Question
Hi there, I have a question about my Sarracenia alata. The
pitcher are about 30cm high but the stems are very thin at
the bottom. They tend to fall over to the sides after they  
reach full length. It's got a lot of pitchers so it's very
difficult putting in supports to keep every pitcher
upright. Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks!


Answer
Hello Johan,

Fisrt off, make sure your plant has plenty of light. Direct full sunlight will help the plant produce fully formed pitchers that will be stouter. In outside weather, even if the plant gets enough light, it might be subject to high wind or heavy rain which could knock over or bend the pitchers. If the plant has been capturing a lot of insects, the weight of all that prey could also cause bending and falling over in the leaves. One way to help reduce the problem would be to simply create a wide spaced support out of wire fence or chicken wire by creating a roll of wire fencing around the potted plant just wide enough to contain the leaves and allow growth, but close enough to support the leaves on all sides. Just cut a square section big enough to create a cylindrical structure, roll it over, twist the wire ends together at the edges where they meet, and place it over and around the plant and pot. Such a structure will allow sun and insects and water in while also supporting the plant some.

Christopher