Expert: Christopher Littrell - 7/22/2008

Question
I was given 2 (6") plants approx. 2 months ago. I have placed them in a window where the morning/early afternoon sun (can get very hot). I water them from the bottom (previously watered from top). One seems to be doing ok, some new growth, but the other one looks kinda crispy, not dead. Flies fly all around them, even on the pots themselves. Nothing happening. (One big mistake i made was put them outside for about a week, misreading what i had read online. Please let me know if you can help. Thank you very much, Lori

Answer
Hello Lori,

Most Nepenthes prefer partial to slightly shaded sunlight. Only a few have been found that can grow well in direct sun. A good way to get plenty of light to your plants without risk of leaf burn is to place them in a south window and add 40 watt florescent tubes over them for 12-16 hours a day about 4-8 inches above the plants.

It sounds like the main growth tip on one plant was damaged by the intense light and dried out, so that plant will take time as it reroutes growth into new nodes along the vine length. Eventually, so long as the roots and main vine base are healthy, the plant will generate new vines and grow normally again. Just keep them in one spot, same humidity and relatively stable temperatures, and give them time.

Bottom watering is not the preferred method of watering Nepenthes. They do not like standing water near their roots, preferring instead to be top watered and for excess water to be removed. Nepenthes roots can suffer root rot when left standing in trays of water for long periods of time. In the short run, for a couple days at a time, a little standing water in a tray would not hurt them and can be useful when you are away from home for a week, but it's always best to just water them a little every couple days from the top so that excess water never occurs.

For now just keep them in that window and keep them hydrated (moist, never dry... never wet). If the window heats up too much, over 90 degrees, try to get some air flow and shading around the pots to cool the roots. A ceiling fan and a shade cloth or intervening object between window and pots would work well, keeping the leaves clear for photosynthesis. If a few weeks go by and the plants fail to pitcher you can give them more light from florescent sources. Sometimes window light is not enough, but direct sun outside would be too much. A happy medium must be met along the way to keep Nepenthes healthy.

Most species of Nepenthes are tough plants so they should spring back to normal in a couple weeks to a month.

Christopher