Fuck. That looks good. Mine is not happy. I'm hoping it'll perk back up in the summer.
I'm not sure if different species tolerated different weather. Some seen to not mind the cold. Mine is definitely not happy
this post was submitted on 08 Sep 2023
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There's a few things you might want to double check if your nepenthes is not looking peppy:
- How often are you watering?
Too much and it won't like that, too little and it won't like that either. Water when the medium starts to feel a little dry, like right before a sponge is dry.
Also double check the PPM of your water. Nepenthes can tolerate some salts, but above 50 PPM is generally not recommended.
- Did you repot it recently?
Nepenthes especially don't like their roots being disturbed. I have a plant that I repotted waaay more than I should've that's still recovering a month or a little more later. Give it a month or two if you've reported it, and try giving it extra humidity as that helps the plant settle in when repotting.
- How much light is it getting?
An east facing window is usually what's recommended for nepenthes. Morning light followed by "dappled" light (like slightly shaded) is what most nepenthes like.
It sits in water so it's always wet.
I use tap water but it's from a well so It might be a bit overly mineral. I can try and deionize it.
No it's still in the original pot I bought it Only had it about 3 months. It was through winter though
Its winter or spring now. Sits in an alcove getting direct sunlight from about 8 until 1ish. It does get quite hot but over night it drops to freezing.
It sits in water so it's always wet.
I use tap water but it's from a well so It might be a bit overly mineral. I can try and deionize it.
Ah well I'd start with the first thing. Nepenthes aren't bog plants, they don't like sitting in water. They like they're medium moist. So I'd dump the water out of the tray it's in and only pour water in the try when the medium starts feeling like it's about to dry out.
I thought they were big plants and had to sit in water ? I'll get the water out then. It floats on top of water if that makes sense
No they don't prefer sitting in water. From the RedLeaf Exotics site:
Nepenthes like being kept moist, not wet. Think of a moist sponge. They appreciate a well draining potting mix and dislike standing in water constantly. They should never be allowed to completely dry out. You can keep them in saucers of water indoors, but they must be allowed to evaporate in between waterings.
And from Carnivero:
Nepenthes like to remain moist but not flooded. This is best accomplished by top watering them 2-3 times per week. The shallow tray method can be used when going out of town. Fill the tray with about 1” of water and then allow the tray to dry out for a couple days before refilling.
Just to give you info from some professional and reputable nepenthes growers!
Oops meant bog plants. Mine is a pitcher plant. Is that the same thing ? So I should let it dry out and then water it ? I haven't watered it at all since I've had it. I just let it float on a body of water.
I'll change that up now. Thanks for advice
Bog plants are more like Sarracenia (American pitcher plants), some Drosera (sundews) and Dionaea muscipula (venus fly traps). They're plants that like more wet soils and don't want it to dry out, and, obviously, their native habitats are bogs.
Nepenthes, or tropical pitcher plants, are tropical plants. Some species grow on the sides of cliff faces or more in the mountains of tropical areas. They like wet air more than wet soil.
Oh mine is Sarracenia. I think it must be the American pitcher plant. Looks very similar but with smaller pitchers. So it is a bog plant
If your plant looks similar to this or this then yea then that's an entirely different plant genus than nepenthes and it'll do fine wetter conditions. I would still like the water in the tray get soaked up before filling it again, just make sure the medium doesn't get dry.
Are you growing this indoors or outdoors?
Also, if it's winter then keep in mind sarracenia are perennial, meaning they go dormant starting in the mid-late fall and all through winter.
Unfortunately looks like neither of those. Really annoying you can't send photos. It's a nepenthes Diana.
It was winter and I assumed it would drop all it's pitchers and go dormant. However its leaves are also a bit brown.
I've had it inside the whole time. I got it to try kill of some flies. Thought it would be a nice non toxic alternative. So I was hoping to propagate it and leave it in all the rooms to drop the fly population.
I'm New Zealand so just coming into spring now.
It's a nepenthes Diana.
Ah yes! That's a great little hybrid. This plant, no?
It was winter and I assumed it would drop all it's pitchers and go dormant. However its leaves are also a bit brown.
In cooler times in nature they don't go dormant, they just make less pitchers.
Here's my suggestions
- Let the medium get almost dry between waterings
When it does, fill up the tray and let the water be absorbed or evaporated.
- Move it to an east facing window, or outside during spring
Maybe it needs more light. New Zealand has a fairly tropical climate IIRC so outdoors in the spring might be a great idea. Here's an interesting read about light.
- If you tap water has a PPM above 50, repot
I don't think you'll have to do this as looking at your governments legislation the water is a lot better than some parts of America.
Here's another guide to repotting from a reputable grower. They even have suggestions of when to repot.
Other than that Nepenthes 'Diana' is a pretty vigorous and hardy hybrid.
Yes that's the very one. Didn't know it was a hybrid,
It's not happy. Pitchers have all shriveled up. It's pretty cold below freezing over night. So I was expecting if it was a bog plant to drop it's pitchers but its leaves have been damaged. Bits of brown and discoloration.
It floats currently. My set up is it's still in it's original container and I float it in another tub. But I'll take it out and try drying it a bit.
I'll sit it outside and see if it gets happier. It probably needs more light. So I'll give it some more.
Yeah we use well water so I might try to deionize it.
I'm so thankful @[email protected] got hold of this to help answer questions for you. Everything you were told is 100% the perfect advice.
If you want to know more of my setup, and maybe help plan some of your own - I have a single 10w SANSI bulb about a foot away and on for 8 hours a day, also the plant is in an East facing window. I have the nursery-style pot on top of some glass "rocks" in a drainage tray, and water twice a week using the "sponge" rule. The tray of glass "rocks" keeps the Nep from sitting in water (and avoids possible minerals getting to it). My apartment ranges from 30% humidity in the winter to about 70%+ in summer. I live in the Northeastern US near the coast, so that helps a bit. You can see my setup here:
Tremendous. I posted over on carnivorous so you get a pic. I'll try the glass rock idea. Do you water from the top then ? I've just let it float on a body of water so it soaks up water continuously.
Does it need a heat lamp ? I think my humidity my be an issue. Currently it's 40% it will get higher but might need to get something to cover it if it needs more.
Minerals shouldn't be too much of an issue. We are on bore water so nothing added to it. I was going to try deionize it if it required
I don't run a heat lamp, but I keep mine inside, nearish a window, and it never gets below 60F in my house (so about 15.5C). I water mine from the top, when I see water start to form in the rocks under it, I stop. I do that twice a week based on that "sponge" rule.
Ok I'll give that a bash. Assuming it's easy enough to Google the sponge rule. It's currently 24c with sun. So I'll see if I can get it a good soak. Not sure what it needs.
Here you go! "Nepenthes like being kept moist, not wet. Think of a moist sponge. They appreciate a well draining potting mix and dislike standing in water constantly. They should never be allowed to completely dry out. You can keep them in saucers of water indoors, but they must be allowed to evaporate in between waterings." - https://redleafexotics.com/pages/nepenthes-care-guide. I think it was mentioned further up the thread as well with some other good tips from @[email protected]
Some definitely don’t mind a little chill at night. Other hybrids are hearty in either. Do you know which one you have?
Unfortunately the label is just generic.
Post a picture! Also there is a pretty great Discord for John's Carnivorous Plants that can usually ID a Nepenthes in minutes here: https://discord.gg/bn4wNpwj (but post here first because I'm greedy and I want a first crack at it)
Sweet. Posted on the carnivorous sub. So could post a pic too. Joined discord too. Thanks very much.
Unfortunately I don't think you can post pics. Would be much easier if you could. We managed to I'd it as hybrid. Nepenthes Diana I think
Isn't this one of the carnivorous plants?
It is! Nepenthes Sanguinea Orange
Brilliant! It looks so cool