Question
QUESTION: Thanks for offering your expertise on this site! I have two questions for you:

1) I recieved a combo-pot (in a ~6" strawberry pot) from Sarracenia Northwest as a gift early this year featuring a Nepenthes sanguinea pitcher in the main compartment surrounded by D. adelae sundews in the small side compartments. I would like to re-pot them as is recommended in the instructions pamphlet, but I think I need to get some new soil. On your cobraplant.com site, you advertise nepenthes soil and include a note that it should not be used with other CP's...can I use it for my D. adelae(s), or should I pot them separately? OR is there another mix that would serve them both?

2) In its current setting, my nepenthes is gracefully overhanging its pitchers over the pot's edge..should I try to recreate this (ie: place it at the edge of the pot with sundews in front as opposed to surrounding the nepenthes) or is it appropriate to have the pitchers resting on the ground?

Thanks again..I'm excited to provide my plants with a housing upgrade!

Stacey

ANSWER: Hello Stacey,

I believe you intended to ask Sarracenia Northwest this question, however; I will help out however I can.

If you are using Nepenthes mix from Sarracenia Northwest it will not be suitable for Drosera adelae.

I would suggest potting them separately as each requires different watering and drainage. Use 50/50 peat/perlite mix, often called typical carnivorous plant mix, for the Drosera adelaes and place their pots in a large tray of water up to about 1/4 the pot in depth.

Use the Nepenthes mix for your Nepenthes sanguinea, the mix that contains orchid bark, peat, and coconut husk works great for my N. sanguinea, as that mix will drain very quickly and hold just enough water to remain barely moist. Do not use a tray under the Nepenthes pot except to catch runoff water and do not leave the water under the pot for more than a couple hours unless it is less than 1/8 inch in depth. Nepenthes can suffer root rot in too much standing water for long periods of time. Just water them often and only a little at a time to keep their soil always moist, but never waterlogged, and they will be just fine.

Nepenthes pitchers will grow touching the ground in the lower vine and hang above the ground in the upper vine unless the plant takes a creeping growth pattern across the ground. N. sanguinea can grow both upright and trailing across the ground at different stages. Just let the plant do what is natural for it and don't worry about it. When I repotted mine its pitchers were only 6 inches tall and were overhanging the pot, but not touching the table. Recently it started making 9 inch pitchers that are taller than the pot it is in, so now the pitchers touch the table below the pot. You could hang the plant in a basket or let it sit on a table or shelf, allowing its pitchers to hang or brace according to your own taste.

You might want to send this question to Sarracenia Northwest as well and see if they have any other options as to how to set your plants up.

Christopher



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

QUESTION: Christopher,

You were a great help with my original pre-repotting question; thank you!

I upgraded my Nepenthes into a 9" diameter, 12" deep pot(too big maybe?!)with an attached reservoir about 3 months ago. I placed the entire pot into another dish to hold additional water and have kept that dish full. It didn't show any serious signs of stress immediately upon the transfer. In fact, it has put on three new leaves since (even in winter!)and one of the pitchers has begun to swell. However, I have noticed that each of the leaf tips is wrinkled with the proto-pitchers downward turned. Additionally, the biggest pitcher has ceased its swelling. Finally, the two previously existing pitchers have since dried and I removed them.  

The plant seems vigorous enough to produce new growth, but not enough to nourish its new pitchers. I'm concerned that without a way to receive nutrients (ie. catch bugs) that this trend will continue.

So, in conclusion...

1) Have I kept the plant too wet with it sitting in water (although the pot is very tall)? After re-reading your previous answer, I think I may have.

2) Can I apply a foliar fertilizer to help it pull through?

Thanks again for your previous help, and I look forward to your response this time around.

THANKS

Stacey  

Answer
Hello Stacey,

It sounds like your Nepenthes is suffering from low light. Nepenthes need far more light than an ivy to grow properly, particularly their pitchers.

Increase the light levels for the plant by moving it to a window that provides at least 6 hours of strong sunlight streaming in and plenty of ambient light all day. This is usually a south or east facing window. In addition, you might need to add a florescent light over the plant. I use the 4 foot long 40 watt cool white florescent shop lights and place them about 4-8 inches over my plants, leaving them on at least 12-16 hours a day to supplement the south windows I have them in. The twin mount shop lights provide 6000 or more lumens which will help your Nepenthes produce pitchers properly. I use two sets of shop lights to get 12000 lumens of light over my Nepenthes.

Next, remove the water from the trays and water the plant just enough that some water runs out the bottom of the pot, then stop. That water will evaporate in a day or so or you can remove the excess water if it builds up too much. The tall pot will help protect your Nepenthes from root rot.

First off, increase the light levels and time your Nepenthes receives light and then worry about fertilizing if it does not produce more pitchers in a couple of months. Nepenthes can grow well enough without pitchers for quite a long time if needed. The plant should begin to produce new pitchers within a week or two of getting enough light.

Christopher