Re: windowsill nepenthes

From: Bryan and Leslie Lorber (bllorber@wcvt.com)
Date: Sat Nov 11 2000 - 19:21:57 PST


Date: Sat, 11 Nov 2000 22:21:57 -0500
From: Bryan and Leslie Lorber <bllorber@wcvt.com>
To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com
Message-Id: <aabcdefg3276$foo@default>
Subject: Re: windowsill nepenthes

Hi CPers:
I grow N.alata (spotted), N. x Judith Finn, N. maxima, and N.
madagascariensis/ventricosa on a S.E. facing windowsill. I live in northern
Vermont which is zone 4 meaning winter temps. can be -30 to -20 F (-34 to -29
C). My central heat is baseboard hot water, so not as dry as forced hot air,
but winter humidity can be quite low. I mist several times a day and provide as
much natural light as a northern winter will allow. We keep the room fairly cool
(by American standards), about 68 F (20 C).
Bottom line: My plants do quite well, especially the Judith Finn with large,
text book pitchers. The alata develops nice sized pitches, but in winter the
lids do not fully develop. The other Neps. do well year round but especially so
in summer.

Bryan
Charlotte, Vermont
U.S.A.

William Tsun-Yuk Hsu wrote:

> From: "Jason Ashley" <jasona@warwick.net>
> >Peter's book got me wondering about this question. I could happily grow a
> >windowsill nepenthes as I have a perfect window for it. Peter shows a
> <khasiana on the windowsill and it appeared to have very leathery leaves and
> >in my experience leathery leaves are usually a good indicator of high
> >low-humidity tolerance. I can humidify the room somewhat with a portable
> >humidifier but I do have forced-air heat so that might not help much.
>
> I have some nepenthes growing in various open rooms. I'm in a sunny
> part of San Francisco, where humidity drops quite a bit in the
> afternoon. Also we're having our first cold spell, so my forced air
> heat is kicking in. So far my nepenthes are fine, but maybe I'll
> see some casualties in a few days...
>
> What I have: N. x rokko and x hookeriana by sunny windows, no
> humidifier but misting once or twice a day. Also in a room
> within 3 feet of an ultrasonic humidifier: x coccinea, ventricosa,
> x mixta, hirsuta, khasiana, eymae, x superba, gracillis, truncata.
> (These are probably the typical windowsill nepenthes...)
> The humidifier turns on only 2-3 times a day in the afternoon,
> for half-hour periods.
>
> The gracillis and truncata seem to take a lot of abuse and will
> probably do well without the humidifier. I also used to have
> bicalcurata and longifolia in the same setup, but have moved
> them to a tank.
>
> I'm actually having a bit of trouble with the ventricosa,
> surprisingly. All the other plants seem happy. I'm curious to
> hear what other nepenthes y'all have grown successfully
> without tanks or greenhouses.
>
> Bill



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