Expert: Sarracenia Northwest - 1/8/2012

Question
I put a thermometer/hygrometer in the 10gal. tank. I was surprised. In the daytime with sun, the temp. was close to 90 and at night it was about 65. The humidity wasn't much more than outside the tank, so I removed the plant and put it back on the window sill where it's been the last two years, southern window. It hasn't improved one bit since I took it away from there. If I can keep it alive until Summer, it'll have a chance. I had two 15 watt flourescent aquarium lights over it too when it was in the tank, on most of the time except when I was asleep. I can't send you a picture because for some reason my computer won't download pictures. I must have inadvertently changed something.
I'll stop fertilizing it every two weeks as you suggested.

Answer
Hi Craig,

Your tank may have been making the day temperatures a bit high.  If you are still using the lights, make sure they are on for a 14 hour day. Put them on a timer.  Inconsistency isn't doing you any favors if you've been turning the lights on and off manually.  Short photoperiod causes Nepenthes to stop pitchering regardless of humidity or other conditions.  Definitely stop the misting unless you just need to clean leaves.  As long as your plant is growing new leaves it's fine.  Not making pitchers is very common during the winter.  You'll probably see a turn around in April as the days get much longer.

If by summer you're not having much luck it may be time to throw in the towel on this plant.  Sometimes you just end up with a particular clone of a plant that is a primadona and doesn't preform well.  I've had many plants like this.  Try a different variety.  Many of the Nepenthes hybrids are super easy growers.  N. maxima and N. truncata hybrids are great.  From my own experience I've found ventricosa to be a little fussy.

Good Growing!

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