Soil requirements, watering, and fertilization

[nepsaroundthehouse]

Use this thread to discuss your soil recipes. Seems like every grower and hobbyist has their own secret soil recipe for success. Along with good soil, is proper watering and fertilization. Post your knowledge about how you supplement your Nepenthes needs.

[nepsaroundthehouse]

Nepenthes seem to be grown in a variety of different media from pure sphagnum moss to coconut chips. I like to use a mix of sphagnum peat moss mixed with pumice rock for drainage, and some long fiber sphagnum moss to retain moisture. I've grown them in pure sphagnum as well as a mostly peat / pumice rock with success. I feel it depends on your growing environment and watering regimen.

Since I grow outdoors and don't have an automatic mister or watering system, my plants can dry out quickly. So I like a mix with more sphagnum in it to retain moisture. I'll put a bit in the bottom of the pot and a layer on the top. If I'm growing indoors where evaporation isn't as much of a concern then I like more drainage.

Seems like every grower is looking for that "magic mix" to grow jaw-dropping Nepenthes from photos they see in forums or wherever. What's ironic is photos of Nepenthes growing in the wild show soils that are dried out clay looking. Far from what most hobbyists use. Also some Nepenthes are growing on trees or literally in the cracks of rocks. So maybe soil requirements for Nepenthes isn't as critical as other components to good growth. What is important is drainage. Long term exposure to wet media will almost surely rot out a Nepenthes. Especially highlanders that tend to have less developed root systems. Whatever mix you use on your Nepenthes make sure it drains well. Nepenthes do much better on the dry side than on the wet side.

[xvart]

I'll go ahead an post here about my experiences and preferences.

Soil Mix
I know a lot of cultivators use LFS as the sole ingredient for Nepenthes "mix." I have had several plants that I originally potted in only LFS simply because when I received them there was an abundance around the roots that fit nicely in the pot I was putting the plant in. I have slowly been changing those mixes to another mixture. I mainly use mixes composed of orchid bark, charcoal, course perlite, peat, and some LFS. For now, I like the peat and the little bit of LFS for water retention, because, like Joel, I don't have a water mister or rain that comes inside my apartment.

However, I use both of those sparingly because, most notably for LFS, I find it increasingly difficult to repot plants in LFS simply because the roots knot around the LFS, thus rendering it nearly impossible and exponentially frustrating to transplant and remove decaying LFS without damaging the roots system.





As you can see, the roots and the LFS are a mess. Maybe there are people out there with more patience than I; but I just think about massive plants that have have huge root structures in decaying LFS. There are several accounts of repotting big plants from LFS to the detriment of the plant.

Fertilizing
I use a 20-14-13 orchid fertilizer every two to three weeks at 1/4 tsp per gallon. The fertilizer I use does have the micro nutrients that need to be flushed out, and my water "schedule" typically allows me to flush the pots anyways after a couple days. I've noticed signifcant growth because of the fertilizers, and have seen no decline in any of my plants.

xvart.

[nepsaroundthehouse]

Right now I'm using a seaweed based fertilizer that I buy at my local nursery. It runs about $9.00 and is in a granulated form. Its numbers are 16-16-16 and the brand is Sea Grow. There are other brands out there and I believe are essentially the same. I use one teaspoon per gallon every 10 days.

In between fertilizing I'm experimenting with Super Thrive. This product isn't a fertilizer and has more hormones and vitamins according to the label. It is a little on the expensive side but if it stimulates my plants to do better, it's worth it. New arrivals and smaller Nepenthes may benefit from it as they adjust to my indoor and outdoor climate. Smaller Nepenthes take a beating for me and any edge to harden them off is welcome.

Joel