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Carnivorous Plants/Ventricosa hybrid dieing?

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Expert: - 8/30/2010


Question

Plant
Based my question off of the instructions, just so there is no confusion.

1) The species of carnivorous plant you're growing.: A nepenthes 'Random Ventricosa Hybrid' I received from you guys a few months ago.
2)  A concise description of a single issue.: Well, there is 2 growing points on this plant. The one on the left of the photo just started taking off on growth, just now starting to climb. The one on the right has been slowly growing worse and worse. It started by growing smaller leaves and never producing pitchers, and now the growing point is turning black. The vine has not moved in about 2 weeks besides kind of limping over and changing colors. I think it is root rot, but I am not sure. Also another thing to point out is the leaves curl to a near circle, not sure if this is an issue.
3) The type of lighting, water and soil you're using.: I am giving it a good amount of sunlight from my window. Giving it distilled water every other day, letting it drain out. I am only using the potting mix that you put it in.
4) Your location to assess climate issues: Forney, Texas. Shouldn't matter much, growing these inside.
5) A CLEAR photograph of your plant. - Added.

I am thinking about just cutting off the growing tip, which you describe as the vine and the top 2-3 leaves. I need to know what you guys recommend. It hasn't been exposed to any extreme temperatures and was growing fine before this.

Thanks,
Chris

Answer
Hi Chris,

Thank-you for all the information and a picture.  It always helps.

Overall your plant looks pretty normal for a Nepenthes ventricosa hybrid.  N. ventricosa and many of it's hybrids have a funny habit of what I call "shutting down a vine".  It may be due to the direction of light exposure, but what happens is one shoot just stops growing.  Check the base of the plant.  Often when this happens, the plant is beginning to make a new growth at the base of the vine.

I would go ahead and cut the end off of the one that has stopped growing.  It will encourage it to produce these basal shoots.  They tend to develop the new ones fairly quickly producing a bushier plant.

Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.cobraplant.com

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.

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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.

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