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Carnivorous Plants/Nepenthes
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Question
Hi, I've had this nepenthes for about a year. It hangs from my windowsill from a southwest facing window with the shade drawn so it receives bright shaded light almost all day long. I live in Brooklyn, NY and am not sure of the type of soil (it's been in the same plastic pot with drainage holes since purchase). Over the last few months the plant has developed rust colored spots on leaves. I can't tell if it's fungi, over/under watering or to much sun. I love this plant and it has new growth, which I would really like to save. Please Help!! Thanks for your time and consideration.
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Hi Matt,
Based on your photo and the history of your plant, your plant is likely experiencing leaf burn as a result of mineral build up in the soil. The mineral build up is likely from long-term use of tap water and/or fertilizers. While Nepenthes will tolerate hard water from the tap, you will need to change the soil every 6-12 months or flush the soil monthly.
My recommendation is to change the soil. You'll need to unpot the plant, rinse off the old soil and repot the plant with fresh soil. A good basic soil mix for Nepenthes is 1 part dried sphagnum moss and 1 part perlite. (You can substitute pumice or orchid bark for perlite.) For additional soil mixes, read our care sheet on our website or watch our newly released Volume 3 DVD.
http://www.cobraplant.com/caresheets
http://www.cobraplant.com/DVD
I'd also recommend opening the shade. This plant needs a lot of sunlight to produce pitchers. Judging from the photo, I don't see any pitchers. The mineral build up in the soil is partly to blame, but so is low lighting. Ideally, the leaves should have a tinge of red.
After repotting your plant, clip off the affected leaves. If you continue using tap water, you should flush the soil with distilled water at least once a month. Pour a full gallon of distilled water over the soil and allow it to drain through. If you're fertilizing your plant, stop. Over fertilizing will prevent new pitchers from forming.
Good growing!
Jacob Farin
Jacob Farin
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Answers by Expert:
Sarracenia Northwest
Expertise
If your plant is showing poor growth, discoloration, abnormal leaves or possible infestation, the growers at Sarracenia Northwest can help! Carnivorous plant experts Jeff Dallas and Jacob Farin will help you diagnose the problem and get your plants on the right track. Their no nonsense approach has helped thousands of growers all over the world. They can help you too!
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With over 40 years of combined experience, Jeff and Jacob has definitely taken a straight forward approach to growing carnivorous plants. They have encountered many types of diseases, abnormal growth and infestations related to carnivorous plants, and they know what it takes to get plants looking beautiful and healthy again.
Education/Credentials
Authors of Secrets to Growing Beautiful Carnivorous Plants for Your Home and Garden and producers of the Grow Carnivorous Plants! DVD Series. They also produce a monthly video podcast to illustrate how plants cycle through the seasons.
No terrariums. No myths. No nonsense.
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thousands of carnivorous plants each year.
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