You can see an updated version of this, showing how my experiences have improved my Nepenthes growing, and my 8 QUICK TIPS for growing more pitchers at this link: th-cam.com/video/uWrkCFbcqW4/w-d-xo.html
It's lack of sunlight and humidity. I found this out too with my plant. My Nepenthese was healthy but the leaves were not staying waxy. After increasing the temperature the plant was living in, through humidity, giving more hours of sunlight every day, and watering the pot with more distilled water, the leaves have become waxy again and the plant is slowly growing as young Nepenthese do. *Fingers crossed that it will actually pitcher.
Yeah I would definitely agree with light being a big factor. Humidity is more contentious. I've had commercial growers tell me humidity doesn't matter - but I point to their natural conditions. It certainly doesn't hurt to provide it. Fortunately for me I have it anyway! Get all these factors in together and you're onto a winner! Glad to hear yours has come on again and good luck with it in future. 😀
I only use the rainwater off my greenhouse. I can easily keep the guttering clean so the TDS is between 10 and 30 which my little carnivores don't seem to mind. When I visited Hampshire Carnivorous their pitcher plants were under very diffused light. Then only thing under bright lights were the sundews. I know some Nepenthes have two distinct growing phases one where they are more slow growing and lower to the ground and a faster vining phase when they grow upwards. Perhaps when the vines need to grow vertical to produce pitchers. Just a thought.
Yeah, it's funny how plants just seem to react to variables we can't even see! My 'Rebecca Soper' Nepenthes (named after Matt Soper's daughter - of Hampshire Carnivores) are 4 feet long but are still only pitchering near the base. I'll just keep changing and adjusting. In fact - I've just pruned them right down to 20 cm tall and hung them up so at least now I can see the pitchers properly! 😀
I personally think that the soil that the nepenthes fusca came in is too peaty, I think you should repot it in long fibrous sphagnum, also lovely video👍
Red leaves are fine. Nepenthes can pretty much not get too much light, just too much heat. Yellow or splotchy leaves mean they are getting sunburned. Red leaves are perfectly happy. As for water, that's why it's important to have a TDS meter. Also even highlands can thrive in warmer weather than you would think. I generally keep Nepenthes slightly warmer than they need and they seem to like it. Also, generally they like it if humidity is above 50%
I keep the humidity at 100 at night then change it to 70 in the morning then 50 in the afternoon. All of my nepenthes love it and are growing super fast and have a lot of pitchers.
Great tip! I can't do so much regarding humidity as I don't only grow Nepenthes - and there are others - Pelargoniums for one - that would suffer. Having said that, in my 'warm' side I have it at least 75% constantly but it was only by moving them to a brighter spot that they started really pitchering properly. It's all a bit trial and error - but at least we know the factors that 'could' be affecting things so can experiment around a bit. 😀
I have a couple of small pitcher plants nepenthes and sarracenia and I love them. Mine are inside my home with my orchids on shelving by a wall sized window and they seem to be doing fine. One of my sarracenia seems to be drying up too much even though the soil is moist so I'll have to check on that one. The expert is Brad at Brad's Greenhouse & Gardening... You should check out his videos, he has a greenhouse full of huge pitcher plants. My only thought on the last, tall one is that maybe if you cut it down so it wasn't so leggy it would sprout more?? I really enjoy your videos, you have a great sense of humor 👍😁😂
Haha thanks Bonnie! I've been watching Brad for years - he certainly doesn't seem to have issues getting pitchers does he?! And funnily enough, after I made this video, I cut the 2 four foot Nepenthes down to about 20cm and hung them up so that I can actually see the pitchers properly. Hopefully that'll stimulate pitcher-making rather than vining. Great minds think alike eh? Fingers crossed!
I just bought a nepenthes that has quite a complicated name for me which is the N. (Mirabilis x Vikings) X (thorelii x Campanutala). And I researched if those species are lowland (because i’m in a lowland place) and all of them I think are lowland, and I also hope that it will grow some nice and healthy pitchers.
As a general rule, complex hybrids such as the one you've named, are more tolerant of a range of conditions than the species. So I expect yours will do just fine. Give it as much light as you can - that's usually the key to pitchering. Good luck!
Crawl, sprawl, jump, love. Almost all plants have those 3 "phases". Ive found most "slow growers" like carnivorous plants, adenias, cacti, etc. Follow a 6+ year crawl sprawl jump cycle. Years 1-2, crawl, years 2-4, sprawl, 5-6+ is jump.
That would be a Hippeastrum - just a hybrid. I forget which one. And by the way, this is quite an old video (in TH-cam terms). I have some much better up-to-date videos on Nepenthes packed with more info, if you're interested.😃
Morning Geoff, I was advised by Oliver a couple of years back to mist my pitchers and forming pitchers every morning this should help them from blasting “turning brown” during the spring & summer months worth a try buddy it’s helped me and my nepenthes.
You know Mick, I've been there and done that! Brad always says the same. For me though, despite daily spraying, it made no difference. I found sources varied on the need for humidity with some very credible ones giving opposite recommendations. I think it was Borneo Exotics that said humidity made no difference at all. But bright light was always agreed upon. My 'Rebecca Soper' is always above 75% in humidity yet gets plenty of dried out pitchers. I guess it's another one of those things that are hard to prove one away or another! 🧐🤔🤷♂️ And bring Oliver back! Time for a heroic comeback!
Geoff I’ve got a friend who only grows nepenthes is is greenhouse only the highland ones with out any humidity what so ever all his are in trays with a small amount of water and they look amazing, everybody is different at growing what works for one doesn’t mean it works for all. Happy growing buddy.
That's a common question and one there is no definitive answer to. It won't harm the plant if you do. In nature, most (not all) Nepenthes pitchers are covered by the lid preventing rainwater getting inside (some lids are quite high though). The question is whether you are helping. The water you supply won't have any digestive enzymes - although the plant may produce them once water is inside. Personally, sometimes I add RO water, most times I don't bother. For me, I think it's better to spend energy on getting the growing conditions right, so that it'll produce its own pitchers with liquid already inside. If yours aren't doing that (rather than them being empty from mail order perhaps) then I would increase humidity and or watering. Hope that helps!
Interesting.Ihave mainly N Alata? 1/If i remove a dead cup from a Tendril will it produce a new Pitcher. 2/ i live in the Midlands UK.Should i be using Grow lights in the Winter?
Thanks Andrew. A leaf that's had a pitcher on it will never produce another pitcher. the pitcher is a part of the leaf - like cutting it in half. In terms of light - Nepenthes LOVE the light - and in the UK unfortunately we don't produce much of the stuff especially in winter, especially indoors. Different species and hybrids have different tolerances, so yours may be fine where you have it. But, in my own situation, being northerly, and having a north facing house shaded by large trees, I personally would (and do) use grow lights.
One needs to "starve" their Nepenthes to get pitchers... if you fertilize then they have no need to create pitchers and catch their own food... being in tropical Aus where we have native nepenthes, mine are hung quite high in the orchid house where they get a heck of a lot of sun, they get water every day from December to March - our wet season, but currently they get water once every 4 days... my summer temperatures can reach as high as 40ºc+...
You could be right Omar. I've since decided to do what they do in these large growers' and sellers greenhouses, and stop them from vining. Since doing that they've been putting on pitchers at a much faster rate.
That's a common question and one there is no definitive answer to. It won't harm the plant if you do. In nature, most (not all) Nepenthes pitchers are covered by the lid preventing rain water getting inside (some lids are quite high though). The question is whether you are helping. The water you supply won't have any digestive enzymes - although the plant may produce them once water is inside. Personally, sometimes I add RO water, most times I don't bother. For me, I think it's better to spend energy on getting the growing conditions right, so that it'll produce its own pitchers with liquid already inside. If yours aren't doing that (rather than them being empty from mail order perhaps) then I would increase humidity and or watering. Hope that helps!
I have on very good authority (from a commercial grower no less) that humidity isn't such a big deal for Neps - providing you don't let them dry out. Other factors are more relevant. Try this for tips: th-cam.com/video/uWrkCFbcqW4/w-d-xo.html
You can see an updated version of this, showing how my experiences have improved my Nepenthes growing, and my 8 QUICK TIPS for growing more pitchers at this link: th-cam.com/video/uWrkCFbcqW4/w-d-xo.html
It's lack of sunlight and humidity. I found this out too with my plant. My Nepenthese was healthy but the leaves were not staying waxy. After increasing the temperature the plant was living in, through humidity, giving more hours of sunlight every day, and watering the pot with more distilled water, the leaves have become waxy again and the plant is slowly growing as young Nepenthese do.
*Fingers crossed that it will actually pitcher.
Yeah I would definitely agree with light being a big factor. Humidity is more contentious. I've had commercial growers tell me humidity doesn't matter - but I point to their natural conditions. It certainly doesn't hurt to provide it. Fortunately for me I have it anyway! Get all these factors in together and you're onto a winner! Glad to hear yours has come on again and good luck with it in future. 😀
I only use the rainwater off my greenhouse. I can easily keep the guttering clean so the TDS is between 10 and 30 which my little carnivores don't seem to mind. When I visited Hampshire Carnivorous their pitcher plants were under very diffused light. Then only thing under bright lights were the sundews. I know some Nepenthes have two distinct growing phases one where they are more slow growing and lower to the ground and a faster vining phase when they grow upwards. Perhaps when the vines need to grow vertical to produce pitchers. Just a thought.
Yeah, it's funny how plants just seem to react to variables we can't even see! My 'Rebecca Soper' Nepenthes (named after Matt Soper's daughter - of Hampshire Carnivores) are 4 feet long but are still only pitchering near the base. I'll just keep changing and adjusting. In fact - I've just pruned them right down to 20 cm tall and hung them up so at least now I can see the pitchers properly! 😀
I personally think that the soil that the nepenthes fusca came in is too peaty, I think you should repot it in long fibrous sphagnum, also lovely video👍
It certainly couldn't hurt, as it appears to be in a kind of suspended animation. It's been the same for a couple of years now. Another winter job...🤔
I know almost everything in your greenhouse. Baller collection love.
I'll have to get hunting for a rarity! 😂
Red leaves are fine. Nepenthes can pretty much not get too much light, just too much heat. Yellow or splotchy leaves mean they are getting sunburned. Red leaves are perfectly happy. As for water, that's why it's important to have a TDS meter. Also even highlands can thrive in warmer weather than you would think. I generally keep Nepenthes slightly warmer than they need and they seem to like it. Also, generally they like it if humidity is above 50%
I keep the humidity at 100 at night then change it to 70 in the morning then 50 in the afternoon. All of my nepenthes love it and are growing super fast and have a lot of pitchers.
Great tip! I can't do so much regarding humidity as I don't only grow Nepenthes - and there are others - Pelargoniums for one - that would suffer. Having said that, in my 'warm' side I have it at least 75% constantly but it was only by moving them to a brighter spot that they started really pitchering properly. It's all a bit trial and error - but at least we know the factors that 'could' be affecting things so can experiment around a bit. 😀
I have a couple of small pitcher plants nepenthes and sarracenia and I love them. Mine are inside my home with my orchids on shelving by a wall sized window and they seem to be doing fine. One of my sarracenia seems to be drying up too much even though the soil is moist so I'll have to check on that one. The expert is Brad at Brad's Greenhouse & Gardening... You should check out his videos, he has a greenhouse full of huge pitcher plants. My only thought on the last, tall one is that maybe if you cut it down so it wasn't so leggy it would sprout more?? I really enjoy your videos, you have a great sense of humor 👍😁😂
Haha thanks Bonnie! I've been watching Brad for years - he certainly doesn't seem to have issues getting pitchers does he?! And funnily enough, after I made this video, I cut the 2 four foot Nepenthes down to about 20cm and hung them up so that I can actually see the pitchers properly. Hopefully that'll stimulate pitcher-making rather than vining. Great minds think alike eh? Fingers crossed!
@@Grow_Up_Man55 great! 👍😁
I’ve never kept these but might try them in the future. Thanks for the advice and sharing your experience.
Thanks Gordon - they're truly bizarre and fascinating plants!
I just bought a nepenthes that has quite a complicated name for me which is the N. (Mirabilis x Vikings) X (thorelii x Campanutala). And I researched if those species are lowland (because i’m in a lowland place) and all of them I think are lowland, and I also hope that it will grow some nice and healthy pitchers.
As a general rule, complex hybrids such as the one you've named, are more tolerant of a range of conditions than the species. So I expect yours will do just fine. Give it as much light as you can - that's usually the key to pitchering. Good luck!
Crawl, sprawl, jump, love. Almost all plants have those 3 "phases". Ive found most "slow growers" like carnivorous plants, adenias, cacti, etc. Follow a 6+ year crawl sprawl jump cycle. Years 1-2, crawl, years 2-4, sprawl, 5-6+ is jump.
I've heard something similar with Ivy - 1st year it sleeps, 2nd year it creeps, 3rd year it leaps!
Oh wow what is the tall plant with the set of 4 flowers behind you at the beginning of the video!
That would be a Hippeastrum - just a hybrid. I forget which one. And by the way, this is quite an old video (in TH-cam terms). I have some much better up-to-date videos on Nepenthes packed with more info, if you're interested.😃
Morning Geoff, I was advised by Oliver a couple of years back to mist my pitchers and forming pitchers every morning this should help them from blasting “turning brown” during the spring & summer months worth a try buddy it’s helped me and my nepenthes.
You know Mick, I've been there and done that! Brad always says the same. For me though, despite daily spraying, it made no difference. I found sources varied on the need for humidity with some very credible ones giving opposite recommendations. I think it was Borneo Exotics that said humidity made no difference at all. But bright light was always agreed upon. My 'Rebecca Soper' is always above 75% in humidity yet gets plenty of dried out pitchers. I guess it's another one of those things that are hard to prove one away or another! 🧐🤔🤷♂️ And bring Oliver back! Time for a heroic comeback!
Geoff I’ve got a friend who only grows nepenthes is is greenhouse only the highland ones with out any humidity what so ever all his are in trays with a small amount of water and they look amazing, everybody is different at growing what works for one doesn’t mean it works for all. Happy growing buddy.
Yeah it's weird isn't it? You'd think same plant, same conditions, same result - but we know that just doesn't seem to be true at all!
Beans,beans the musical fruit,the more you eat the more you toot. So it's beans for every meal. Lol
Now then Jay - you know it was the shade blinds! 😂
@@Grow_Up_Man55 yes.😎
If it is dry / no water inside, should we put rainwater in the pitcher?
That's a common question and one there is no definitive answer to. It won't harm the plant if you do. In nature, most (not all) Nepenthes pitchers are covered by the lid preventing rainwater getting inside (some lids are quite high though). The question is whether you are helping. The water you supply won't have any digestive enzymes - although the plant may produce them once water is inside. Personally, sometimes I add RO water, most times I don't bother. For me, I think it's better to spend energy on getting the growing conditions right, so that it'll produce its own pitchers with liquid already inside. If yours aren't doing that (rather than them being empty from mail order perhaps) then I would increase humidity and or watering. Hope that helps!
@@Grow_Up_Man55 OK thx
Interesting.Ihave mainly N Alata? 1/If i remove a dead cup from a Tendril will it produce a new Pitcher. 2/ i live in the Midlands UK.Should i be using Grow lights in the Winter?
Thanks Andrew. A leaf that's had a pitcher on it will never produce another pitcher. the pitcher is a part of the leaf - like cutting it in half. In terms of light - Nepenthes LOVE the light - and in the UK unfortunately we don't produce much of the stuff especially in winter, especially indoors. Different species and hybrids have different tolerances, so yours may be fine where you have it. But, in my own situation, being northerly, and having a north facing house shaded by large trees, I personally would (and do) use grow lights.
One needs to "starve" their Nepenthes to get pitchers... if you fertilize then they have no need to create pitchers and catch their own food... being in tropical Aus where we have native nepenthes, mine are hung quite high in the orchid house where they get a heck of a lot of sun, they get water every day from December to March - our wet season, but currently they get water once every 4 days... my summer temperatures can reach as high as 40ºc+...
Thanks for the tips! I've been starving them for months so fingers crossed for many more pitchers...
maybe the upper pitchers need to wrap their tendrils around something secure before they start forming
You could be right Omar. I've since decided to do what they do in these large growers' and sellers greenhouses, and stop them from vining. Since doing that they've been putting on pitchers at a much faster rate.
To see more videos on Carnivorous plants go here: th-cam.com/video/gqwfd8NTthA/w-d-xo.html
😀
Thanks for this video, my nepenthes grow leaves well but no pitchers. My rainwater is 60 to 70 ppm so maybe that would be the clue for me?
Yes definitely - one of the other 'commenters' here agreed with this too. They need to 'starve' to produce more pitchers - make sense really.
Yes it sounds logical indeed :)
When we have winds like that our night temperatures drop
It's very unusual to have this over here at this time of year. The weather has been so bizarre this last few years!
My pitcher plant has no liquid in it what should I do?
That's a common question and one there is no definitive answer to. It won't harm the plant if you do. In nature, most (not all) Nepenthes pitchers are covered by the lid preventing rain water getting inside (some lids are quite high though). The question is whether you are helping. The water you supply won't have any digestive enzymes - although the plant may produce them once water is inside. Personally, sometimes I add RO water, most times I don't bother. For me, I think it's better to spend energy on getting the growing conditions right, so that it'll produce its own pitchers with liquid already inside. If yours aren't doing that (rather than them being empty from mail order perhaps) then I would increase humidity and or watering. Hope that helps!
My nepenthes aren't producing nectar and humidity is usually around 70 to 97%
I have on very good authority (from a commercial grower no less) that humidity isn't such a big deal for Neps - providing you don't let them dry out. Other factors are more relevant. Try this for tips: th-cam.com/video/uWrkCFbcqW4/w-d-xo.html