Nepenthes outdoors

From: MARK POGANY (MARKP@CRSCMS.COM)
Date: Tue Mar 31 1998 - 19:47:53 PST


Date: Tue, 31 Mar 1998 22:47:53 -0500
From: MARK POGANY <MARKP@CRSCMS.COM>
To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com
Message-Id: <aabcdefg1113$foo@default>
Subject: Nepenthes outdoors

The only neps that I keep outdoors are inside my greenhouse. These are N
alata, khasiana, and a couple other highland hybrids. The humidity levels
fluctuate between 50 and 80% while nighttime lows are regulated by a small
heater (this keeps things above a 50f minimum). Sunlight is indirect, being
diffused from polycarbonate panels which act as 40-50% shadecloth.

I almost lost all my lowland neps last year when they were put outdoors in
open tanks on my patio. I caught 'em in time and placed them back inside
their original indoor tanks under lights. The neps took a good 6 months to
recover. Lowland species will only do well indoors under lights if you live
in temperate regions (unless you have access to a stovehouse with very high
humidities and temps year-round). What Charles Brewer said about aquarium
CP's having to harden off before outdoor cultivation is VERY TRUE when
applied to neps. These plants are very fragile, much moreso than sarracenias
or dionea. If you want to try it, I would only do so with an expendable
plant.

Mark Pogany
Cleveland, Ohio



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