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Grow Nepenthes in unheated greenhouse and inside the house


TheCarnifreak

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Hi Nepenthes growers,

Since several years I grow N. "Rebecca Soper" and N. ventricosa x maxima succesfully in my unheated greenhouse (humid, also with direct sun) from May-October and inside in a cold room (less humid, less light) during the other months.

I like to add some Nepenthes species to my collection, but I want to be sure there's a good chance they will grow well. I like to let plants grow big.

What species are worth the try? I was thinking about N. khasiana, but I would prefer more attractive species.

I hope you guys can give me some good advise. Let me know :-).

Cheers!

Ries

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Ries, any fairly common/asy(ish) highland plant should be fine, spectabilis, maxima, any ventricosa hybrid, glabrata, spathulata etc (basically anything thats a true highlander). Just watch for when the temperature starts to get consistently below 10C for several days, or near freezing, it's time to bring them in.

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Hi Manders,

Thats good news! Thanks for your reply!

During the summer temps can rise up to 45 degrees C in my greenhouse. Would that be a problem for highlanders? And what about full sun?

And would the humidity drop during the winter months be a problem? Because the true highlanders live in very humid cloudforests right?

Thanks again! :-)

Ries

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The high temperature could be a problem, cant you open a few windows? Some will be fine, others wont like it at all (e.g. glabrata). Full sun isnt generally a problem but if the greenhouse is 45C and the plants are in full sun they might suffer more.

Most of my neps have been upto 42C with few problems but they grow much better if you keep it way below that.

Basically many of them will be ok, some wont, you may just have to try and see what happens, maybe start with a maxima and go from there.

Low humidity isnt generally a problem(except it encourages spider mites), they might stop pitchering but they probably wont pitcher, or even grow, over winter anyway.

Sometimes you just have to try, if you two existing plants are happy, theres a good chance many others would be happy as well.

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Thanks!! I will try some species. Do you have experience with burbidgeae? Such a beautifu plant!

Its also a possibility to put some plants just outside instead of in the greenhouse during the hot days.

Now I have to find a good source to buy some (good sized) plants, for a nice price or plant exchange. Any advice?

Cheers!

Ries

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I live fairly close to Manders and so receive roughly the same weather conditions. Maximum temperature recorded in my insulated greenhouse so far has been 45c. None of my plants have yet died, they just tend to put out a smaller leaf and pitcher. Thankfully, such extreme temperatures don't last for long in the UK, and so the next leaf and pitcher usually return to normal size. I don't suspect things would be much different for you in Europe.

As for humidity, Winter isn't the problem, Summer is ! My plants used to sit at a constant 80 to 100% over winter, but in Summer when we have temperatures hitting 30 to 45c, humidity can drop to as much as 30 to 50%. Best investment i've ever made in the greenhouse was to buy a hydrofogger and hygrostat. Now i have a fairly consistent 70 to 90% humidity during the days and 90 to 100% at night, regardless of what time of year it is.

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Thanks for your help guys. I will try some species :-).

 

Would there be a good chance for N. rajah and N. burbidgeae?

 

Cheers!!

Given your uppy/downy conditions i would try something a bit easier growing...

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