Date: Wed, 29 Nov 2000 06:36:02 -0500 From: "Jason Ashley" <jasona@warwick.net> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg3437$foo@default> Subject: N. Bicalcarata Care
I have a two year old myself and I sympathize with you. Through some trial
and error I have found that my bical thrives in an 8" orchid basket filled
with New Zealand sphagnum and nothing else. It's not that I haven't tried
other mixes but it never thrived before this. I keep mine in the orchid
basket in a 10 gallon aquarium and only one daylight spectrum flourescent
bulb. There is mylar on 3 sides to aid with the light distribution. I tried
2 bulbs but that provided too much light for the bical and all I got for a
year was very green leaves and stunted growth. I do keep a small fan running
whenever the light is on to circulate the air and I have herpetological
heating pad on the bottom to keep the temperature constantly between 80-90
degrees Fahrenheit.
Please do NOT keep your bicalcarata in standing water. This will rot the
roots very quickly and the plant will die. Instead place the basket or pot
on a small riser about 1 inch in height to keep it off the bottom of the
tank. When you water go ahead and soak the sphagnum. I usually water about 1
gallon at a time for 2 plants. This raises the water to the bottom of the
pot and the loose sphagnum coming from the bottom of the basket wicks water
into the medium keeping it sufficiently moist but not wet. I do not water
the plants again until the water in the bottom of the tank has dried out at
which time I resoak. I feed it frequently with fresh lady bugs (in season).
Both my neps seem absurdly happy with this arrangement and have grown
unbelievably in a very short time. It will soon be time for them to leave
the nursery and move into a larger chamber.
I hope you enjoy the bicalcarata and don't be alarmed that the traps aren't
orange/red/yellow yet. This will come in time and begin gradually. This was
actually my second Nep and it is by far my favorite. I love the orange
coloration, the elegantly simple peristome with sweeping lines, the
fan-shaped lid, and the graceful proportions of the pitchers. Most certainly
the fangs are the biggest attraction but the more I look at this plant I see
great elegance in the simplicity of the pitcher as if it were designed by
Scandinavians.
Good luck with your new bicalcarata and I hope that it offers you as much
enjoyment as mine has given me.
Jason Ashley
Warwick, NY
USA
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