Date: Mon, 5 May 1997 13:09:23 UTC+0200 From: Gordon Wells <gwells@iri.upc.es> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg1777$foo@default> Subject: Superthrive vs. Humidity
Since there's been a recent resurgence of interest in
Superthrive on the list lately, I thought I would
relate my recent experience with this mysterious
liquid of lore.
As many of the people who've recently asked where
they can get some Superthrive of there own, last
year I made a similar inquiry on the list and had
someone send me a bottle from the U.S., hoping it
might be an easy wonder-solution for my poor,
wretched, pitcherless N. wrigleyana (purchased,
by the way, from the equally wretched and
soon-to-be-pitcherless carnivorous plants department
of "Marcel Lecoufle" nurseries in Paris).
I watered this plant regularly with the correct
dosage of Superthrive solution for several weeks.
Leaf after leaf was produced, just as before, but
still no pitchers. At the time, the plant was
hanging in a well-lit window with no enclosure,
and thus with the average ambient humidity between
40 and 60%.
After seeing 5 or 6 new pitcherless leaves form,
I concluded that the only thing the Superthrive had
managed to do was kill the sphagnum moss in the
pot, so I decided to try increasing the humidity.
I placed the plant in a large terrarium at about
70-90% humidity, and went back to watering it with
plain distilled water. Shortly afterwards, the
second new leaf it put out developed a beautiful
pitcher. This week it's working on its second one.
Since then, my bottle of Superthrive has been sitting
on a shelf collecting dust.
I had the exact same experience with a small N. alata:
outside the terrarium with Superthrive for 2 months it
didn't produce a single pitcher on 10 new leaves. When
I put it in the terrarium with plain water, every new
leave has had a pitcher.
My suggestion: Shelve the Superthrive, and raise the humidity.
But of course, this is just my own, personal, and far-from-
scientific experience.
Speaking of humidity, does anyone have any suggestions for
Nepenthes species which produce pitchers even in low humidity ?
My plants are outgrowing the terrarium, and there's no space
on my narrow balcony for a greenhouse, so I need a plant that
can put up with dryness. Has anyone come up with any
N. arida, N. desertica, N. suculenta, or N. camelensis hybrids ?
Any ideas would be very welcome.
Best regards,
Gordon Wells
Instituto de Robotica e Informatica Industrial
Edificio Nexus, planta 2
Gran Capitan 2-4
Barcelona 08034
SPAIN
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