my indoor lighting that I use for currently for my Nepenthes(Ventricosa X truncata), and seems to be doing well, given that's producing lots of dew, new leaves, and pitchers. I purchased the plant last year at the Portland Saturday market; I ended up burning the poor thing in my window, but to my surprise, it made a comeback with three new vine sprouts form its base which have since then thrived.

My lighting is a 48 inch florescent, 4 bulb, t5, 6500K daylight spectrum (54 watts each). My question is, is this lighting enough for plants such as Drosera and other Nepenthes, such as lowland? My light hangs about 14 inches from the plants, which can be adjusted.

Thanks very much!

Answer
Hi Erica,

If this plant is doing this well, your lighting should be fine for the others.  Just find a way to move individual plants up and down to give them more light as needed.  For instance, some smaller sundews such as Drosera spatulata would need to be close, so you might prop them up on brick or something else, while Nepenthes and Mexican butterworts could be further away.

Good Growing!

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