Expert: Sarracenia Northwest - 11/12/2010

Question
QUESTION: I live in northern Colorado and have a N. x ventrata that I have been growing for a little over a year now in a miniature greenhouse in my living room. It gets dappled sunlight in the morning and evening from a south window, and gets light from a fluorescent shop light for the rest of the day at a distance of around 6-8 inches away. It is growing in a half gallon pot of mainly sphagnum, watered with captured rainwater. Recently it has begun producing leaves that are shorter and thinner, and many of them are curling at the edges or bending. Is this something to expect at this time of year, or is there a humidity problem? It did not do this last year, so this behavior is new to me.

ANSWER: Based on your description, the problem is likely nutritional.  I've observed this type of behavior with plants that simply didn't catch enough bugs.  When plants are grown in terrariums, they can't catch the occasional bugs in your home.  I know you're using a small greenhouse, but the effect is the same.  In general, you really don't need to use one.  Ventrata will acclimate very nicely to lower humidity when you give it a chance.  In fact, it's one of the most versatile plants around.  It'll grow in a wide range of growing conditions.  I have many Nepenthes growing in my south and west window.  We also have customers in Arizona who successfully grow Nepenthes in their windowsill.

Give your plant some dilute orchid fertilizer.  Use only 1/4 teaspoon per gallon.  Do this once weekly for the next month, and then once a month for several more months.  You can pour the solution directly in the soil.

If the problem is indeed nutritional, new emerging leaves will look normal and larger.  Keep in mind that the abnormal current leaves will not change.  This is permanent.  Give your plant a month or two.  If the problem still persists with the new growth, write back with more information and a photograph of your plant.

Good growing!
Jacob Farin

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QUESTION: Actually, it gets quite a bit of food, as I have a lot of flies in the house, and it often gets a couple every few days due to hand feeding. Would the fertilizer give it something the flies don't?
Thanks

ANSWER: The information you sent really sounds like a nutritional problem.  Flies generally have all the nutrients the plant needs, so this is quite perplexing.  Can you upload a photograph of your plant?  This might help me figure out what's going on.  When was the last time you changed the soil?

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Attached is a picture of the plant. I was also going to send a picture of the greenhouse, but only one would go on here. The upper leaves are a lighter color, as well as a bit shorter and thinner, and it is hard to see, but the internodes between the leaves are getting shorter. Hope this helps.

Answer
Yes this helps a lot!  When you said shorter and thinner, I imagined really short and really thin, which is indicative of malnutrition.  This is not the case with your plant.  

Overall, your plant is healthy and doesn't have any indication of any disease process at all.  Plants naturally develop slightly shorter and thinner leaves when light levels increase.  This happens because the plant is being more efficient with photosynthesis and doesn't need large leaves anymore.  The curled leaves is also a natural response the slight drop in air moisture that happens in fall and winter.  In time the plant will acclimate.  

You have nothing to worry about with your plant.

Jacob Farin