Neps are indigeounous to the Asian Equator. While there are highland and lowland Neps, and on a continuum in between, they generally like warm and humid conditions. Most don't like their pots sitting in water, but some tolerate it. One that does is N. ventricosa. They would do just fine at a window sill, open tray, or in a fishtank, with a fluorescent light over it. They're not that fussy and they do fine at room temp and above, but not colder.

I wouldn't worry about cooler temps and less light. I agree with petiolis. I have a Ventrata in a west window and it does fine. Last years pitchers are just dieing off now.

Tom

Well, mine is a Ventricosa, I don't have it in a tray though.

Thanks I guess.

Okay, I have a Butterwort, 5 Venus Flytraps, a Nepenthes and a Sundew, all seem to be doing pretty well. The Butterwort is in a rosette, so obviously dormant. The Nepenthes ends of leaves are a little wilted from shipping but it'll recover and the Venus Flytraps are happy as can be. However... the one who I least expected to be troubled is the Sundew.

It is in very moist good soil, and it is NOT curled up in a rosette and is very dim in color, it's leaves do not have any dew, only about 2 are curled up and it just sits there, not in a rosette like dormant state, but not exactly dead. It's just been like this.

So what, is it dormant but not curled up? Recovering from shipping? Dead?

Ventrata is a hybrid that is part Ventricosa part alata. Ventricosa and ventrata have similar likes and dislikes. Both plants are pretty easy going. When none of my other neps were pitchering, my ventrata started making pitchers. Durring the winter months, Neps have a tendancy not to pitcher as much. Just because it's not making pitchers doesn't mean its not healthy, it just means it thinks its winter, which it is. Nepenthes don't go dormant but they do slow down durrig the winter months.

Some ways to increase humidity...

put the plant in a shallow tray of water. You don't nessisarrily want it in a tray that will cause the plant to be soaking up tons of water, personally, when trying this I put the plant's pot in a cup that protects it from the outter water but you really wouldn't have to as long as the water level is shallow enough.

Another method is putting it in an aquarium. Almost all of my plants are in aquariums since I have cats that would stop at nothing to taste and rip apart a sundew. (new kitten has a taste for spathulata... go fig) Inside the aquarium it keeps the humidity sealed in a bit better than being outside of the tank.

Another way to increase humidity is to spray the plants down with a spray bottle. This works best when it comes out as a fine mist and not large dropletts.

I've got a nep that requires 75 percent humidity and I found the best way to make that happen was the following. I put the little guy in a 10 gallon aquarium. Then I put a container of water, like a quart jug size in the aquarium with it. Then I took an air pump used in a fish aquarium and I stuck the end of the hose into the water. The bubbles cause little dropletts which then evaporate. To get the humidity even higher, (which you really shouldn't have to do in your case) I put a plastic hood over half the aquarium top, allowing air circulation while keeping in a good part of the humidity. (After a week of trying to find a way to keep my rajah happy, thats what ended up doing the trick)

About the sundew. Alot of times a sundew will lose its dew when introduced to a new environment. Be patient, may take a month or so but it should come back. What type of sundew is it?

When I first got into CPs I was very nervous about killing them in a day. Look out the window and remember, climates change a little from day to day, if the plants weren't resillant enough to handle a cold day or a cloudy day or what have you, there would be no more CPs. I've often thought that there should be a CP manual written with DONT PANIC written in Big friendly letters on the back. (I'd buy it)

Bill

Here is a link that might be useful: Aracknight's Deadly Delights

Hehe.

My Nepenthes is Ventricosa btw and...

The Sundew is a Spathulata.

Sounds like the D. spatulata is in shock or some sort of stress. It is an easy plant to take care of. It does well at window sills, but if it experienced a significant change in its conditions (temperature, humidity)its current leaves will lose their dew and won't likely regain it. Provide good lighting, with an inch or so of water in a plastic container, room temp, and stability over time. It's new leaves should have dew and all will be alright.

I feel like I should give up the whole dang thing.

The Pinguicula is in some sort of Perma-Hibernation (it's been like 2 weeks! When's it gonna come out, I mean, it's warm, at least 50% Humidity or so... and it's got plenty of distilled water and decently moist soil... jeesh and good light.)

The Sundew would look better dead.

One of the Venus Flytraps's traps won't respond due to them all closing in shipping, and the Nepenthes' ends are withered except on one leaf and a few others damaged in shipping and I constantly have to bring it in and out of my closet every night and it doesn't like that.

Jeesh I suck at this. I wish I had money. I can't even afford a camera.

Don't give up! It's just a small matter of getting guidance for each specific plant. We all have a learning curve.

OK, heres my best advise, Stop moving the darn ventricosa! As far as I know, they're indestructable!I have a nice little 3 teir grow stand I grow ever thing else, but my ventricosa lives on my dresser... So the humidity is probably poor, and it dries out alot more often then it should. It gets no special treatment other then consistant semi off care, and it's growing like a weed! It's putting out leaves that are about 6" with happy pitchers around the 4" mark... All the leaves are formed properly, pitchers are formed and the lids are correct too. It's probably due to consistant treatment. Ventricosa doesn't have to have the temp drop at night.

As for the ping (what species btw?) and sundew, were they sent potted or bare root? Thats mostly for the sundew.
Thanks,
Sib