THE NO B.S. CARE GUIDE TO GROWING TROPICAL PITCHER PLANTS FOR CANADIANS!
In my opinion, Nepenthes are the deadliest of the carnivorous plant family. A tropical vine that grows up to 30 feet long with 9 inch pitchers, capable of eating small rodents and lizards. Native to the Philippines. Easy to grow but slow to mature . Like most carnivorous plants they have some specific care requirements for success. Be sure to provide plenty of bright direct sunlight, high humidity and to keep soil consistently moist. While the soil can handle some fertilizer, it is best to feed them via their traps. Carnivorous soil mix is highly preferred. You can gamble with your tap water if it is below 150 PPM (TDS), but for guaranteed results, use only distilled or rain water. For more in depth care and FAQ read below.
SCIENTIFIC NAME:
NEPENTHES ALATA (NUH-PEN- THEEZ AL-AH-TA)
ORIGIN:
PHILIPPINES, SOUTHEAST ASIA (ZONES 12-13)
SIZE:
HEIGHT: VINES CAN GET UP TO 30 FEET LONG (9 M), LOWER PITCHERS UP TO 7 INCHES (18 CM), UPPER PITCHERS UP TO 9 INCHES (23 CM)
DIAMETER: APPROX. 18 INCHES (45 CM)
SOIL:
DO NOT USE REGULAR POTTING SOIL!!
THESE GUYS PREFER TO GROW IN NUTRIENT DEFICIENT, MOIST, WELL DRAINING AND SLIGHTLY ACIDIC SOIL (PH BETWEEN 5.0 – 6.5).
USE OUR CARNIVOROUS MIX OR MAKE YOUR OWN WITH A BLEND OF EQUAL PARTS SPHAGNUM PEATMOSS, & PERLITE.
LIGHT:
8 – 14 + HOURS OF INDIRECT SUNLIGHT DAILY. BEST PLACED SLIGHTLY BACK FROM A BRIGHT SOUTH FACING WINDOW. DIRECTLY IN EAST/WEST FACING WINDOW ALSO GREAT AS THEY CAN HANDLE SOME DIRECT SUNLIGHT.
WATER:
MOSTLY STAY AWAY FROM TAP WATER.
UNLESS YOU HAVE TESTED YOUR WATER WITH A TDS (TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS) METER AND THE READING IS LESS THAN APPROX. 150 PPM.
OTHERWISE, IT IS BEST TO USE RAINWATER, REVERSE OSMOSIS OR DISTILLED WATER.
PITCHER PLANTS DON’T LIKE TO DRY OUT SO KEEP SOIL CONSISTENTLY WET, BUT NOT SOAKED.
HUMIDITY:
PITCHER PLANTS LOVE HUMIDITY AND WOULDN’T COMPLAIN AT NEAR 100% RH. REALISTICALLY, AIM FOR A RH (RELATIVE HUMIDITY) AROUND 50-70%.
THIS CAN BE ACHEIVED WITH A HUMIDIFIER, TRAY OF WATER NEAR BY, OR KEEPING IN A TERRARIUM. REMEMBER, MOST CANADIAN HOMES SIT AROUND 30 – 50% RH.
FEEDING:
AVOID FERTILIZING SOIL, USE FOLIAR SPRAY OR GRANULAR FERTILIZER IN TRAPS!
MOSTLY, THEY DO FINE ON THEIR OWN TRAPPING INSECTS, BUT IF YOU FEEL THEY COULD USE SOME HELP, FEEL FREE TO DO THE FOLLOWING.
1. MANUALLY FEED THEM INSECTS DROPPED INTO THEIR TRAPS. MEAL WORMS, FISH FLAKES OR CRICKETS FROM THE PET STORE WORK GREAT.
2. FEED THEM A PELLET/GRANULAR FORM SLOW RELEASE FERTILIZER SUCH AS NUTRICOTE, DROPPED INTO THEIR TRAPS.
3. SPRAY LEAVES WITH A FOLIAR SPRAY.
POTS:
DUE TO BEING VINES, THESE DO GREAT IN HANGING POTS WITH DRAINAGE OR EVEN ORCHID/NET POTS.
– 4 INCH (10 CM) POTS FOR SMALLER PLANTS.
– 6 INCH ( 15 CM) POTS FOR MEDIUM PLANTS.
– 8+ INCH (20 CM) POTS FOR LARGE PLANTS.
KEEP PLANTS IN APPROPRIATE SIZED POTS FOR THEIR SIZE TO AVOID OVERWATERING.
AVOID USING POROUS MATERIALS SUCH AS TERRA COTA, UNGLAZED CERAMIC, CLAY, CONCRETE OR METAL POTS!
WINTER CARE:
UNLIKE MOST CARNIVOROUS PLANTS, NEPENTHES ARE TROPICAL SO THEY DO NOT NEED A WINTER DORMANCY. CONTINUE TO GROW AS PER USUAL.
DUE TO OUR DRY CANADIAN WINTERS AND LACK OF DAYLIGHT HOURS, YOUR NEPENTHES WILL SERIOUSLY SLOW DOWN ITS GROWTH.
EITHER LET IT BE OR SUPPLEMENT LIGHTING WITH A FULL SPECTRUM GROW LIGHT.
KEEP HUMIDITY HIGH BY FREQUENETLY MISTING, KEEPING CLOSE TO HUMIDIFIER, PLACING IN TERRARIUM, OR KEEPING TRAY OF WATER CLOSE BY.
F.A.Q:
1. NORMAL LIFECYCLE– YOUR OLDER PITCHERS WILL DIE OFF OVER TIME AFTER HAVING SPENT THEIR ENERGY, ALLOWING NEW PITCHERS TO GROW IN THEIR PLACE.
2. SHOCK– THIS IS PRETTY NORMAL IF YOU JUST BROUGHT YOUR PLANT HOME OR RECENTLY TRANSPLANTED. GIVE YOUR PLANT SOME TIME TO ADAPT TO IT’S NEW CONDITIONS AND IT SHOULD START PUTTING OUT NEW LEAVES WITH PITCHERS IN NO TIME.
2. POOR GROWING CONDITIONS– CHECK THAT YOU HAVE MET ALL THE ABOVE CONDITIONS! LACK OF LIGHT, TOO DRY/TOO WET SOIL & LOW HUMIDITY ARE CULPRITS OF DYING PITCHERS.
THEIR PITCHERS PRODUCE A SWEET NECTAR WHICH LURES INSECTS INTO THEIR TRAPS. ONCE IN INSIDE THEY DROWN IN THE TRAPS DIGESTIVE LIQUIDS AND ARE ABSORBED AS NUTRIENTS FOR THE PLANT.
THEY DO REALLY WELL BY THEMSELVES SO YOU YOU DON’T HAVE TO FEED THEM, BUT THEY DO APPRECIATE A GOOD FEEDING! 1 DECENT SIZE BUG, IN A SINGLE TRAP, ONCE A MONTH, WILL KEEP THEM HAPPY. SAME GOES FOR PELLET STYLE FERTILIZER. IF YOU ARE USING A FOLIAR SPRAY, GIVE THE LEAVES A LIGHT SPRAY ONCE EVERY 2 WEEKS.
IF ANYTHING, TRY NOT TO OVERFEED YOUR PITCHERS. TOO MUCH FOOD IN A SINGLE PITCHER WILL CAUSE IT TO ROT AND DIE BACK.
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