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Post by astaroth1990 on Jul 11, 2013 20:27:06 GMT
Hello everyone, I need some help/suggestions with my nep. It's been growing since april 2012 in my bedroom, in front of an east facing window, so I think it's got enough light. The traps have never been full of liquid, I think it's probably due to lacking humidity; but it has been growing well nevertheless. Now, it has gotten quite tall lately, so I'm not sure what I should do. I'm posting several pictures. I don't know if I should repot it, I actually don't know exactly in which media it is (I bought it in that pot); does it need a bigger pot?. Should I try and make some stem cuttings? It's winter down here (I'm in Argentina), is that important? In one of the pictures you can see a trap that didn't form, I suspect because of lacking light, it was in the dark part of the tall stem (I lowered it a bit a couple of days ago) Any advice would be appreciated. I only started growing CPs about two years ago, so I still got a lot to learn, and take info from where I can get it, mainly Barry Rice's page, Peter D'Amato's book, and this forum. I thank you all in advance for your comments! Here go the pics: This is the tallest branch of the plant: This one's the failed trap I mentioned before Here are the two low branches And lastly, a picture of the media and what I think to be a new shoot:
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Post by hcarlton on Jul 12, 2013 4:20:51 GMT
Looks like the plant could use a repot, into airier soil, something like a sphagnum/perlite mix. And it's really up to you whether or not you want to cut it back, the plant will do fine ust continuing to grow. As for the pitchers, they are not meant to be full of liquid, just a little pool in the bottom of the pitcher, and occasionally leaves skip pitchers. In the case of your plant, which looks a lot more like a N. x ventrata than an actual alata to me, low light levels on the tendrils should not affect pitcher production whatsoever.
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coline
Full Member
Life's essence: patience
Posts: 484
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Post by coline on Jul 12, 2013 14:18:41 GMT
The thing with the plant growing indoors is that now when it is so tall, your window makes it have no light in the high shoot, so then your plant has no light there, and it would be better to make cuttings, you may make them with 2-3 leaves each as they are so big. The plant looks great indeed, you may very well continue to grow it there. And indeed seems a Ventrata plant. Another benefit from that cutting procedure is that the plant makes new shoots from the stem you leave, and it will make big pitchers again.
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Post by astaroth1990 on Jul 12, 2013 17:14:23 GMT
Thank you for the quick replies! It is quite possible that it's a ventrata, I only assumed it was alata, and I purchased it from an orchid seller who had received it by mistake. I've been thinking of repotting it for a long time, but restrained myself because it was growing so well. Does it need a bigger pot, or do you think it'll be fine in the one it is? It's approximately 14cm wide. And would it be better to wait until spring, or can it be done now, despite the season?
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Post by hcarlton on Jul 13, 2013 4:14:20 GMT
These are tropical plants, unless they experience dramatic changes in temperature in your house the seasons don't matter. And a bigger pot is often better, especially if the plant turns out to be rootbound.
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Post by astaroth1990 on Jul 13, 2013 13:31:16 GMT
That's great! Thank you for the replies! I'll repot it soon, and I guess I'll do take some cuttings while I'm at it.
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