Date: Sat, 7 Jun 1997 12:21:29 +0100 From: Clarke Brunt <clarke@brunt.demon.co.uk> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg2251$foo@default> Subject: Re: Nepenthes alata (was hello everyone!)
On 2 Jun 97 at 10:30, Ramsay Haxton wrote:
> I'm 14 years old and about to try N.alata from seed. I am wondering
> whether a heated propagator on a warm west-facing windowsill above a
> radiator is enough to meet the high temperatures supposedly needed for
> germination. Also I would like to try 'training' these (possible)
> seedlings to live in a conservatory environment, a windowsill
> environment and in a tiny terrarium in the same situation as the
> propagator. (And I mean tiny...it's about 18 inches long, 14 inches high
> and maybe 8 inches wide.. the plant should get a good start though,
> until it's moved into a larger home!)
> If anyone has some brief tips on the germination or the aftercare of
> these plants eg. growing medium, control of overwhelmingly rapid growth
> :), I'd be very grateful!
I'm not all that experienced with Nepenthes, but I'm doing OK with a
bought N. alata, some plants which I was given as unrooted cuttings,
and some N. madagascariensis from seed.
First, if your seed doesn't germinate, then it might not be your
fault. I've sown several packets, but only got anything from N.
khasiana (which subsequently died, probably because I had no idea
about cultivation back then), and the N. madagascariensis. I wonder
do N. alata seeds really need a high temperature - the plants
themselves don't seem to.
I bought my N. alata at a garden centre and it has since proved very
amenable. It has grown in the greenhouse (but some leaves got
scorched), hung from the curtain-rail in the house, and is now in
the bathroom. It's probably had temperatures below 50F/10C in the
Winter, but has still grown almost continuously. If I've any
complaint, it's that there's too much growth and not enough pitchers,
but it's getting some more at the moment. I must make some of the
excess length of vines into cuttings.
My only suggestion for soil is not to use too much peat in it. I use
bark chips (just ondinary ones from the garden centre intended for
mulching), with some peat/perlite/sand. My N. madagascariensis
almost didn't grow at all for their first year or two from seed
and wilted the moment they were removed from the propagator. I put
this down to an almost pure peat soil and hence no roots. Now they
have got more air in the mix, I have finally been able to wean them
from the propagator and they are starting to grow well.
-- Clarke Brunt (clarke@brunt.demon.co.uk) http://www.brunt.demon.co.uk/ Cacti in Mexico, Cacti in flower, Frogspawn, etc.
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