Date: Fri, 30 Jun 2000 09:19:36 -0600 From: "Jay Vannini" <interbnk@infovia.com.gt> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg1967$foo@default> Subject: Inorganic growing medium and Neps
Howdy:
I have been reading the exchanges on soil-less growing mediums for certain
Nepenthes with great interest. While I grow almost all of my species in a
1:1:1 NZ sphagnum-treefern-charcoal mix, my trio of seedling N. northiana
have been growing in a 2:2:1 pumice 'pebbles'-marble chips-vermiculite for
one to two years now quite well. I basically followed Peter D'Amato's
recommendation in SG that, since this species is reputed to be somewhat
intolerant of acid soils, to go with a mineral substrate. The plastic pots
that these plants are growing in are in water-filled saucers and, given the
very open nature and excellent capillarity of this medium, root growth
appears to be excellent. I hasten to add that this is the only Nepenthes
species that I have sitting in water.
One question that I do have relates to fertilization and pitchering. I
drench this medium with quarter-strength 30-10-10 or 20-20-20 at monthly
intervals - this produces fairly vigorous leaf output, but so-so pitcher
growth. I do not have any problems generating pitchers on any other
Nepenthes species that I grow. Is light pitchering typical of N. northiana
through, say, the 6-8" diameter size? Or shud I modify my fertilization
regimen?
Regards,
Jay Vannini
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