I understand. I only asked because on Jan. 5, 2009 in the "News & Updates" thread, you mentioned plans to add several distributors during 2009, and that you were selling wholesale to distributors in the US. As a consumer, I was naturally curious to find out the name(s) of your distributor(s) -- the question seemed logical enough.
Since I don't want to transgress any boundaries, in the future I'll ask other consumers in other places not connected commercially with LHNN
medium- 1:1 perlite:Turface MVP/Allsport, both screened | fertilize 1x/wk DynaGro 9-3-6, 0.5 tsp/gal; flush 2x/wk | rainwater when possible
walter: I know, the eBay plants are spectacular. I think over-crowded growing spaces everywhere are probably the biggest reason these haven't all been snatched up already. <sigh>
medium- 1:1 perlite:Turface MVP/Allsport, both screened | fertilize 1x/wk DynaGro 9-3-6, 0.5 tsp/gal; flush 2x/wk | rainwater when possible
I have been looking for Sam's distributors, and so far I've only come up with Sarracenia Northwest and A&C Tropicals. And of course I know some plants find their way onto eBay, too. There are some plants I'm going to keep my eye out for, if/when they make it to the retail market ('Freder', and maybe 'Peacup'), so knowing where to look is great....Is there a list of Leilani distributors anywhere?
medium- 1:1 perlite:Turface MVP/Allsport, both screened | fertilize 1x/wk DynaGro 9-3-6, 0.5 tsp/gal; flush 2x/wk | rainwater when possible
Ugh, I hate when I do that: Actually, that's not the main point of the link. Rather, that's the main point I wanted to share. The linked article actually discusses a lot of other useful stuff, too.
medium- 1:1 perlite:Turface MVP/Allsport, both screened | fertilize 1x/wk DynaGro 9-3-6, 0.5 tsp/gal; flush 2x/wk | rainwater when possible
As for the waterlogged compost going anaerobic at the bottom of the pots, I use a layer of perlite at the bottom of pots or some chunks of orchid bark to keep the bottom layer from collapsing and rotting. Anything similar would also work
Since this discussion involves several questions about media composition, I'll include the following link on water in container soils from GardenWeb:
The author obviously isn't writing about Nepenthes, but I think the physics behind soil composition & its effects on drainage remain true no matter what you grow in that soil The main point (for those not inclined to read the whole post) is that if the particles in the drainage layer are > 2x the (average) particle size in the mix, the drainage layer actually backfires -- it doesn't promote drainage, but instead the perched water table just moves higher in the pot. So you still have a water-logged layer, it's just not at the bottom anymore.
This guy seems to know his stuff when it comes to soil, so I thought I might share this particular post....could be useful or not, but worth a read.
medium- 1:1 perlite:Turface MVP/Allsport, both screened | fertilize 1x/wk DynaGro 9-3-6, 0.5 tsp/gal; flush 2x/wk | rainwater when possible
Gorgeous pitchers! Sam, do you think you could post the names for the plants as well? Numbers 2 - 5, 10, 13, 16 - I can't identify those off-hand for certain. Thanks! ~Nicholas
medium- 1:1 perlite:Turface MVP/Allsport, both screened | fertilize 1x/wk DynaGro 9-3-6, 0.5 tsp/gal; flush 2x/wk | rainwater when possible
With ...and cultivation techniques becoming more and more refined...
I know I'm exposing my ignorance, but I have to ask: Why would EP rule it? Are their secrets to giant pitchers known or are they still, well, secret? And what exactly are growers doing today that they didn't do in the past? (I'm new and unfamiliar with the assumptions behind those statements....sorry if I'm asking to beat a dead horse yet again...)
Kudos, though, on the pitchers -- magnificent!
~Nicholas
medium- 1:1 perlite:Turface MVP/Allsport, both screened | fertilize 1x/wk DynaGro 9-3-6, 0.5 tsp/gal; flush 2x/wk | rainwater when possible
Hi, just wanted to introduce myself here. I'm Nicholas, and I currently live in Raleigh, North Carolina. I grew a number of Nepenthes about a decade ago (!) when I was in high school (in Louisiana), and the past couple years I've been slowly, but inevitably, getting back into the hobby. I have a small collection that I keep in an outdoor-humidity chamber (not quite big enough to call a greenhouse; more like Michael Catalani's grow-chambers, I suppose), and I'm learning a lot more than I ever thought I would about temperature & humidity control devices! Though humidity is often high here, we have spells where it drops pretty low, and so this year I'm trying a humidity-controlled environment to see if that results in pitchers worth looking at .
I've thoroughly enjoyed reading everyone's posts so far - I appreciate the knowledge you more experienced growers share. How tempting it is now to move to Hawaii -- the plants of all you islanders seem to grow like weeds!
Good growing to all, Nicholas
medium- 1:1 perlite:Turface MVP/Allsport, both screened | fertilize 1x/wk DynaGro 9-3-6, 0.5 tsp/gal; flush 2x/wk | rainwater when possible