Nepenthes ventricosa seeds

[magnum]

I just got my hands on some seeds and I have never tried Nepenthes seeds before. What are some germination practices that have worked for people?

[matti]

Just curious, were did you get them from magnum?

[magnum]

During my normal spring seed acquiring frenzy i stumbled across a site called Cascade Carnivores. They were running a special (50 seeds foe $1) so I thought I'd give it a try.

[BarryRice]

My experience is that you want to get them in moist, dead Sphagnum now! Some don't last very long.

Keep them humid, warm, and in bright light. Hope for the best.

When I'm germinating Nepenthes, I put them in baggies to keep the humidity very very high. Maybe those with more expertise with the genus will offer different opinions, in which case I'd trust their testimony more than mine!

Barry

[rsivertsen]

I also use ziploc plastig bags, but perfer to microwave the dead sphagnum, mixed with distilled water for a minute or two to sterilize the medium, and wait til it cools off to about 100(F) before dropping in the seeds. The wamth will also encourage germination; keep them in a warm (80-85 F), and they will germinate generally in 6 weeks.

[phissionkorps]

I stay away from sphag when germinating nep seeds. It doesn't work very well in my experience...i.e. it turns to mush, grows liverworts and whatnot, and makes it extremely hard to transplant seedlings without damaging their roots. I also have higher germination on peat/perlite/verviculite (1:1:1). If you have a terrarium, just put the pot(s) in there and stay away from plastic bags. Not only do they interfere with the light (not to a huge degree, but to one that is considerable and detrimental), but the closed moist environment is just asking for fungus and other unwanteds

[magnum]

Instead of closed plastic bags i use rigid plastic boxes. I get them from the dining halls at school. To combat dampening off I use a captan drench. Do you know if that fungicide is ok to use with Nepenthes?

[jjk]

What works best for me for germinating Nep seeds is a mix of 50% coco peat (rinsed well) and 50% perlite (also rinsed) laid a little more than an inch deep in a tray with drainage holes on the bottom.

[magnum]

How long do seeds generally take to germinate?

[phissionkorps]

If theyre fresh two or three weeks. If theyre not fresh, or if you don't do it right, it could take months...or it could never happen

[rsivertsen]

Growing Nepenthes from seed is the best way to get to understand these (or any) plants; you'll see the genetic diversety that unravels from the seedlings, and will see individual traits in the seedlings, hardly any two being identical. Over the years, I've had seeds germinate anywhere from a few weeks, to over a year after the first wave of germination; on average, they generally take about 6 weeks, give them bottom heat at 80(F), and sterilize the media before sowing the seeds to reduce the risk of fungus, and molds, and also to kill off the spores of unwanted mosses that might overwhelm the seedlings once they germinate.

[magnum]

rsivertsen
How do you sterilize your soil?

[rsivertsen]

I moisten it with distilled water, put it in a zip-lock plastig bag, and cook it in the microwave for a minute or two, which usually does the trick in wiping out any eggs in there too! Sometime sow bugs and pill bugs (which are really crustaceans) present a problem for me, along with millipedes, snails and slugs. Since I've been cooking the media in the microwave, before transplanting any seedlings and cuttings, the problem is under control.

[magnum]

;D

I believe I have my first seedling. Now if I can just keep it alive...

I've herd that dropping the humidity a week after germination can be helpful.

Is there any other advise that people have?

Thanks!

[matti]

Yep, thats a seedling, wait till it gets 2 - 3 pitchers and then transplant them to your coir mix with abit of osmacoat and grow them with your normal neps, try not to keep them too wet or the surface of the mix can grow algae.