Question
Dear Jeff & Jacob

I'm looking into alternative potting media for my nepenthes.  I live in Ireland and can't get hold of any orchid bark here.  I have peat, perlite & also access to live sphagnum locally.

Can I use commercial orchid compost for the Nepenthes? There are added nutrients so this concerns me.

If a mix can be made up from the above, please advise as to ratios.  

The Nepenthes I have are ventrata, glabrata, Ventricosa, sibuyanensis and jaqualinae.

They grow in my living room window which faces south west.

Thanks a million guys.  I love your video podcasts and newsletters.  Keep up your amazing educational work.


PS I finally found a fungicide available in the UK and Ireland mycobactin. Not tried it on sundews yet but works well on my Cephalotus. Unfortunately I was too late finding a safe one before my Heliamphora died.

Answer
With your species, you could live sphagnum moss, especially if you have easy access to it.  I've grown highland Nepenthes in live moss in the past with very good results.  The only problem is that it's hard to find large quantities in our area.  We've tried cultivating it ourselves, but we only can grow enough for our personal use.  If you use live sphagnum moss, I recommend adding a 1:1 mix of peat and perlite in the bottom third of your pot and use the live moss over it.  The peat mix will retain moisture and help hydrate the moss.  You will also need to water more frequently, practically daily, because the moss should never dry out. However, you can get away with letting the pot sit in small amounts of water, no higher than the level of the peat mixture.  The live moss is extremely airy, so you won't need to worry about waterlogging your plants' roots as long as the water level isn't too high.

Good growing!
Jacob Farin