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Carnivorous Plants/nepenthes and humidifiers?

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Expert: - 9/30/2009


Question
Hi there... I live in a very dry environment so I have a humidifier by my windowsill. I have a couple of nepenthes next to the humidifier. Want to know if it is ok for the mist from the humidifier to hit the plants if the humidifier is being filled with well water. I always use R.O. water to water my plants but didnt know if the minerals from the well water in the humidifier mist would harm the plants. Thanks very much! Jacob.

Answer
Hello Jacob,

While Nepenthes can survive more mineral exposure than other carnivorous plants, it would be best to reduce that exposure to the minimum. Minerals eventually build up in carnivorous plant soil and alter the soil composition, eventually sickening and even killing the plants.

Christopher

Carnivorous Plants

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Christopher Littrell

Expertise

I am capable of answering questions about the most common carnivorous plants found in cultivation. I have no personal experience with Byblis, Drosophyllum, Aldrovanda, and Heliamphora. I have not cultivated gemmae forming pygmy sundews nor tuberous sundews. For information regarding those aforementioned species, I would suggest contacting other experts. I can answer questions regarding most species of Nepenthes, tropical and temperate Drosera, Mexican Pinguicula, Sarracenias, and Dionaea. I have some limited experience with growing Utricularia, Cephalotus, and Darlingtonia.

Experience

I have grown carnivorous plants off and on for about 27 years. I have made the same mistakes and suffered the same mishaps that many growers make as they attempt to separate the myths from the realities of growing these plants. Currently, I am successfully growing a variety of tropical sundews, a Nepenthes, several Venus Flytraps of varying ages, and Sarracenias. I have been successful in stratifying Sarracenia seeds and providing artificial dormancy requirements for my temperate plants when needed.

Education/Credentials
I hold a Master's degree in Educational Psychology. Over my lifetime, I have constantly read books involving the growing conditions of carnivorous plants. I hope to incorporate the educational aspects involved in psychology with teaching other people how to cultivate carnivorous plants.

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