Nepenthes & hydroponics: Preliminary results.
Sept 7, 2016 12:56:35 GMT -10
Post by mikuláš on Sept 7, 2016 12:56:35 GMT -10
I've been experimenting with growing Nepenthes hydroponically since March 2015, so for about a year and a half now. I'd like to share my results in this thread, and then give some details about my method.
So why grow Nepenthes hydroponically? A few reasons:
1. Some of you may know that I've been interested in growing Nepenthes in inorganic media to avoid repotting. In my experience, Nepenthes don't like repotting, and it's a very difficult task with large plants. Since some inorganic media theoretically never decompose, repotting is no longer necessary.
2. Automation. Having a system that waters my plants for me is a huge time saver. Since I do not have a greenhouse and do not grow outdoors, I can't rely on misters. A drip irrigation system fits my circumstances best.
Anyway, some before and after photos should give an idea of how the experiment went. NB: My photos below may be used & reproduced for any non-commercial purposes whatsoever. Attribution appreciated but not required. Click any of the photos below for full-sized versions on Flickr.
N. Hopeful Monsters (open-pollinated merrilliana hybrid).
2015-03-29: Growing in rockwool cubes prior to transplant:
2015-06-22: three months later, after hydroponics, in the same pot. Decent amount of growth.
Roots before (left) and after (right):
N. splendiana x Redneck
2015-04-22: Growing in 3.5" / 9 cm pot before transplant, in rockwool cubes.
Left, 2015-07-23: After 3 months in hydro, 1 gal. (size #1) nursery pot. Right: eleven months after the photo on the left, 2016-06-22. Same pot in both pics. The plant had 3 vines in the right photo, still holding onto some of its pitchers from the previous summer:
N. Josefita, clone 2. Unregistered grex. Splendiana x Song of Melancholy.
Left, 2015-11-08: Just repotted from 3.5" pot into 1 gal (size #1) nursery pot. Right, 2016-04-04: Five months later, same pot.
Roots after. About 85% of this was grown while in hydroponics.
N. Los Alamos. Unregistered grex. Splendiana x a different Song of Melancholy.
2015-10-18: Just repotted into 1 gal. nursery pot, was growing in rockwool cubes.
2016-05-11: Seven months later, same pot. In spike.
Roots after.
For the following plants, I only have after shots, but I think they're still informative photos.
N. splendiana, 2016-03-06. Fifteen of the 18 leaves pictured were grown hydroponically.
Roots after growing hydroponically for several months:
N. ventrata, 2016-04-23. About 15 new leaves in about 5 months of hydroponics. The white rope divides the pre- vs. post-transition to hydroponic growth.
N. graciliflora (?) aka alata var. boschiana mimic, 2016-02-27. Two-thirds of the vegetative mass shown here was produced while on hydroponics.
Here's a Fairyland (sanguinea x clipeata) grown in hydroponics, left & middle, and some nice pitchers from other plants grown hydroponically (Josefita, splendiana, maxima x vogelii).
My splendiana x ((veitchii x maxima) x veitchii) also made its biggest pitcher ever while on hydro. I could not get a whole plant shot, as it's lost in a tangle of other plants:
In that tangle pictured above are also growing N. Rokko 'Wolfplant', Red Leopard, and Isis (spathulata x albomarginata natural hybrid), all hydroponically.
Other plants that have succeeded for me hydroponically include
-additional clones of Los Alamos
-boschiana x fusca
-a wild maxima-sanguinea hybrid
-(spathulata x bongso) x (boschiana x (spectabilis x veitchii)?)
-lowii x campanulata
-x Tiveyi
-poi dog alata hybrid
-"thorelii" x alata
-Redneck (Toyoshimae x maxima dark)
A few plants that have not done well include eymae x ephippiata and a clone of Song of Melancholy (boschiana x (spectabilis x veitchii)?). There are mitigating factors to consider in these failures. I'll discuss those in a subsequent post.
These plants are all grown in 100% coarse perlite that has been sifted through a #10 bonsai screen. Pots are all #1 size, commonly know as 1 gallon pots in the US (although they are not, in fact, a gallon by volume. Plants are watered 4 times daily for 15 minutes each through drip irrigation on a recirculating system. I fertilize weekly with a 9-3-6 fertilizer. All plants are grown indoors without supplemental humidity. I'm in the process of converting the rest of my collection to hydroponics.
I'd be happy to answer any questions, but I can't guarantee a speedy reply. Patience is appreciated
So why grow Nepenthes hydroponically? A few reasons:
1. Some of you may know that I've been interested in growing Nepenthes in inorganic media to avoid repotting. In my experience, Nepenthes don't like repotting, and it's a very difficult task with large plants. Since some inorganic media theoretically never decompose, repotting is no longer necessary.
2. Automation. Having a system that waters my plants for me is a huge time saver. Since I do not have a greenhouse and do not grow outdoors, I can't rely on misters. A drip irrigation system fits my circumstances best.
Anyway, some before and after photos should give an idea of how the experiment went. NB: My photos below may be used & reproduced for any non-commercial purposes whatsoever. Attribution appreciated but not required. Click any of the photos below for full-sized versions on Flickr.
N. Hopeful Monsters (open-pollinated merrilliana hybrid).
2015-03-29: Growing in rockwool cubes prior to transplant:
2015-06-22: three months later, after hydroponics, in the same pot. Decent amount of growth.
Roots before (left) and after (right):
N. splendiana x Redneck
2015-04-22: Growing in 3.5" / 9 cm pot before transplant, in rockwool cubes.
Left, 2015-07-23: After 3 months in hydro, 1 gal. (size #1) nursery pot. Right: eleven months after the photo on the left, 2016-06-22. Same pot in both pics. The plant had 3 vines in the right photo, still holding onto some of its pitchers from the previous summer:
N. Josefita, clone 2. Unregistered grex. Splendiana x Song of Melancholy.
Left, 2015-11-08: Just repotted from 3.5" pot into 1 gal (size #1) nursery pot. Right, 2016-04-04: Five months later, same pot.
Roots after. About 85% of this was grown while in hydroponics.
N. Los Alamos. Unregistered grex. Splendiana x a different Song of Melancholy.
2015-10-18: Just repotted into 1 gal. nursery pot, was growing in rockwool cubes.
2016-05-11: Seven months later, same pot. In spike.
Roots after.
For the following plants, I only have after shots, but I think they're still informative photos.
N. splendiana, 2016-03-06. Fifteen of the 18 leaves pictured were grown hydroponically.
Roots after growing hydroponically for several months:
N. ventrata, 2016-04-23. About 15 new leaves in about 5 months of hydroponics. The white rope divides the pre- vs. post-transition to hydroponic growth.
N. graciliflora (?) aka alata var. boschiana mimic, 2016-02-27. Two-thirds of the vegetative mass shown here was produced while on hydroponics.
Here's a Fairyland (sanguinea x clipeata) grown in hydroponics, left & middle, and some nice pitchers from other plants grown hydroponically (Josefita, splendiana, maxima x vogelii).
My splendiana x ((veitchii x maxima) x veitchii) also made its biggest pitcher ever while on hydro. I could not get a whole plant shot, as it's lost in a tangle of other plants:
In that tangle pictured above are also growing N. Rokko 'Wolfplant', Red Leopard, and Isis (spathulata x albomarginata natural hybrid), all hydroponically.
Other plants that have succeeded for me hydroponically include
-additional clones of Los Alamos
-boschiana x fusca
-a wild maxima-sanguinea hybrid
-(spathulata x bongso) x (boschiana x (spectabilis x veitchii)?)
-lowii x campanulata
-x Tiveyi
-poi dog alata hybrid
-"thorelii" x alata
-Redneck (Toyoshimae x maxima dark)
A few plants that have not done well include eymae x ephippiata and a clone of Song of Melancholy (boschiana x (spectabilis x veitchii)?). There are mitigating factors to consider in these failures. I'll discuss those in a subsequent post.
These plants are all grown in 100% coarse perlite that has been sifted through a #10 bonsai screen. Pots are all #1 size, commonly know as 1 gallon pots in the US (although they are not, in fact, a gallon by volume. Plants are watered 4 times daily for 15 minutes each through drip irrigation on a recirculating system. I fertilize weekly with a 9-3-6 fertilizer. All plants are grown indoors without supplemental humidity. I'm in the process of converting the rest of my collection to hydroponics.
I'd be happy to answer any questions, but I can't guarantee a speedy reply. Patience is appreciated