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Post by sebastian1 on Apr 6, 2012 23:37:26 GMT 7
Hi all, A short while ago Geoff Mansell made this graceous offer. So please post any questions you have about Exotica-Plants on this thread. I'll start with the one that lots of people would like to know. How do you get the pitchers so big? From what I know you grow all your highland Nepenthes in pure live sphagnum (anything else added for drainage?) and often with a drip system (as seen in photographs) but what do you feed them? Thanks in advanced. Sebastian |
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Post by mannyherrera on Apr 6, 2012 23:50:04 GMT 7
I, too, have wondered how they produce such big pitchers. I've concluded that it's trick photography. Vodoo was a close second.
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Post by kevnep on Apr 7, 2012 0:05:56 GMT 7
well geoff has more experience than any of us
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Post by ep on Apr 7, 2012 10:27:19 GMT 7
Hi All. Seb, you pmed me and said you were serious so I will have to take this thread at face value. However, with my reputation shot I wouldn't think I would get many questions.  Location! Location! Location!  Why ask me specifically? I have seen other nursery growers post pics of quite impressive pitchers. I have seen many pics from Sam at Leilani, BE's QoH before the diet, Sunbelle, just look at their avatar(sumatrana) and many others. The difficult part of this question is that no one answer suits every location. Like you Sebastian and the other growers in the UK, you have it difficult especially in the Winter months with the low light hours. If it was me in the UK, I would look at artificial lighting to make up for the lack of light, to start. Perhaps look at how the Dutch grow Anthuriums etc. for some hints. Other than that please see the link to our growing tips section in our website. www.exoticaplants.com.au/welcome.aspx?page=79&mid=4 |
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Post by william9in on Apr 7, 2012 13:09:47 GMT 7
You are one of the top two nepenthes growers in the world, and like a celebrity, people like to rub shoulders. So it's my tern. What is the PH of your water 6.5? |
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Post by ep on Apr 7, 2012 13:28:57 GMT 7
Hi william9in,
pH of 6.5 is generally ok but you should also take into account the pH of your potting media. If your media is quite acid then stick with the upper level of 6.5 but anywhere between 5.5 and 6.5 pH should be good.
Cheers,
Andrea
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Post by sebastian1 on Apr 7, 2012 19:42:41 GMT 7
Geoff and Andrea.
Thank you for your response, I do mean this thread to be serious as there are many growers interested in your cultivation methods.
Unfortunately you didn't really answer my question, which was what do you feed them? Your website states they feed off "insects or small animals". Do you not use any nutrients?
Also as I mentioned before I have seen the drip system set up with some of the larger plants in your collection. Is it purely live sphagnum they are growing in or do you use anything else for drainage? I ask because sphagnum often becomes too wet for highland Nepenthes sp. but it seems to work very well for you.
Thank you
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Post by sunbelle on Apr 7, 2012 20:11:13 GMT 7
sebastian,
Do what works for you in your conditions.
Feeding and mix will depend on how you are growing these plants. Indoors, outdoors, light levels, humidity, and which species/hybrids. There are so many different variables that can lead to success or failure. It's like cooking.
We don't grow our plants exactly like anyone else, even other growers in S. Florida.
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Post by jdrudge on Apr 8, 2012 6:23:46 GMT 7
Firstly, Sebastian,
There's no trick photography in Geoff and Andrea's shots of their ginormous pictures. They're for real; Ive been there and seen them!
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Post by ep on Apr 8, 2012 6:24:12 GMT 7
Hi All.
Seb, Sunbelle pretty much summed it up in their post.
If you are asking about specific fertiliser regimes all I can recommend is if you think your plants are lacking, experiment with a weak solution and adjust it as you see fit. As they feed through their leaves I would use a foliar fertiliser. Experiment with reduced rates as you can't take it out easily when you have put it in. We have seen over fertilised Nepenthes take up to 2 years to start producing normal pitchers again.
Drippers are a good back up for when the plants grow large and cover other pots. Otherwise I would recommend overhead irrigation as it cleans the leaves etc. Our highlands grow in pure LFS, nothing else. If your sphagnum is becoming too wet it is either packed to tightly or your water is high in minerals/salts and breaking it down. It should grow if all is okay.
Cheers,
Geoff
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Post by jdrudge on Apr 8, 2012 6:36:48 GMT 7
Hey Geoff and Andrea
I recently acquired some Nepenthes which most likely originated from your nursery.
Many of them were without labels or were quite obviously mis-labelled.
I've posted them in the "ID Please" section of this forum.
I've already received some great opinions on what they could be, but would you mind taking a look and offering your expert opinions on what these plants might be?
It would be very much appreciated.
Thanks
Jeff
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Post by jdrudge on Apr 8, 2012 6:41:22 GMT 7
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boris
Full Member
Posts: 171
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Post by boris on Apr 8, 2012 7:04:05 GMT 7
Location! Location! Location! [/url] [/quote] That's the point! No artificial light has nearly the quality of sunlight and dayly rain is the next bonus. Nevertheless my answere isn't meant to narrow the knowledge of BE,EP, Leilani and Sunbelle. |
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Post by Predator08 on Apr 8, 2012 11:25:24 GMT 7
Sebastian, Given that many nepenthes can be seen in the wild growing in live sphagnum, I think the problem is when the sphagnum breaks down and compresses.
Looking at photos show eps is all living and looks very aerated which is probably a massive bonus to their plants.
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Post by ep on Apr 8, 2012 11:43:04 GMT 7
Hi Jeff,
1. If this plant originated from us then it could only be one of a number of atypical N.bokorensis plants that germinated from seed we were sent. Rather then sell them as N.bokorensis or destroy them, we sold them in hanging pots to a few general nurseries. I don't know where the N.thorelii label came from but it wouldn't have been what we labeled the plant as.
2. This is a hard one. Definitely a N.stenophylla hybrid. Looking at the leaves I would say a complex hybrid with N. stenophylla x lowii. Now, the only N.steno x lowii hybrid that would fit the picture would be N.(stenophylla x lowii) x (Rokko x veitchii). This is an old hybrid and being a complex one at that, it's so difficult to be sure. Maybe just label it as N.stenophylla hybrid until you can send us a picture of lower pitchers as this would give us a better idea.
3. N.thorelii x truncata (c) on our price list which is N.thorelii (d) x truncata. As N.thorelii (d) appears to be N.bokorensis then label it as N.bokorensis x truncata.
4. I would agree with the spectabilis x ventricosa or vice versa. If it was a cutting bought from us then it could only be N.spectabilis x ventricosa-red. The pitchers don't look as dark as ours but that could be just growing conditions.
Hope this helps.
Cheers,
Andrea
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