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Post by rainforest on Aug 23, 2008 14:53:59 GMT -10
Someone pm'd me and asked if removing a developing tendril or leaf from an active growing plant will promote a larger pitcher on its succeeding tendril. All I have to say is how about spending some mulas for some fertilizer and then fertilizing it and get the same effect without having to sacrifice anything. No sacrificing to the pitcher god here, just some sacrificing to the empty wallet god instead! M
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Post by chesara on Sept 15, 2008 14:49:31 GMT -10
Wow There massive,just a question how many neps do you actually grow?? Bye for now Julian
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Post by rainforest on Sept 16, 2008 6:57:55 GMT -10
HUNDREDS!
M
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Post by mikuláš on Jun 18, 2009 3:46:55 GMT -10
Hi Michael,
I've been reading your posts on media composition. You bring up a lot of interesting & useful points, but the information is scattered across numerous threads & posts, making it a challenge to put together (to say nothing of the evolving nature of posted information). So I was wondering if you could give a summary of your current practices and theory here. Do you think you could state, very directly, exactly which media mixes are working best for you, and for which plants? If I may, I pictured it something like: Mix #1: Components (rough ratios of ingredients) Works great for N. x, N. y, and N. z.
And so forth.
IMHO, a summary of what you've learned & what you do would allow you to disseminate your knowledge more effectively. I'm not research-averse (it's my current job), I just think a summary would better document your ideas for others, both now and years from now when people search the forum. And of course it doesn't have to be the be-all and end-all of your experiences, just a record of what's worked to date.
~Nicholas
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Post by rainforest on Jun 18, 2009 5:55:52 GMT -10
That is a good point. Medias change with age of a plant and to some extent the origin of the plant itself. I have found that growing plants in a mixed media works best for me. The main concern is media breakdown. Nepenthes will go downhill once a media is broken down and in advanced stages of decomposition. I have recently discovered that by adding basic components to your media, this helps slow down the process. Lately I have been using a lot of coral chips (actually coral bedrock from land origin coral) broken down through land excavation. These add some interesting media challenges where an acid media is kept in balance for a neutral balance. I am a firm believer that for matured plants there should be some rock base material from which loose finer media (bark compost, fine orchid bark, and other water retention materials) mixed with coarse media such as coral cinders, granite and other inert rock materials. For my drier area, I advise using a sturdy mulch (I use cedar mulch which lasts for a long time) bark mulch or any stringy coarse material resembling plant debris often found near or around established plants in the wild. There is some discussion regarding companion plants like ferns and other lower life forms, but lately I have found this to be not true and believe that nepenthes (in captivity any way) do better when planted solely as the nepenthes plant itself. Fertilizing is a must! Whether it is done at regular intervals or just once a month, it is required to grow healthy nepenthes and establish a healthy and viable root stock. I have used on occasion a pre-emergent herbicide with favorable results, but not sure if they will work on ferns. I have used Preen with good results. As for fertilizers, I have used liquid Seaweed by GrowMore and Peter's soluble fertilizer. I have had problems using MiracleGrow so I do not endorse using it. This includes Miracid which will help break down soils and will be a long term problems when used regularly.
I will expand on this as seedling media and plants for breeding also have different medias and regiments to sustaining their existence. But as a general media, this is my main mix. Vary the components based on your watering or rainfall regularity. A heavier fine media if you are watering less and vice a verse with a coarse media if you are exposing them to more frequent watering.
M
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Post by mikuláš on Jun 18, 2009 9:15:14 GMT -10
Thanks for the reply. A couple clarifications:
1. If we wanted to be even more specific for those of us just starting to switch from the traditional long-fiber sphagnum-only (or with minimal other components) regime, what kind of soil component ratios would you recommend? I know this will vary depending on a wide range of factors, but on average, would you say something like
Mix the following: 2 parts mulch (pine, cedar, or orchid bark; vary grade according to rainfall/watering frequency) 1 part coarse rock material (preferably coral ships or other calcium-carbonate-bearing material)
Bottom Layer Coarse rock material (coral chips/cinders, limestone, granite)
That's just an example; what you do might vary significantly. And while the question of ratios might seem nit-picky or too simple, I suspect it has a significant effect on plant health. I'm trying to bring your overall ideas down to the nitty-gritty of actually making a new mix.
2. Thanks for your specific recommendations on fertilizers; I'll look into the Liquid Seaweed & Peter's. To clarify: If you fertilize more than once a month, then how often? And how much do you dilute your fertilizer (half the recommended? quarter? or full strength, as recommended for houseplants?). I know people recommend various regimens, but I'm curious about what you do, specifically.
~Nicholas
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Post by rainforest on Jun 18, 2009 15:50:33 GMT -10
If you're beginning with seedlings, as with any plant, use a diluted mixture. The important criteria is to flush out the excess that is the real harmful effect about fertilizing. On more established material, a normal rate is fine. Again flushing with lots of plain water in between fertilizing sets. I would say fertilize seedlings at the rate of one diluted application (half to a quarter strength) every fifth watering cycle. That means plain water for five times then fertilize. If you water every day, then you can approximate a day each week for fertilizing. A more established plant will be one that has a good portion of roots, then regular feedings of full strength mixture will be fine. Always water to allow water to flow freely from as many drain holes as possible. Plants must be subject to good light, good air circulation and be in a media that is porous to drain well. If your media doesn't flow out rapidly, you will get some root problems later as the media breaks down further and drain holes become clogged.
Having less decomposable material at the bottom of the pots or at least near drain holes will help prevent drain blockage from occurring. Coarse media is also mixed evenly into the main soil media since they will eventually gather at the bottom due to gravity. Add a medium layer of a coarse thick mulch to prevent erosion and to also protect media from settling too quickly at the bottom of the pot. Never over pot and allow the roots to grow into fresh media and repot to larger pots as they can accommodate their new surroundings. mesh pots and clay pots help plants that like a more porous media when porosity in your media is not enough.
If I had to give a proportionate rate, I would say pure rocks at the bottom of pots to about a quarter full, then add the media with everything in it and add more coarse media over this. Use a mulch layer to keep everything in check. This will prevent water from splashing media everywhere and in some way help keep roots and soil surface cooler. Be sure when you water your plants that you always wet the entire media with a good soak. Allowing potted plants to even sit in some water so that the entire media can get thoroughly wet is a good idea.
Depending on your culture, you may use some heavier mixes if you plan to have your plants experience more drier conditions or wind. Always wet the entire plant (leaves, tip, and pitchers) Do not worry about adding water into the cups, this will stabilize eventually and a little water is actually beneficial for the plant. I have on occasions accidentally filled cups with water to overflow and found that this may help make the pitchers last longer. I have also found that nepenthes also like to dry off before night. Watering your plants earlier in the day has its benefits. They dry off by night and have less water stress problems.
Avoid timed release fertilizers like Osmocote as these can release all their nutrients all at once and cause root burns. Use a diluted to normal strength soluble fertilizer at all times.
M
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Post by mikuláš on Jul 17, 2009 10:16:10 GMT -10
Hi Michael, Another question for you: How do you feel about the relationship between pot size and plant size? Do you have any varieties that you find appreciate larger pots & more root room, or any that don't seem to care? And if you do use large pots, how do you encourage good areation of the soil?
Thanks! Nicholas
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Post by walterg on Jul 17, 2009 11:54:38 GMT -10
More like hundreds of hundreds, I think. Michael, please tell me what the plant in your avatar is. I've got to have one.
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Post by rainforest on Jul 19, 2009 14:32:27 GMT -10
In regards to the pot size question, I believe many of the larger growing lowlands benefit from having good ample root space. I find N. rowanae, N. rafflesiana, N. bicalcarata to like being in a larger pot size with infrequent repotting. These species have been able to produce enough roots to fill it easily.
The avatar is N. veitchii h/l x (stenophylla x lowii) or vice verse. It is an EP hybrid. I hope they can duplicate this cross again. Many of their older crosses are simply classic and seeing it the second time around will bring much newer variations in the grex.
M
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Post by nepaholic on Jul 19, 2009 16:26:27 GMT -10
If you're beginning with seedlings, as with any plant, use a diluted mixture. The important criteria is to flush out the excess that is the real harmful effect about fertilizing. On more established material, a normal rate is fine. Again flushing with lots of plain water in between fertilizing sets. I would say fertilize seedlings at the rate of one diluted application (half to a quarter strength) every fifth watering cycle. That means plain water for five times then fertilize. If you water every day, then you can approximate a day each week for fertilizing. A more established plant will be one that has a good portion of roots, then regular feedings of full strength mixture will be fine. Always water to allow water to flow freely from as many drain holes as possible. Plants must be subject to good light, good air circulation and be in a media that is porous to drain well. If your media doesn't flow out rapidly, you will get some root problems later as the media breaks down further and drain holes become clogged. Sorry Michael i know its your thread, but... I always use full strenght fertilizer(Maxsea) on seedlings every 2 weeks. I fertilize them as usual togehter with my bigger plants without a Problem and with good results. Jens
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Post by rainforest on Jul 23, 2009 7:33:52 GMT -10
My thread is everyone's thread. I always like to hear what others are doing, especially if it is different and successful. Prior to posting a success story, the very idea of doing something not prescribed by the Nepenthes Gods were a No-No. It couldn't be mentioned or talked about in an open forum. Observations to this day on fertilizing (on other forums) always leads to deleting threads and concluding the status quo thought of the moderators.
People call me the Father of Fertilizing, but in actuality everyone (who were previously nay-sayers) were practicing fertilizing techniques well before I made my soap-box stand. So I'm not the first to do it. But now why do we still believe everything "they" say when they could be lairs (history repeats itself).
Everyone has their favorite fertilizers. I can't believe that people use MiracleGrow/Miracid and gets good results (maybe just temporarily) until the residues outweighs the benefits then they may revert to say that fertilizers killed their plants. There are good ways and adverse ways that fertilizers can benefit growing nepenthes.
M
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Post by mikuláš on Dec 14, 2009 8:08:07 GMT -10
Michael, I seem to remember a thread here where you mentioned that you had tried using N. adnata in hybridizing, but without much success. I was wondering if you remember those attempts well enough to share a little more about that experience (or correct me if it turns out those attempts were successful and I'm just mis-remembering). Do you recall what species you tried crossing with adnata, and if the adnata was the male or female parent? Thanks!
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Post by rainforest on Dec 14, 2009 8:53:54 GMT -10
Perhaps it was someone else. I do not have any adnatas at current.
I would imagine that the adnatas would add a peculiar growth habit to its progeny.
M
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Dave Evans
Nobiles
dpevans_at_rci.rutgers.edu
Posts: 490
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Post by Dave Evans on Dec 14, 2009 13:54:23 GMT -10
Everyone has their favorite fertilizers. I can't believe that people use MiracleGrow/Miracid and gets good results (maybe just temporarily) until the residues outweighs the benefits then they may revert to say that fertilizers killed their plants. There are good ways and adverse ways that fertilizers can benefit growing nepenthes. Dear Michael, Yeah, I totally agree with the statement above. After talking with a lot of gardeners, many do not consider MiracleGro to be a very good "do all" fertilizer, just useful in particular circumstance. I would use MiracleGro for Acid Loving Plants on Nepenthes, but like you mention it's too salty. The story is N. adnata doesn't make any known natural hybrids. Previously there were only a few clones available and it wasn't widely grown, or very popular. Times change, and now its become much more popular, but it is still far behind other species as far as making hybrids with it. N. tentaculata and N. bellii also both have a very similar growth pattern and I think either species would make some interesting hybrids with N. adnata.
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