Question
QUESTION: Hi,

I see from the topics that you have a lot of experience with Nepenthes species. Unfortunately I don't and that's why I would like to ask you for the best advice about my little N. truncata soil. I used a mix of coconut fibre + perlitte without sphagnum and any other additions. I read that you also grow Nepenthes in coconut fibre and you are satisfied in the result.
I have read quite a lot different point of views about the coconut substrate and I am very confused. Here is what exactly I have used http://www.petco.com/product/10813/Zoo-Med...-Substrate.aspx
I am afraid that maybe this will not effect on my little N. truncata??? What do you think should I do further? Is it possible to repot it in another substrate because it is still a "baby plant" or not? I have bought it 2 days ago from Wistuba site/Germany.When is the best time to repot these plant?

Thanks in advance,

Best regards,
Dimitar Bulgaria

ANSWER: Hello Dimitar,

Actually, coconut fiber is not what I have used in the past. It is coconut husk. The fake moss made from dry blocks of coconut fiber is generally not a good substitute for sphagnum peat moss. Coconut husk would be broken pieces of the coconut shell and some of the fiber mixed with sphagnum moss and orchid bark. You really do not have to use the coconut husk at all. The perlite and orchid bark can be mixed with the sphagnum peat for an all around soil for Nepenthes. The main parts of a good Nepenthes mix are a ratio of 1:1:1 of sphagnum peat moss for water retention and acidity, and perlite and orchid bark or perlite and coconut husk or two parts of orchid bark. The main things to remember are that the moss provides acidity and that the remaining two parts of material used are for drainage and aeration of the soil and should be neutral in Ph and not contain salt or other additives. Coconut fiber and husk can sometimes have additives which may be harmful to your plant, like salt.

Nepenthes are generally not seriously affected by repotting. You should obtain some unfertilized sphagnum peat moss and mix it with perlite and orchid bark, similar to orchid mix basically, and repot the plant in that. Being a tropical, Nepenthes can be repotted virtually any time.

N. truncata is a very easy plant to grow. In about a year you can expect your baby plant to require an 8 inch pot and have pitchers over 6-8 inches in size.

Christopher

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

QUESTION: Hi Christopher,
thank you for the advice - I understood that Nepenthes can be repotted at any time. I forgot to tell that my little N. truncata came bare rooted from Wistuba site. Is it a problem if the plant doesn't have a lot of roots? Now I have repotted it again three days after the first repotting; now it is in pure sphagnum + perlitte, not in coconut fiber. Is this a problem that I have twice repotted it for 3 days?
Thanks again for the time and advice.


Best regards,
Dimitar
Bulgaria

Answer
Hello Dimitar,

The main thing is that you have it potted in a better mix. Just water it enough to keep the mix moist at all times with no, or very little, water standing under the pot in a small tray. The tray is mostly for runoff water. Water the plant a little every 3-4 days and just enough to moisten the soil until a little drains out the bottom of the pot. Nepenthes can suffer root rot in waterlogged soil or in pots with large amounts of water standing under them all the time.

That the plant was bare root should not pose a major problem. Nepenthes are durable plants for the most part, particularly N. truncata. So long as the roots were always kept moist and they are not constantly bothered, they will be fine. Just leave the plant alone for now, keep it watered, and watch for new growth. After being shipped bare root, it might be a little slow in growing at first as it gets used to its environment, so it might take a couple weeks to really start growing well again.

The other main problem you will want to address is humidity. If the plant was grown in a more humid greenhouse and is now in a less humid environment it may take longer to adapt and might suffer some dehydration. You might want to call or contact the place you bought it from and ask what ambient humidity their plants are kept in so you can guage whether you need to adjust the plant's environment and slowly change it for the next couple of weeks. If needed, you can use a clear plastic bag over the pot to increase humidity. Start off by punching 4-6 small holes of about 1/8 to 1/4 inches in the bag to allow some air in. Every three days, punch about 3-4 more holes in the bag of the same size. After two or more weeks of doing that the bag will be full of holes and can be removed. The plant should be adjusted to the ambient humidity of its new home. You only need to do that if the plant came from a higher humidity environment.

Christopher