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stevexyz

HELP!!! How do I care for a Nepenthes Atala?

stevexyz
15 years ago

I need all of the information you have about Nepenthes Atala and how to take care of it. It is not pitchering and I have tryed everything HELP!! Right now it is in my bathroom getting steam from the shower daily. The temp range is from 69-80 degrees farenheight. It gets shade during the day then direct sun through the bathroom window in the evening. I water with distilled water once a week.

Thanks,

Steve

Comments (16)

  • tommyr_gw Zone 6
    15 years ago

    Bright indirect sun, keep moist. Very early and very late afternoon Sun is o.k. as well. Try spraying every 2 weeks with a 1/4 to 1/2 strength mix of orchid food.

  • taz6122
    15 years ago

    tommyr It is not good for a beginner to try to fertilize a carnivorous plant so quit trying to kill their plants.

    stevexyz your plant needs high humidity to thrive so you really need to put it in a terrarium. Keep it from 55-80F degrees. You can feed it insects that you catch or you can buy canned crickets at the pet store. If it has no pitchers then you might try to fertilize it but don't get any fertilizer in the soil. The best way to ensure you don't is to use a q-tip and wipe the fertilizer on the underside of the leaves. Use a 1/4 strength orchid fertilizer. Keep the soil moist but not wet. The roots will rot if standing in water. Use a tray or bowl under the pot and keep 1/4-1/2" of water in it. Do not give it HOT afternoon sun. An aquarium lid with 2 23w screw in fluorescent or a P&A or sunstick fluorescent tube will work for light.

  • tommyr_gw Zone 6
    15 years ago

    What is your freaking problem Taz?

    Spraying the leaves is a well known treatment to help initiate pitchering. They do not need a terrarium.

  • taz6122
    15 years ago

    tommyr You are wrong.
    These plants come from very high humidity and in order for them to THRIVE the must have it. Sure you can grow them in low humidity but they will NOT thrive. Spraying the leaves should be left to someone with experience and not a beginner.

    I have never used fertilizer on carnivorous plants. They do not need it. Water and light are the most important things. Nepenthes will grow pitchers without fertilizer if given water,light and humidity.

  • taz6122
    15 years ago

    Sorry about the type-o above the temps should be kept between 65-80F.
    Also this plant is from the Philippines and the humidity there is always 70% or more.
    If you would like to check for yourself on the temps and humidity here is a link.

    http://www.worldtravelguide.net/country/225/climate/South-East-Asia/Philippines.html

  • alcran
    15 years ago

    Just because plants come from a certain place doesn't mean they can't grow any other way. I grow my highlanders in 90+. They don't grow the fastest but you'd be suprised how adaptable they are. I grew my alata with lows of 45 and highs of 100. The humidity was often below 60%. It still pitchered and grew great.

  • taz6122
    14 years ago

    I would take this guys advice over yours any day and he says 70-100%

    http://www.sarracenia.com/faq/faq3068.html

  • alcran
    14 years ago

    He says that they like 70-100. I guess my stenophylla, truncata, caesar, ramispina, izumiae, and eymae shouldn't have pitchered.

  • hunterkiller03
    14 years ago

    I kinda agree with "alcran". I am growing N. alata, truncata(highland), sanguinea, ventricosa, & N. rafflesiana var. 'giant form' in my room, which has a humidity lower then 20%, even had it doing just fine in 15% humidity.

    Not all Neps can survive lower humidity, especially the lowlands but the some highlands seen to do just well. One thing that surprised me is that if I try to grow my lowland N rafflesia 'white spotted form' on low humidity, it doesn't pitcher very well but on the other hand. My N. rafflesiana var. 'giant form' is doing fine. Reason I have it growing out of a terrarium is despite it is 5'across and is still developing a nicely colored pitcher about an 1 1/2 long. Can't wait for it to open.

    I don't know why my giant form is able to do better then my typical form of rafflesiana. But seem some can tolerate easily drier conditions. As I get more species, I will experiment what others can survive in lower ambiant humidity.

    Now "alcran" surprised you can grow some of the exotic species in low humidity. I'm goin to keep your list for future purchase. Especially N. eymae.

    Cheers!

  • taz6122
    14 years ago

    alcran we are talking about N. alata here or at least I think so. I am not familiar with N. (atala). I am trying to give advise for 'optimal' conditions and not 'mediocre'.

    hunterkiller03 you said in another post, and I quote

    "One thing, I grow them on a tray with 1/2 inch of water, that contradicts having them standing in water but I feel the bottom of the pot with perlite. That may provide some humidity on that corner of the room. At most it has between 4 to 7 urns, not 10 to 15 you may see in a greenhouse. It obviously has to do with the low humidity that they donÂt last long".

    Two things you stated there tell me that you really don't know the exact humidity of your growing area and that not only do they have more but that the pitchers last longer with higher humidity.

    stevexyz you are talking about N. (alata) and not (atala) right? If you can't give it the best growing conditions then just do the best you can. I am not a professional nor do I claim to be but I have a good source of info on all carnivorous plants and grow several myself.
    Give it the best conditions you can and then leave it alone for a while, besides watering. It will need some time to adjust to the new conditions. Also I don't know if steaming it in the bathroom is good. Check the bathroom temperature after a hot shower.

  • hunterkiller03
    14 years ago

    Yes, he is referring to alatas and not atalas. And yes, my plants are growing just fine in the environment they grow now. Sure the pitchers may not last very long, only about 3 months before they wither from the top down but they are growing just fine. I know having them standing in about 1/2 an inch of water contradicts standing them in water & the humidity is around 15% last time I checked. That may well be the trick they can survive in a drier environment.

    It's impossible for one corner of the room to have a higher humidity. The humidity have dropped to 10% during the winter & still they pitcher fine. All the old 9 urns from last fall are died from the top down one by one, and its growth slowed down during the winter, which does every year but 2 new ones have opened up. Normally making 7Â pitchers but now & then get one that is over 8Â.

    I don't grow my plants 'mediocre', realized that I can grow them very well without the need of a bulky terrarium and they are quite hardy to shock. That is why I say confidently some highland Neps can be grown in a low humidity environment like alatas, ventricosas, ventratas, & others referred in this string. I experimented and was pleasantly surprised they didnÂt die on me but thrived.

    VFT are supposed to grow in a high humid environment but many people including me are growing them in a drier environment less then 20%.

    Ideas are exchanged here that may help people grow some plants and if possible, without the use of a terrarium. People gain experience by testing and sometimes discover that some thing can be done out of the norm. I expect to read post from people growing a difficult plant with success like heliamphora for example (one did, unable to contact that person thou. Hoping to hear from him again). Sometimes people will discover new ways to grow these plants that goes counter to the norm but seems you have a problem with people ding thing differently. Even Barry Rice acknowledges that people are growing these plants that goes counter to the norm. What he provides is for beginners but it's up to the grower to acquire new experience to grow their plants.

    If you have a problem, you can write to my plants & complain why they are doing fine. IÂll pass the massage to them.

  • taz6122
    14 years ago

    hk03 said "That is why I say confidently some highland Neps can be grown in a low humidity environment like alatas, ventricosas, ventratas"

    Some classify alata and ventricosa as Intermediate and in the Philippines where alata comes from they classify as Lowland.

    alata is not considered a highland plant.

  • hunterkiller03
    14 years ago

    ventricosa is considered an intermediate. There are several variety of alata. Some are highland and others are lowland. Between them grow are the intermediates. My variety of alata is a highland. Had an intermediate alata but lost it due to "human pests". Haven't gotten my hands a lowland alatas yet. One popular lowland alata is the 'Sibuyan Island' form.

  • taz6122
    14 years ago

    What variety is yours? I can't find a highland alata.

  • taz6122
    14 years ago

    Sorry I was wrong.I have found one variety of alata that is a highlander named 'Banaue highland'.

  • hparker
    14 years ago

    I have a HUGE nepenthes that I stupidly moved to another spot last year, it pooped out, I moved it to it's happy home and it is feeling better now, but has not made any new pitchers in about a year. I read up on cuttings and had 2 or 3- 1 cm long roots on each of three cuttings- all of which have new terminal growths, but no pitchers yet. I thought that the time had come to put them in soil ( perlite, sand and peat). I did this last weekend, now the cuttings' leaves are browning :-( Don't know what to do, I think it's getting enough water and it appears to be draining well, any tips? Please!

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