Question
QUESTION: I need help on potting Nepenthes Truncata! I tried but the plant began to wilt. Can you help me?

ANSWER: Hi Brandon,

Repotting a Nepenthes is very straight forward. Most species can handle a bit of root disturbrance and will often recover quickly.  If wilting occurs, what most likely happened is that you may have accidentally removed the roots from the plant.  This is the most common cause for sudden wilting after repotting.

Have you repotted other Nepenthes in the past?  If so, what type of repotting technique did you use?  How soon did the plant wilt after you repotted it?  What type of soil did you use?  This might help me determine what happened.

In any case, unpot the plant to examine its roots.  You should see numerous, think black roots, almost threadlike.  After doing this, please write back with what you see.  Also include the above information.  All of this will help me figure out what you should do next.

Good growing!
Jacob Farin

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

QUESTION: I have potted a Nepenthes Villosa, Nepenthes Hamata, and a Nepenthes Bicalcarata and they did great!The technique I used is this: First I got a new pot and added soil to the pot. then I Made a good sized hole in the new soil. Then I took my old pot and gently held the base of the Nepenthes with tweezers. I gently squeezed the pot and out came the plant. I cleaned the roots and placed the plant in the new pot by using a spoon to push the roots in and patted down the soil. The plant wilted about ten minutes in its new pot. The soil I used is one part dried sphagnum moss and one part perlite. I saw a bunch of of black thread like roots.

Answer
From your description and the sudden wilting, it certainly appears to be root damage.  The technique you used to unpot your Nepenthes is more appropriate for sundews as demonstrated in my video.  While it is possible to use it with Nepenthes, you have to modify the technique because Nepenthes' roots are extremely fine and delicate.  They break easily from the plant if you tug on the plant or push on the roots.  Your other plants were lucky not to have experienced significant root damage, but I'm afraid your N. truncata suffered quite a bit.

For now, get some powdered rooting hormone.  You can buy them at any garden center.  Unpot your plant, and to do so, you have to remove all of the soil around it.  Dump it on the table and remove only the soil that will fall away from the roots on its own.  When you can see the end of the stem where the roots attach, sprinkle that portion with rooting hormone.

To repot your plant, place the plant in the pot without the soil, and then add the soil around the plant.  The other technique was specifically for sundews to avoid getting soil on their dewy leaves.  This technique with Nepenthes is specifically to preserve their delicate roots.

The next thing you'll need to do will seem drastic, but it's necessary for a wilting plant.  Cut every leaf on your truncata in half.  You'll need to do this to prevent excessive moisture loss through the leaves.  You could also cover the plant with a clear plastic bag.  

Next, place your plant under fluorescent lights, 40-watts or more, approximately 8 inches above the plant.  Keep the lights on for 24 hours a day.  You'll need to do this for at least a month.  Keep the soil moist at all times.  The goal is to stimulate more roots.  Essentially you're following the protocol for stem cuttings.  

Now, with that said, you have another option, and that is to skip what I just said above and simply cover your plant with a clear plastic bag and keep it under fluorescent lights.  This might do the job if your plant is small enough.

In either case, whichever method you choose, keep the bag over the plant for at least a month.  Keep the soil moist at all times.  After that, follow the protocol for transitioning plants to lower humidity.

If you need further assistance, please let me know.

Good growing!
Jacob Farin