Question
QUESTION: I know normally it's nearing the time for dormancy where plants slow down in growth, but are the leaves suppose to come out smaller?  My Vft is growing tiny leaves.  My Nepethes also are growing smaller leaves.  Are my leaves suppose to come out smaller?


ANSWER: Hi Howard,

Now I'm assuming that you're growing your Nepenthes indoors and your flytrap outdoors.  Yes, as outdoor plants prepare for dormancy, they produce smaller leaves, if any.  Just as trees don't produce new leaves in fall, flytraps follow suit.  

If your Nepenthes are producing smaller leaves, there could be a number of problems going on:
?temperature too high
?temperature too low
?humidity too low
?not enough sunlight
?wrong soil mix
?need a bit of nutritional boost

The exact problem depends greatly on the variety of plant you have.  Some Nepenthes like it cool, while others like it warm.  Some can adapt to lower humidity, while others need it a bit more humid.  Some can tolerate slightly lower light conditions, while others need more sun.

To best assist you, please write back as a follow-up with the species you have and how your are growing your plant.  From there I can offer a recommendation that would be best suited for your growing conditions.

Good growing!
Jacob Farin

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

QUESTION: Just to show some oddity, I tried growing my nepenthes outdoors but that didn't go so well and now I put them inside in my brightest windowsill. I remembered I had a mite infestation earlier so that may have been the reason or the temperature got too cold. Also maybe it became too unhumide for my N. Petiola. My question now is how long does it usually grow back to its original size?

Answer
Nepenthes petiolata can tolerate slightly cool nights (45?65癋), but the days should still be above 70癋.  I don't have a time frame of when this all started happening to you, so I'm a bit in the dark to recommend anything specific.  If you recently placed your Nepenthes indoors from outdoors, then you'll need to give your plant more time.  This species grows very slowly, so you may not see any noticeable difference for another couple of months or so.

A mite infestation may also account for the problems you've indicated, but if you recently took care of the problem, then you still need to give your plant time to recuperate.

For now, keep the soil moist at all times, and make sure the plant is in a south window with some direct sunlight.  A west window will be fine for the winter months.  Avoid east and north windows.  These windows do not offer sufficient sunlight for Nepenthes during the winter months.

Good growing!
Jacob Farin