Date: Sat, 19 Jun 1999 16:43:16 +0530 From: Borneo Exotics <borneo@lanka.net> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg2244$foo@default> Subject: Growing Nepenthes northiana
There has been some discussion recently about growing Nepenthes northiana
and thought I'd throw in my two cents worth. We have also experienced many
of the problems that have been mentioned. One point that has been
mentioned in passing that I feel may be worth commenting on further is that
they seem to absolutely hate any attempt at foliar feeding. We routinely
use a very dilute micronutrient solution applied at monthly intervals in
the evening and throroughly washed off in the early morning before sunrise.
All other (lowland) species we have respond well to this treatment except
the N. northiana. The growing tips are very sensitive to chemicals and are
easily damaged, resulting in stunted and deformed leaves. I have also
tried applying a typical NPK fertiliser (Miracid and others) at 10%
recommended strength to trial batches of plants including the enigmatic N.
northiana. In 6 months no beneficial effects were observed to any of the
plants in the trials, but no damage either. The sole exception were the N.
northiana which had the growing tips burnt right out of them! The
specimens we have exhibit light green leaves which tempts one to reach for
the fertiliser bottle. I have come to the conclusion that light green
leaves are better than the stunted deformed ones that result from even a
sniff of fertiliser!
Best regards,
Rob Cantley
Borneo Exotics
<http://www.borneoexotics.com>
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