Question
I am hanging my nepenthes sanguinea outside and I live in Southern California. I water my plant when it seems to be dry (that's what the lady said when i bought it at home depot three weeks ago) and now its pitchers are wrinkling and turning brown. I don't feed it because ants always seem to get inside the traps.

Answer
Hi Kenneth,

If this is a larger plant that you just got at Home Depot it probably came from a nursery where it was in a humid greenhouse.  It's very common for Nepenthes to lose pitchers when they go through transitions such as shipping and change of environment.  Just clip the dead pitchers off.  In time it will produce new ones better adapted to its new climate.

A larger Nepenthes can make a great outdoor hanging plant during the summer and in warmer climates like yours.  Make sure it has partial shade such as from a tree, or Eastern exposure where it would get morning sun, but afternoon shade when it's hottest outside.  Don't keep it in full shade, however.  They need some sun.

Keep the soil moist.  Although they will tolerate drying, they do better if kept evenly moist.

Since Nepenthes are tropical use caution in the winter.  They will die if subjected to frost.

For more information visit our caresheet pages:  http://www.cobraplant.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=32  Also consider our volume #3 DVD.  It can help you to understand your plant much better and help you to avoid the pitfalls so common to new growers.  http://www.cobraplant.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=38&products_id=

Good Growing!

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