Question
Nepenthes mikei_1
Hi guys,
I have a problem with my Nepenthes mikei. I have it in a
hanging pot in my window in San Francisco, facing due west.
It has soil consisting of 90% sphagnum and 10% orchid bark
and I give it filtered water every 3-4 days. It gets a few
hours of sun a day, but often times it's foggy here. It has
not pitchered for over a year, but the leaves have stayed
green so it's not drying out. About 8 months ago I noticed
that there was some brown staining on the underside of the
leaves. It didn't kill the leaves, but it was there and I
couldn't wash it off. About a month ago, I moved it into my
bathroom where there are lower light levels and humidity
from the shower. I also sprayed it with MaxSea 16-16-16
Seaweed Brand Fertilizer (diluted to 1 tsp./gal of water).
After two weeks the leaves began to brown and die, so I
moved it back to the window, but they've progressively
gotten worse. There are some newer leaves that are still
green, but I don't know if it's dying or not. The small
nodule where the pitcher would grow on the new leaves seems
to have already browned, leading me to believe there is no
chance of pitchers on the new leaves. Do you know what is
wrong with it? Should I cut the green leaves at the stem and
re-pot, hoping for new roots? Thanks so much. Picture of
brown staining on underside and dying leaves attached.
AnswerHi Mike,
Thank you for supplying the photo. That helps me a lot. First, based on the photo, your plant may not be getting enough sunlight. The growth is quite lanky and the leaves are uniformly green. Ideally the plant should be compact with streaks of brown in the leaves. This only occurs when the plant is growing in optimal lighting. (The lack of pitchers is also a factor to low lighting.)
I understand the Bay Area can be quite foggy in the morning or throughout the day. I suggest moving your plant to a south window for more lighting. Otherwise, you may need to supplement with artificial lights as described in our care sheet:
http://www.cobraplant.com/caresheets
The brown stain under the leaves may be due to age. Plants will develop those spots as a leaf age. Each leaf will live for 2-9 months, depending on the plant and growing conditions.
However, it could also be from pests. I'll need a close up shot of the plant to help you determine that.
For now, avoid fertilizing your plant. Plants may be fertilized ONLY when they're receiving optimal lighting. In the absence of proper lighting, the plant will not absorb or utilize the nutrients, which means there's a great risk for leaf and root burn.
When the plant is healthier, you may fertilize it again, but use only 1/4 teaspoon per gallon. You can apply it directly to the soil every two weeks.
As for your soil, you also need to provide more drainage. If you use sphagnum moss and bark, use equal parts of each.
So I recommend the following:
1. Move your plant where it can get more sunlight.
2. Cease all fertilizers.
3. Change the soil.
4. Cut off dried, dead leaves.
I also suggest watching Volume 3 of the Grow Carnivorous Plants DVD series. We cover Nepenthes and how to grow them in your home. We also discuss the ideal properties of soil.
http://www.cobraplant.com/DVD
After making the proper changes, your plant will need a few months to recover.
Good growing!
Jacob Farin
