Question
I have a new N. Ventricosa which dropped its old pitchers as soon as I got it and produced new ones.  The new pitchers opened a little bit once they had developed, but after several days they closed up again.  It has been over a week since they closed.  Is this normal? and if it is, how long will it be before they open again?  I have it under a 12,000 lumen lamp with morning sun and I keep it moist without being in standing water.

Answer
Hello Noah,

Nepenthes pitchers typically do not close again once they begin opening. My thinking is a combination of inadequate light and fluctuations in humidity may have affected the plant.

Make sure the light is cool white florescent and is on for at least 12-16 hours a day and about 6-8 inches from the upper leaves. Make sure the plant is not affected by rapid changes in humidity or temperature. A lowering in humidity by 10-20 percent can cause drooping and loss of pitchers. To test the lighting, check the plant's coloration. If the pitchers are deloping good coloration, orange and pinkish tones, you have enough light and the problem may be humidity or temperature alone. It can take Nepenthes weeks or even months to recover from the shock of being placed in a new environment. Humidity can be kept stable by placing a clear bag over the plant and punching half a dozen 1/4 inch holes every 3 days for 2-3 weeks. After that, the bag should no longer hold in humidity and can be removed. The plant should be able to slowly adapt to new environments as a means of keeping the chance of shock down.

Christopher