QuestionMy Nepenthes sanguinea is getting quite respectable in size and I would like to re-pot it this year. I would love to try growing it in a hanging pot but this raises a few questions.
1) Can you use hanging pots indoors? And how do you do this? Right now I grow them in the tray method. Can this be replicated in a hanging pot by putting a pot within a pot? Obviously, I don't want a hanging container with drainage holes dripping all over my kitchen window sill. Neither do I want my plants rotting away. Secondly, can I plant two different species of Nepenthes together in the same pot? Right now they grow next to each other in the same tray, so I know they do well with the same growing conditions. I have never seen Nepenthes grown side by side before.
AnswerHi Tara,
When you mention that you're using the tray method, do you mean that you are allowing your Nepenthes to sit in standing water like other carnivorous plants? If so, don't do this. Nepenthes should be grown like a regular houseplent and should not be allowed to sit in water, which can rot its roots.
It is possible to use hanging pots indoors, and I've had numerous Nepenthes in hanging pots in my home. The trick to water them is to take them down and water them in your kitchen sink. After the soil is moistened, leave the plant in the sink for about ten minutes to make sure the excess water has dripped away. After that, wipe the pot and hang it back up.
If you have two Nepenthes that grow well in the same growing conditions, you can pot them up in the same pot. The only disadvantage to this is that if in the future you want to separate the two plants, you will have to untangle their root mass. The roots are very delicate and will break very easily. It can be done, but even for us, it's a slow and tedious process. Otherwise, keep your plants in separate pots. They will be much easier to care for when they get larger.
For more information about growing Nepenthes, read our care sheets online:
http://www.cobraplant.com/caresheets
Good growing!
Jacob Farin
