Nepenthes care

I have several Nepenthes but they dont seem to grow that fast. I live in the Canary Islands, and whereas I have read that they generally need a bit of direct sunlight, I have been a little concerned the sun might be too strong here and have been keeping them under shade cloth along with my Hoyas and Orchids. Should they be getting some direct sun, even if its strong?

Dominic

They don't need sun, i keep mine under 70% shadecloth with my paphiopedilum orchids and there growing fine. I even have some hanging inside on my curtain rods (see pic)that get no sun and low light.
'Don't seem to be growing fast', funny you say that because you can usually watch neps grow. Not growing or not forming pitchers?
Whats the humidity like there?
You keep them moist don't you? What water do you use on them?

They do not need Sun as Bree said. Bright diffused light is fine. Matter of fact if you give them some Sun the leaves tend to turn darker. To help induce pitchering spray the leaves with a one quarter strength orchid fertilizer every 2 weeks keeping the spray off the soil.

Tom

They'll burn in the sun. If there not forming pitchers the humidity is usually too low for them.

Was wondering if you guys could give me some advice on how to grow some Nepenthes Maxima and Nepenthes Rafflesiana. I just got seeds and want to start them for a bog garden in zone 7. I have s. minor pitcher plants already but these are seeds. How should I start? Do I put in individual pots or sow directly in the bog garden. Right now my bog garden is in my greenhouse till they get a better start then it will stay outside from spring on. BUT the Nepenthes may have to come in for winter, I don't know anything about them just yet, the reason I need help here. Do they survive outside here in zone 7 at winter or need to come inside? Do I sow inside now or wait till summer. I'm very new at this.

Hi i don't grow neps from seed im to impatient. hehe!, they grow like weeds and many cuttings can be taken from a plant.
Al ot of carnivorous plant seeds need a stratification process to germinate (a cold period in the fridge), not sure on these ones though.
You'll need to look up a bit more on nep germinating but i think you sow them in small pots of peat moss/ sand and cool them for a month?, then keep humid and moist in a greenhouse spring/summer until they come up.
Sarracenias are better for a bog garden, neps need to be hung or in a tree..how do you have neps in a bog garden?
They both don't like the cold though but the sarras will go dormant and shoot back as it warms, don't know about the neps though. Some species of both would survive cold better though.

I think the nepenthes in general need to stay above freezing but I'll go look up your plants and see what the experts think.

http://www.cpjungle.com/nucraf.htm

http://www.cpjungle.com/nucmax.htm

got some new ones. Nepenthes with three vases (tiny) Beautiful.
Sundew and Cobra lily Darlingtonia Californica

rrm: Great looking plants. If you got those at Lowe's, I'm going to check out the local store. I don't know much about darlingtonia, but am always willing to learn

Lowes has these plants in two sizes. These are the small one they cost about $5.00, the larger ones are $10.00 each.
I like to get the smaller ones I think they do better . They are in a little plastic terranim and they were growing and looking so pretty. When I saw the nepenthe, I really got excited, it has 3 tiny pitchers on it. Wonderful.
I sure do hope I can get them to live. They are so beautiful. Have them in Spagnum moss and rainwater.

That is how I got the red and purple pitcher serrecenias and a venus fly trap. I got them out of the terrariums as soon as possible. I may go look for the darlingtonia. Great finds :).

Darlingtonias are pretty hard to grow. They like there roots kept cool and sun on the plant..some people think ice water in there pots will do but most end up dying. Not saying you can't grow them but keep us updated on how it goes. Iv'e killed a few and i'm not really into going to the trouble top keep them. Has anyone grow them well for a long period of time?

Bree, you having comp. problems. I've done this before. Durn thing didn't want to take and when it did, it went nuts.
I'm hoping I can get it to live. Maybe if bog is deep enough it will be cool enough, you think?

ridesredmule- Yes my comp. stuffed up. How hot does it get there in summer?

You mean in Georgia, It gets pretty close to a 100 degrees , but it doesn't last too long. I think it is hotter longer down there than here.
Is that what is happening to your Comp.? I know they can't stand heat very well. I worked in a factory that had a lot of heat and metal dust that settled on the comp. We had trouble with them quite often. Right now we are in our Winter Season.