Question
QUESTION: I recently purchased a nepenthes ventricosa and sibuyanensis hybrid and I immediately came across a problem - lighting. My house has a whole lot of east windows, a few west windows, and one north window. I heard that nepenthes require southern light for best growing conditions but there are no south windows available for me to use. I currently have my nepenthes in an east window even though I know that it wouldn't do very well there. I just don't know what to do. Is there any way to grow it outside? Or could it possibly squeeze out a pitcher where it is?  Or will I just have to grow leaves? Thanks!

ANSWER: Hi Kevin,

It all really comes down to how much direct sun is coming through the window.  North windows will only have a tiny amount of direct sun in early morning or late evening, so they don't work.  In California an East window could work just fine if you gets lots of morning sun. (You didn't say what part of CA you were from; Northern CA would have lots of morning fog.)  West windows tend to have lots of afternoon sun, so work best here in the Pacific Northwest.  

If your window is shaded by trees, overhangs, etc..., you can supplement with a fluorescent light.  I've taken a standard two-tube shoplight and used it in a window combined with the natural window light and had great results.  Just put it on a timer to match your daylight hours.

I don't know enough about where you live to know if outdoors will work or not.

Good Growing!

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

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

QUESTION: Hi again! I live in Southern California and the window gets about 5 hours of direct sunlight in the morning.

Answer
Hi Kevin,

That actually sounds great.  Once you find a spot, be sure to give it at least two months there.  It takes them time to adjust.  N. sibuyanensis likes it a bit more humid also, so having other plants around it, a pebble tray, etc... will help with ambient humidity.

Be mindful if your plant does start making pitchers that N. sibuyanensis will push its pitchers down, so be cautious of wire racks, etc...  We made this mistake in the greenhouse and had many plants with pitchers forming through shelves, and having to cut pitchers off to remove them.

Good Growing!

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