Date: Thu, 04 Feb 1999 21:11:50 -0500 From: "Richard Brown" <esoft@ix.netcom.com> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg327$foo@default> Subject: Re:Nepenthes Soil Mix
Don and Sean,
This is a recurring topic on the Digest. Every Nepenthes grower seems to
have concocted their own mix, based upon their growing conditions-
micro-climates- greenhouse in Europe or a lathe house in south Florida? A
few factors are consistent- well drained, yet moisture retentive, and a
mostly neutral to acidic ph. I have my own mix, and I'm constantly
adjusting. Some species seem to need very specific soil characteristics-
ultrabasic or lateritic materials, but most grow well in a well drained
sphag. peat and clay ball/pumice/perlite mixture, maybe with fir bark,
sphagnum moss, coir fiber, charcoal as an added component. Lately, I have
placed a couple of plants in pure sphagnum moss to see what would happen.
I've had wonderful results, as long as the moss is not packed to tightly.
these plants also require less watering. I have also noticed that N.
mirabilis prefers a heavy peat moss mix, and N. bicalcarata likes a peaty
mix, but not as heavy as mirabilis.
I have found that coir peat breaks down quickly into a reddish sludge, and
rot out a Nepenthes root system very suddenly. Be careful if you use these
"just add water" bricks!
Good growing,
Trent Meeks
Pompano Beach, Florida
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Tue Jan 02 2001 - 17:31:54 PST