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hegory

Nep condition

Hegory
12 years ago

Does anyone know what condition my nep has? the leaves keep getting this thing where it starts out as several small brown spots on the leaves, that slowly increase in number until the whole leaf is covered and turns a yellowish hue, it is only happening on my ventricosa and it only appears on the leaves of the off-shoots.

Comments (10)

  • jmoore3274
    12 years ago

    We need a little more info. Brown spots could be caused by bugs, fungus or bacteria.

    *How big is the plant and is it the upper or lower leaves that are dieing?

    *Is it still growing healthy leaves or has it stalled its growth?

    *How often do you water the plant and what type of water are you using?

    *Have you been feeding the plant either by chemical fertilizers or by insects?

    *Where is the plant kept?

    *What are the growing conditions? Day/night temps and Humidity.

    *Have you recently re potted the plant? If so what did you use as a soil medium?

    *Lastly do you see any evidence of bad insects on the plant. Such as little red things or green things crawling around. Is there black dusty spots on the areas that are brown?

    I'm going to take a shot in the dark. My nepenthes form spots similar to yours on the lower leaves. This is caused by the plant killing off its older leaves to be replaced by new ones. Usually after the pitcher on the end tendril dies the leaf is to follow. You can trim the dead and dieing foliage with out harming the plant.

    If the spots are on the crown and new growth there is a problem. This is more then likely caused by fungus. Bad insects also can be a cause of a fungus out break because they discrete "Dew" that the fungus will feed on.

    Take some pictures and link them here please and we should be able to send you in the correct direction to get this cleared up.

  • Hegory
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    I checked real close this morning and there are small whitish dots with a kind of liqiud around them on the underside of the leaf, almost like there are bugs living at the nectar sspots on the leaves.

  • jmoore3274
    12 years ago

    Can you take some pictures? It would be a lot easier to diagnose the problem.

    If you think it is bugs try this. Put a light in front of the plant. Shake the plant and see if dust or any thing goes airborne around the plant when it is disturbed.

    If it is bugs and you get a dusty effect when the plant is disturbed you might have white flies.

    If the bugs have a patchy / cotton look to it you could be looking at mealy bugs or fungus.

    Please post some well focused pictures of the plant as a whole and a close up of these "White dots" on the underside of the leaves.

  • RainforestGuy
    12 years ago

    I would say it is air circulation, as in LACK OF, try giving it more light and air circulation.
    {{gwi:553817}}
    When given good air, light and water, this allows older pitchers to stay on longer and not die because a new one is being developed and then replaced instantly. Pitchers tend to die very very slowly and gradually.

    N maxima making lower basal pitchers even as the plant's lower pitchers are slowly drying up.
    {{gwi:551816}}
    The main portion of this plant is some ten feet away with mostly upper pitcher development. After getting some distance away from the plant, the allowance of new light in the basal area can now allow side basal pups to start over again.

  • Hegory
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Wow! thats great! Yeah This post has been on a while before you posted, and about a week ago I started growing the plant outdoors, and the good air circulation got rid of the sickness, Thanks much.

  • RainforestGuy
    12 years ago

    Try changing your plant's growing area, slowly adjust it to bright light conditions. Most of my best nepenthes plants are grown in full sunlight and develop better coloration and pitcher size in areas where they receive maximum lighting and air circulation.
    {{gwi:553820}}
    Also you will need to fertilize on a more regular basis. Use a dilute solubale fertilizer. NEVER Miracle Grow/Miracid, but more Peter's or even Seaweed Extract.
    Fertilizing them will produce longer lasting and well developed pitchers that insect food alone can do.
    {{gwi:553822}}

  • Hegory
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Yeah the sickness is less prevalent now that it has good air circulation but it doesn't get enough sunlight; I'm going to give it more light.

  • RainforestGuy
    12 years ago

    More light is very good
    {{gwi:553824}}
    See the sky in the background?
    {{gwi:553825}}
    No shade cloth, no overhead protection, they just grow.
    {{gwi:548777}}
    My best plants grow on top of a cement wall and grows in unobstructed light, wind and rain conditions.
    {{gwi:553827}}
    See the neighbor's roof in the background?

  • Hegory
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    yeah, this morning I moved them to a brighter spot, though I can tell it will take some time for them to get back used to it though.

  • RainforestGuy
    12 years ago

    Like all plants, a gradual adjustment of acclimtizing is all that is needed to get them to their zone.
    {{gwi:553829}}
    Whether this is just for the summer or long term, these plants develop fast and grow evenly like how you'd imagine them growing.
    {{gwi:553830}}
    To get even growth everything must go up (increased) when ferrtilizing, watering sunlight, etc.
    {{gwi:553832}}

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