FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Howdy all!

So I am asking this as a preventative really, I am not experiencing any issues currently. However, I have a new indoor setup in my apartment (most my plants are outside), Just two yescom lights, each on a wire rack. I have a few neps under my lights that have been doing well, new growth and all. The catch is, I am finding that each Nep is soaking up water quicker than others, or one’s LFSM soil will stay moist for days on end while the others dry.

What advice do y’all have to avoid root rot, or is root rot difficult to achieve? This I am perceiving as my main threat by my new indoor setup.




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Not an expert on this but I believe that as long as the lfsm hadn’t broken down they should remain fine.

I'm guessing the big pot is staying moist longer than the others. That would make sense due to the much larger mass of moss.
Just keep checking the moss daily, a minute a day to touch it and add water if it's dryish on top. They like moist, but hate wet. Don't let them sit in a tray all the time.
Mine is outside, 70% to 90%+ humidity, so I only add about one or two Tbsp of water a day, and I put a platform in the hanging basket so that any excess water drains under the pot and can't be sucked up.
Don't keep them too wet, and you won't have to worry about root rot.

Rudy1776 wrote: ↑Fri Aug 21, 2020 10:17 pm Howdy all!

So I am asking this as a preventative really, I am not experiencing any issues currently. However, I have a new indoor setup in my apartment (most my plants are outside), Just two yescom lights, each on a wire rack. I have a few neps under my lights that have been doing well, new growth and all. The catch is, I am finding that each Nep is soaking up water quicker than others, or one’s LFSM soil will stay moist for days on end while the others dry.

What advice do y’all have to avoid root rot, or is root rot difficult to achieve? This I am perceiving as my main threat by my new indoor setup.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Howdy! Your setup looks sharp, and those muscle racks make it really easy to hang grow lights. I use one for a bunch of nepenthes, too! You seem to have all the essentials covered, so kudos.

I’m not a professional, so please take what I say with the necessary grain of salt. Have you considered putting some rinsed aquarium gravel in the bottom of the trays/water basins, then placing the pot back on the aquarium gravel?

Filling your tray or water basin with a little bit of water (enough for the water to just ‘touch’ the base of the pots sitting on top of the gravel) will convert it into a humidity tray. It could take a lot of the guess work out of your watering.

Have you considered enclosing the shelf in a pop-up green house, or a Mylar-lined grow tent? A tent has helped me even more with maintaining my desired humidity levels & ambient temps; with little worry for the plants.

Before the tent, I was using an old fish tank with mirrors positioned behind the tank; to reflect light at the base of the plants, which my two sarracenia demanded. It worked (though all the plants grew slowly) and made an attractive home fixture; meaning no landlord would fight me on having an indoor terrarium.

Have you ever thought about using mesh pots & a critter/reptile fogger? The extra holes in the sides & bottom of the container enhances the circulation & drainage abilities. Maintained humidity, extra aeration to the roots, and an enclosure combined will all create an awesome greenhouse effect for your plants.

If you think enclosing the plants might be a good idea for you, consider investing in a ventilation system & a hygrometer (if you don’t already have one; I didn’t see one in the pic). It will truly help you out in the long run.

I’m a lighting nerd, and have never heard of your lights. I’m on the site checking them out—sleek units! If your lights make any heat (most do, even if it’s just a little bit), it’s a really wise idea to keep an eye on the humidity & temperature near your nepenthes; at all times.

Until I got a ventilation system, I would leave the lid/door open about 30% open on my terrarium/tent, at night. I would then turn on a ceiling, box, or oscillating fan at a medium-low speed (like 4/10) near the enclosure. I would also keep the door to the room at least 20% open to allow for air exchange.

That’s all I got off the top of my head, once again said as a novice grower. Your plants are looking happy & responsive in the photo. Good for you using acclimation bags. Hope this is helpful in some way, and please anyone chime in if I’m offering bad advice or need to fix something I said!

Edit: Hanging pots are also effective. Nepenthes can really benefit from the increased gravity, as the pitchers will really develop their colors as they hang lower. I personally hate hanging pots, though. I finally found these extra deep nursery pots, which have been amazing:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B075STG ... th=1&psc=1