Expert: Sarracenia Northwest - 1/7/2012

Question
Hi Guys,

I got a Nepenthes Ventricosa from you about 4 years ago. I live in northern New Jersey. I keep it outside during the warmer months and on a sunny/filtered sun, southeast windowsill during the winter months. I water with well water. It was doing great until last winter. After last winter, it stopped producing pitchers and the leaves began to roll up on themselves and wilt. I've had the plant under the same conditions as when it was doing well. I changed the soil this past fall using 1 part peat moss, 1 part perlite and 1 part sand. I used a coarse white sand. I'm not sure if it was silica. Since then the plant has been slowly taking a turn for the worse with half the growth turning black and dying. The mixture seems dense to me. Since the soil recipe is the only thing I've changed, could this be the issue?? What do you recommend? I've attached a photo for you to review. I really hope you can help.

Thanks! Joe

Answer
Hi Joe,

Thanks for the photo.  It looks like you have developed root rot.  The soil mix you're using is a bit heavy for Nepenthes.  It stays too wet.  They need a media that drains rapidly, and gives more air spaces around the roots.  We use an open mix of equal parts long-fiber sphagnum moss, orchid bark, and perlite.  .

Transplant your plant into a better media, soak it in a Superthrive solution if you have access to it, and give it time.  Cut off any of the lower leaves that look even a little bad; it will minimize transpiration.  Even with doing this you may still loose the plant.  When leaves are that wilted often the roots are almost gone.  It's still worth a try to save it.

Good Growing!

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