Date: Tue, 1 Apr 1997 19:56:33 -0500 (EST) From: jcavanau@indyunix.iupui.edu (john e. cavanaugh) To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg1226$foo@default> Subject: Re: neps 1037
reply to:
>On Mon, 31 Mar 1997, john e. cavanaugh wrote:
>
>> To anyone in particular,
>> I have seen the terms "nepenthes medium", etc, used here and I'm
>> not certain what that means. Both Petropaulos and Schwartz (my two shelf
>
> It just means whatever soil mixture you use for growing your
>plants in. Most people don't really like the term soil mixture,
>because perlite, vermiculite, and bark aren't really considered soil
>types by most.
>
>> references) advise live sphagnum for nearly everything but Drosophylum. As
>> I am having a little difficulty with my young neps, and with my older nep
>> growing like gangbusters but producing no pitchers, I wonder if I might
>> have too much moisture. I currently have them in a mixture of milled
>> peat:sand:vermiculite of 2:1:1, over styrafoam "peanuts", with live
>> sphagnum on top. These are sthen suspended above water in a terrerium and
>> misted daily with R/O water and monthly with plant food diluted 1:10 from
>> the concentration on the lable.
>>
>
> You may have a bit too much moisture in the media, but if
>you're only suspending it and misting, not directly watering onto
>the pots, it shouldn't be a problem. I'd recommend a bit looser
>of a medium, mainly of bark and perlite.
>
> How is the light in the terrarium? Too much or too little
>(depending on the species) can cause it to refuse to pitcher or
>the little guys to grow. If you have very long internode distances,
>this could be the problem.
>
> Also, depending on the species, the temperature could be a
>problem. Remember that highland species need significantly cooler
>night temps.
>
> If you can tell us what species you have, I'm sure more
>people could help you. Good luck!
Reply:
The Neps are N. mirabilis and N. ampullaria. The former is growing
without pitchers (four plants), while the latter is dieing. Although the
plants do not sit in water, they have been getting about 1/4 cup b.i.d.
(twice a day). For light, I have two old fluorescent reading lamps (left
over from the Reagan Administration, I'm sure) plus whatever light comes in
through a pair of sliding glass doors with a western exposure (central
Indiana). The temperature is a steady 70F. As far as the health of the
"room-mates": the live sphagnum is doing very well, and my Paphylopedium
var. "Maud" var. "Hoosier Pride" hybrid is sending up the MOST GORGEOUS
BLOOM IN THE WHOLE WORLD!!!. My Phalaeonopsis hybrid is sending up new
leaves and a new flower spike, and the Dendrobium is also in a growth
spurt. My Sars are all still asleep (or dead), but they have been outside
until about 2 weeks ago.
A lot of people have e-mailed me about the possibility that the
Neps just don't pitcher in the wintertime and that I should just be
patient. Since the "motherplant" is growing over the top of the terrarium,
I took a few leaves (3) to start cuttings, that way if the vine wants to
pitcher, it can do so inside the humidity chamber for a few more months. If
not, the plant looks lovely even without the pitchers, but then what's the
point of having a CP?
I have noticed that the "political" string (mea culpa on this one)
has degenerated to nothing more than non-CP comments about the
inappropriateness of non-CP comments. Does anyone else see this as a subtle
intelligence test?
Comments on my stupid Neps (Oh, No! Not the "N"-word!), Politics or whatever to:
jcavanaugh@indyunix.iupui.edu
John E. Cavanaugh, MD.
Fellow, Forensic Pathology Division
Indiana University Medical Center
Indianapolis, IN
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