Date: Wed, 19 Nov 1997 05:02:36 -0500 (EST) From: Perry Malouf <pmalouf@access.digex.net> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg4411$foo@default> Subject: Re: Nep. soil
Trent Meeks wrote:
> ...I'm convinced the reason most of the hard to grow species are so
> difficult is because of soil. Check out N. merrilliana, petiolata and
> northiana. Our traditional mixes just are not what they like.
> ..."iron -magnesium" soil found in the red hills on northern Mindinao..
> ...limestone hills near Bau, Sarawak... What is unique about> the soil?
Yes, the 'traditional mixes' are nothing like the soil found in
Nepenthes habitats. This became obvious to me durng my trip to
Kinabalu Park. I use sphagnum and perlite. The soils I found
Nepenthes growing in was a slimy, mineral-rich muck. No aeration
whatsoever, especially compared with the sphagnum/perlite. Also,
I found that the root systems of wild Nepenthes were very small
compared to the size of the plant. A N. rajah that was over 1 m tall
and a little wider had a root ball only slightly larger than my fist.
I suspect that the plant could get away with this because it's in
perpetually high humidity and so doesn't transpire much water.
Since the water demand is low, it doesn't need a large root system.
This is only speculation.
Regards,
Perry Malouf
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