Question
QUESTION: Allexperts,

I saw the video on Youtube about what you guys says is safe about Insecticides for carnivorous plants.   The reason why I am asking about this is , used Imidacloprid on my Nepenthes Jamban, and that plant is now dead.  I am going to use Imidacloprid on N. Singalana it has strangely the almost the exact same problem as N. Jamban had; Springtails and No pitchers.   The thing that separates the  2 is N. Singalana has new growth.    As always thank you for answering my question .  I hope you have a wonderful holiday season.

Sincerely,

Weylin

ANSWER: Hi Weylin,

The Bayer 3 in 1 is what we use in our Nepenthes house when we get scale or excessive fungus gnats.  We have found no problems with it.  If you used it excessively you could cause problems for a small plant.

Weylin, when you get a chance, send me a photo of your growing area.  I'm guessing that you have some fundamental problems that is causing growing issues with your plants.  One thing I would recommend right off is to switch to a two-tube shoplight type fixture instead of using CFL's.  Use Cool-white type tubes either T-12 or T-8's.  This type of unit produces a more consistent, cooler light source along with more growing space.  If you can't, be sure you are using 6500K "Daylight" type CFL's for your plants.  This will give them much more useable light for photosynthesis.

Good Growing!

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

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------


growing area  

growing area2#   QUESTION: Allexperts,


As requested I have attached a photo of where the Nepenthes Singalana is growing.   This the website where I got the growing apparatus: http://www.birds-n-garden.com/grow_lights_plants_carts_stands_6.html.    I followed what was said on your website , the tubes are 40 watts in actual output.   Let me know if you need anything else.  Thank you again for answering my questions.  

Sincerely,

Weylin

P.S :  I have another growing area, but those plants don't show case any of these problems . That I'm discussing.

Answer
Hi Weylin,

You have a beautiful grow shelf set-up.  Many of your plants look great.  The one recommendation I would make it to stage certain plants.  Some would benefit from being much closer to the lights, so what I used to do is block up some small plants, like pygmy sundews, with bricks to get them closer to the light.  You can also regroup the plants so taller ones like bigger Nepenthes and the Brochinnia reducta are together, and short plants are together so you can lower the light for them.

Your problems with the N. jamban and N. singalana, I hate to say it, is probably because of low humidity, and possibly being a bit too warm.  The daytime temperatures are probably fine, but they like the night cool-down.  Our Jambans in our greenhouse are bright and cool with night temperatures in the low 60's to upper 50's to days in the low 70's.  The humidity is around 70%.  Both of these plants come from mossy Montane high elevation forests in Sumatra.  Growing them in live sphagnum moss may be a consideration.  Plants that come from these conditions do tend to be fussier than intermediate growers like some of your other Nepenthes.

The easiest way to give plants like those might be a separate tank set-up with it's own light and partial cover.  You would need to have this on a location where you could give the plants the night cool-down.

Hope this helps.

Good Growing!

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