Nepenthes mikei Browning: Light, Fertilizer, and Soil Fixes

San Francisco grower: N. mikei in 90% sphagnum/10% bark, west window, foggy, no pitchers 1+ year. Brown stains under leaves. Moved to bathroom (low light), fertilized with MaxSea 1 tsp/gal. Leaves browned/died. New leaves green but pitcher nodules brown.

Diagnosis

• Insufficient light – lanky, uniformly green growth. Needs compact growth with brown streaks.
• Fertilizer burn – fertilized without adequate light → nutrient toxicity.
• Poor drainage – 90% sphagnum stays too wet.

Recovery Plan

1. Move to south window or add artificial lights (care sheet specs).
2. Stop all fertilizer.
3. Repot: 1:1 sphagnum/bark (or standard Nepenthes mix).
4. Remove dead leaves.

Timeline

Months to recover. Watch Volume 3 DVD for soil/light details.