Carnivorous Plants - Indoor Windowsill Tour - Summer 2023

[@Shooter12point7]

That's a nice collection of Nepenthes. I wish I had more room to grow some different Nepenthes. I have a ventricosa I got from the Lowe's garden center in 2017. It grow well under artificial light and makes tons of tubby red pitchers. I've made several successful cuttings from it recently. The only other Nepenthes I have is my first - a 'Judith Finn' I bought from Lowe's in 2007. It has huge leaves, takes up a lot of space and goes years without pitchers sometimes. I only keep it out of loyalty because I've already had it so long.

[@davidb5255]

If you asked my wife I'm sure she would say that I have already monopolised too many windowsills already with Nepenthes and the rest, but I like them. I'm on the lookout for some more Nepenthes at some point, ones with different shapes or colours, I really fancy an Himata, oh so toothy. Your Judith Finn looks quite nice, odd how they can go through phases of giving up on their carnivorous habbits, my Linda sometimes goes months without a trap and then all of a sudden produces 3 or 4 really nice big ones. Would love to do some crosses but the only ones I've had flower together are Linda and Alata, conviniently they are female and male, but the seeds they produce don't look viable and the last time I sowed some nothing came up.

[@Shooter12point7]

@@davidb5255 Thanks. My Judith Finn blooms regularly, but my ventricosa has never bloomed. I've of course daydreamed about crossing them since they are the only ones I have, but that seems like an advanced undertaking at this point. I don't even know how to determine male or female, though it's probably a moot point with the ventricosa refusing to flower. I often consider trying to cram just one more type of Nepenthes into my grow space, but it's pretty hard to choose with so many great crosses out there.

[@davidb5255]

Have you tried increasing the humidity to encourage trap formation, either by misting or sticking it in a grazel tray with water in it? I tend to keep my Nepenthes in trays with ~5mm of water, not enough so their roots are sodden (I also use a very open free draining compost) but enough to make sure they don't ever dry out and also keep a humid air around them from the evaporation.

[@Shooter12point7]

@@davidb5255 I'm pretty sure it's the light, actually. I only have one grow space with room for one light. The fluorescent lights that made my Judith Finn pitcher vigorously made my ventricosa pitcher poorly. The opposite effect is what I have now with a purple LED light. Everything except my Judith Finn does really well under the LED light. I live in the Southeastern US, so humidity is not lacking, even indoors.

[@DeadlyPlants2024]

How much humidity do you give your nepenthes?

[@davidb5255]

I don't give them any extra humidity from misting or similar, I just stand them in a windowsill tray which I always keep a few mm of water in, not enough that the compost is wet but enough to provide some ambient humidity. This seems to suit the ones I have both summer and winter. Also makes sure they never dry out.