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Post by Flytrap on Apr 17, 2006 16:15:32 GMT -5
Two parts to this question "What do you grow your Neps in?": 1. the container 2. growing medium
I grow mine in both plastic and clay pots...generally in 4" to 6" pots for my smaller plants, and half gallon to 5 gallon pots for my larger plants.
I grow almost all of my Neps in the same mix - fine Fir bark mixed with perlite, LFSphag, charcoal and grit in this ratio: 30:10:40:10:10. I also used to grow them in a peat/sphag/fir bark mix too, and some of my plants are still sitting in this mix.
I hear it's a No-no to sit neps in water, but all of my plants sit in a tray of water...approx. 2 inches deep, irrespective of the pot/plant size. No problems in growing them with wet feet for the past couple of decades.
I never fertilize my plants, but occasionally, I do toss in the odd zapped fly into one of the pitchers.
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Post by martin on Apr 17, 2006 19:59:35 GMT -5
Container: plastic pots - 3-4" for young plants and around 8" for bigger plants. Soil: I have tried several ingredients, but now use New Zealand LFS with pearlite 4:1. I sometimes add coco peat and orchid bark to open more the mix.
I have lost several Nepenthes because the original low-quality soil (peat and/or coco peat) was packing up and affecting the roots.
As for sitting the pots in water, I have not tried it.
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Post by sdeering on Apr 17, 2006 22:20:16 GMT -5
I have not experimented yet. I have a small Ramispina and a ventrata or alata( cant remember which) in straight NZsphag, both growing well. I will have to repot soon.The rest are in what they came in. Straight Ro and bugs. Stephen
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Post by Syble on Apr 18, 2006 21:14:55 GMT -5
I tend to grow in LFS sometimes mixed with peat and pearlite in 8" plastic hangers. Works well for me! Sib
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Post by mabudon on May 11, 2006 9:31:54 GMT -5
Mine are all still in their original plastic pots and original "mix", which looks to be pure LFS... tho I am getting some cuttings this weekend and the grower told me he grows them in PURE PEATMOSS which I find almost funny- I love hearing things like that in this hobby, when someone tells you something you are pretty confident is impossible, yet they have proof that it is in fact VERY possible...
I can't even wrap my head around how I would use pure peat, since all my neps are on rockpiles in little bowls that I fill with water every few days, in my setup the peat would be rock hard and kill the plants- I am going to ask this person a few questions I guess, since it just seems so far-out
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jimscott
Seedling
Je n'aime pas 'CITES'!
Posts: 88
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Post by jimscott on May 18, 2006 16:07:16 GMT -5
Mine are in a planter right now, but used to be in a hanging basket. The key to Neps, in general, is to provide and airy mix, which means one that provide good drainage, as opposed to water retention. A few Neps can tolerate standing water - like N. sanguinea and I' e read that ventricoas can as well. Genrally speaking, this shouldn'r be done. They'll rot. My mix is peat, sand, LFS, and pine needles on top. Many people use perlite. I don't.
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Post by Rick Hillier on May 19, 2006 9:18:06 GMT -5
I'm the fellow that mabudon was referring to when he mentioned growing them in pure peat moss. When I started out with my terrarium (6' x 2' x 2.5' high and got to about 95 degrees during the day), I had N. rafflesiana, mirabilis, ampullaris, alata and a cross called x Tiveyi (I think). For 15 years, these things grew in pure peat moss that usually had water at the surface of the growing medium. The plants all thrived with every leaf producing a pitcher, and when they would vine up to the lights, I would just cut 12" of the top off and stick the cutting directly into the growing medium. It would always take and I would get new basal rosettes from the parent. I lost them all when my wife and I separated and I moved everything to the cottage on Lake Huron. During the winter, we tried to find a temperature that would keep the Sarracenia dormant while not killing the neps. That attempt failed. I had a beautiful rafflesiana specimen that produced 10" cream pitchers with chocolate speckling and a save-looking, but nice, chocolate/cream striped margin around the mouth of the pitcher. I had sent a cutting of this long ago to a fellow located in Quebec - I forget his name, but I would kill to find something like this again. I often wonder if he still has the plant and could send me a cutting I presently have a rafflesiana that is almost pure white outside, but heavily mottled inside with a striped "ridge", but it is nothing compared to that plant! I still have a several neps in peat moss that haven't been replanted in years. I've been planting in LF sphagnum lately with good results as well. >>> Rick <<<
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Post by mabudon on May 28, 2006 9:28:52 GMT -5
Yep, you were my "reference" Rick And as an addendum, the first Nep I have ever tried to root from a straight-up cutting (N.ventrata, so not a real tough one, but still) is in a peat-sand mix with maybe a spoonful of perlite mixed in and it is actually working out REALLY well- I figured since the original plant was growing in this mix, and the cutting was not a "you'll never get another chance" species I would give it a shot and I think I may be trying it with some tougher stuff as time goes on.. well, AND as I actually get access to cuttings, but I am still kinda shocked that it worsks at all, let alone as well as it seems to be doing
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Post by cal1 on May 30, 2006 17:06:42 GMT -5
I found this cactus soil.. obviously it's meant for cactus and succulents. The soil contains sphagnum peat moss, sand and compost... would this be ok for neps.. i'm thinking the compost would contain too much nutrients.. but one never knows... Josh
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Post by mabudon on May 30, 2006 17:30:58 GMT -5
I think the sand would be your main enemy in that mix- and if there's any fertilizer or preservatives on the moss or anything you might be asking for trouble- and the "compost" would be WAYYY too rich for Neps I would imagine- I would suggest using it for cactii and stuff like it is "supposed" to be for, but that is just from the hip, so to speak...
I highly doubt that it would be good for Neps, it mMAYbe passable but between the sand and the "compost" I would be real leery of all sorts of problems- besides, most types of organic compost, kept as damp as neps need to be, can have all sorts of problems... Anyone else??
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Post by Flytrap on May 30, 2006 23:25:52 GMT -5
After seeing Neps both in the wild and in cultivation...I get more and more amazed. I ask the question of what we grow our cultivated Neps in - and I get many interesting answers. I posed the same question on the CPUK forum and on the CP listserve ...and over the years in private collections I think I'd seen them all then something else pops up.
Out in the wild, I've seen them growing in pure white sand and in rich humus. So Cal1's idea of growing some in cactus mix may present some interesting results. Maybe Cal1 can try a few expendable Neps to see how they take. I think we'd all be interested to learn of the results.
I've seen ampullarias and rafflesianas in the wild growing in thick rotting leaves and underwater...but I don't know how long this rich compost lasts in the wild - as insects and other fauna rifles through all this material all the time...with all their droppings.
The number one medium that people had replied has been pure sphagnum moss - and New Zealand sphagnum at that. I wonder what species NZ sphag is... any one know?
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Post by vraev on Apr 20, 2007 12:56:26 GMT -5
hmmm.......damn! I don't have enough new zealand sphag.....hmmm.....I guess I'll see if I can order some. You know what....I'll make my own mix : Varun's nepenthes mix starring : 50% perlite / 20% LFS / 20% silica sand / 10% peat moss would it work? or would it fail misarably?? lol!!
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Post by martin on Apr 20, 2007 18:26:05 GMT -5
Resurrecting an old thread...hum
One thing for sure, with that mix youll be watering frequently, because your 50% perlite wont absorb much water. If you dont have NZ LFS, dont fret and buy the canadian stuff.
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Post by vraev on Apr 20, 2007 18:55:11 GMT -5
lol! Flytrap pointed me in this direction as there was already a discussion on this. .. hmm....I guess I'll get that canadian long fiber sphagnum that is available for orchids. I'll find out the brand and let you guys know. Thanks for the suggestion martin.
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Post by lloyd on Apr 20, 2007 20:02:06 GMT -5
I think I would leave out the sand and use aquarium gravel, more open for the roots.
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