Question
My ventricosa, which I got back in early summer, has been sitting in the
window sill next to my copelandii, alata, and miranda, where they get direct
sunlight from the SW for 4 hours a day. They are watered twice a week. The
copelandii and miranda have been pitchering , even now during the winter (
amazingly enough), but the only pitcher I have ever gotten out of ventricosa
was one that came nearly fully formed on it. Its grown plenty of leaves, but on
every leaf the pitcher buds turn black, along with the tip of the leaves in
some cases. This is also the case with the deroose alata: the pitcher buds and
leaf tips turn black. Any ideas?

thanks in advance. Also, I loved the podcast, keep them coming!

Answer
Hi Katie,

Thank-you.  We just did February's podcast.  It'll be out soon.

Try keeping it just a bit wetter if the soil has been a bit on the dry side.  You might also consider a pebble tray underneath it.  I've found that N. ventricosa seems to like just a bit more humidity than the neighbors you mentioned.  Also try some fertilization if you haven't been already.  Use no more than a teaspoon per gallon of water, and spray it on the leaves every two weeks.  If you've been fertilizing already, and it's more than that, back off some.  Too much fertilizer for Nepenthes will give you lots of leaves, but no pitchers.

With your deRoose's alata it may be a light issue.  They pitcher very easily, but if light levels are too low, they only make leaves.  Otherwise just give it time.  If it's getting direct sun in the window, it may just need longer days.

Send my a photo of your plants if you get a chance.  I can often get a better idea if a problem exists from the appearance of the plants.


Good Growing!

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