I use tap water but it’s from a well so It might be a bit overly mineral. I can try and deionize it.
Ah well I’d start with the first thing. Nepenthes aren’t bog plants, they don’t like sitting in water. They like they’re medium moist. So I’d dump the water out of the tray it’s in and only pour water in the try when the medium starts feeling like it’s about to dry out.
Nepenthes like being kept moist, not wet. Think of a moist sponge. They appreciate a well draining potting mix and dislike standing in water constantly. They should never be allowed to completely dry out. You can keep them in saucers of water indoors, but they must be allowed to evaporate in between waterings.
Nepenthes like to remain moist but not flooded. This is best accomplished by top watering them 2-3 times per week. The shallow tray method can be used when going out of town. Fill the tray with about 1” of water and then allow the tray to dry out for a couple days before refilling.
Just to give you info from some professional and reputable nepenthes growers!
Oops meant bog plants. Mine is a pitcher plant. Is that the same thing ? So I should let it dry out and then water it ? I haven’t watered it at all since I’ve had it. I just let it float on a body of water.
Bog plants are more like Sarracenia (American pitcher plants), some Drosera (sundews) and Dionaea muscipula (venus fly traps). They’re plants that like more wet soils and don’t want it to dry out, and, obviously, their native habitats are bogs.
Nepenthes, or tropical pitcher plants, are tropical plants. Some species grow on the sides of cliff faces or more in the mountains of tropical areas. They like wet air more than wet soil.
If your plant looks similar to this or this then yea then that’s an entirely different plant genus than nepenthes and it’ll do fine wetter conditions. I would still like the water in the tray get soaked up before filling it again, just make sure the medium doesn’t get dry.
Are you growing this indoors or outdoors?
Also, if it’s winter then keep in mind sarracenia are perennial, meaning they go dormant starting in the mid-late fall and all through winter.
Unfortunately looks like neither of those. Really annoying you can’t send photos. It’s a nepenthes Diana.
It was winter and I assumed it would drop all it’s pitchers and go dormant. However its leaves are also a bit brown.
I’ve had it inside the whole time. I got it to try kill of some flies. Thought it would be a nice non toxic alternative. So I was hoping to propagate it and leave it in all the rooms to drop the fly population.
Ah yes! That’s a great little hybrid. This plant, no?
It was winter and I assumed it would drop all it’s pitchers and go dormant. However its leaves are also a bit brown.
In cooler times in nature they don’t go dormant, they just make less pitchers.
Here’s my suggestions
Let the medium get almost dry between waterings
When it does, fill up the tray and let the water be absorbed or evaporated.
Move it to an east facing window, or outside during spring
Maybe it needs more light. New Zealand has a fairly tropical climate IIRC so outdoors in the spring might be a great idea.
Here’s an interesting read about light.
If you tap water has a PPM above 50, repot
I don’t think you’ll have to do this as looking at your governments legislation the water is a lot better than some parts of America.
Ah well I’d start with the first thing. Nepenthes aren’t bog plants, they don’t like sitting in water. They like they’re medium moist. So I’d dump the water out of the tray it’s in and only pour water in the try when the medium starts feeling like it’s about to dry out.
I thought they were big plants and had to sit in water ? I’ll get the water out then. It floats on top of water if that makes sense
No they don’t prefer sitting in water. From the RedLeaf Exotics site:
And from Carnivero:
Just to give you info from some professional and reputable nepenthes growers!
Oops meant bog plants. Mine is a pitcher plant. Is that the same thing ? So I should let it dry out and then water it ? I haven’t watered it at all since I’ve had it. I just let it float on a body of water.
I’ll change that up now. Thanks for advice
Bog plants are more like Sarracenia (American pitcher plants), some Drosera (sundews) and Dionaea muscipula (venus fly traps). They’re plants that like more wet soils and don’t want it to dry out, and, obviously, their native habitats are bogs.
Nepenthes, or tropical pitcher plants, are tropical plants. Some species grow on the sides of cliff faces or more in the mountains of tropical areas. They like wet air more than wet soil.
Oh mine is Sarracenia. I think it must be the American pitcher plant. Looks very similar but with smaller pitchers. So it is a bog plant
If your plant looks similar to this or this then yea then that’s an entirely different plant genus than nepenthes and it’ll do fine wetter conditions. I would still like the water in the tray get soaked up before filling it again, just make sure the medium doesn’t get dry.
Are you growing this indoors or outdoors?
Also, if it’s winter then keep in mind sarracenia are perennial, meaning they go dormant starting in the mid-late fall and all through winter.
Unfortunately looks like neither of those. Really annoying you can’t send photos. It’s a nepenthes Diana.
It was winter and I assumed it would drop all it’s pitchers and go dormant. However its leaves are also a bit brown.
I’ve had it inside the whole time. I got it to try kill of some flies. Thought it would be a nice non toxic alternative. So I was hoping to propagate it and leave it in all the rooms to drop the fly population.
I’m New Zealand so just coming into spring now.
Ah yes! That’s a great little hybrid. This plant, no?
In cooler times in nature they don’t go dormant, they just make less pitchers.
Here’s my suggestions
When it does, fill up the tray and let the water be absorbed or evaporated.
Maybe it needs more light. New Zealand has a fairly tropical climate IIRC so outdoors in the spring might be a great idea. Here’s an interesting read about light.
I don’t think you’ll have to do this as looking at your governments legislation the water is a lot better than some parts of America.
Here’s another guide to repotting from a reputable grower. They even have suggestions of when to repot.
Other than that Nepenthes ‘Diana’ is a pretty vigorous and hardy hybrid.