Expert: Christopher Littrell - 11/19/2007

Question
hi, i have had my nepenthes for a couple months now, and it was thriving. but now its leaved started to stop growing, and now dring up. so i decided to transplant it in some sphagnum moss and perlite, but when i took the plant out, there was almost no roots ,less than half of my fist,and the soil was in was very, very wet ( but it did not sit in water). so i put i in the moss and left it. i think it is root rot. how can i help it and keep it alive

thanks

Answer
Hello George,

I am sorry to hear about your Nepenthes.

Root rot is hard to treat, however; you can unpot the plant, clip off any dead or rotten roots, and apply Captan or other fungicide/bactericide to the roots (Stay away from soap based products and anything with copper in it). Repot the plant in 1/3 sphagnum peat moss to 2/3 perlite, or 1/3 mix of each peat moss, orchid bark, and coconut husk. The Orchid bark and coconut husk seems to work very well in keeping the soil just moist without staying wet. It drains very quickly.

It might be too late to save the plant, but you never know until you try.

Some tips:

Do not pack the moss too tightly when potting the plant. Leave it spongy and loose to hold in air and drain water more easily. Moss that is too tightly packed will build up water pockets that cannot drain.

Only water the plant once every 2-4 days or just enough to keep its soil moist. Let the soil dry slightly over a couple of days between waterings, but never let it dry completely. It helps to use your finger to judge moisture levels by digging the tip of your finger into the soil at the pot edge. If the soil feels just a little moist an inch down, you are fine on moisture levels. If it is too dry to the touch, apply some water. If it is damp enough to soak your finger, you need to let it dry a couple more days before checking again or watering the plant.

I hope your Nepenthes recovers,

Christopher