Question

nepenthes   QUESTION: This a follow up.I have had these cuttings under artificial light for a week now and there all dying can you tell me what I might be doing wrong.I included a pic.The bulbs are plant and aquarium 60 watt wide spectrum about 10 inches away for 24 hours.I keep the lid on for humity.I sprayed the container with safer garden-fungicide brand.My guess would be that the plant is burned from the lighting.Do you have any suggestions that might help next time I try? Thank You for you time!

ANSWER: Hi Tom,

Thank-you for sending the photo.  That always helps.  It does look some like the cuttings are getting very hot.  These are not dead, however.  I have a couple questions about your set-up.  You mentioned 60 watt wide spectrum bulbs.  Are these fluorescent or incandescent?  It makes a big, big difference.  Also, how wet is the perlite?  If the media isn't wet enough it would cause some of this also.

For now, put a thermometer in the propagating dome to see how warm it is in there.  Temperatures in the 80's would be just right.  If it's warmer you could see problems.  Move the light further away if the temperature is higher than that.

Good Growing!

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

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

QUESTION: Hi Jeff, The bulbs are fluorescent. I did check the moisture and it did feel a little too dry,When I started I did put alot of distilled water in the perlite and mixed it in the dome where it was slightly resting on the bottom.But after checking I don't think it was damp enough.I sprayed the perlite with more distilled water.The temp is right at 78 right now.Do you think that it is to late for them to survive? And is my lighting good enough? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AGAIN!

Answer
Hi Tom,

Ahh, I suspected.  10" isn't very close for the lights, but if they had been incandescent, it still would have been very hot.  78 degrees is just pleasant, almost a little cool for most Nepenthes.  They were too dry.  It's ok in the perlite set-up to leave about 1/4 inch of water in the bottom of your growing chamber.  The media is so loose you still get good aeration.

Some of the cuttings looked just fine.  You may loose some, but others will probably strike.  That is how it is even under the best of conditions.  You rarely get 100%.

Good Growing!

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