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By Mpott302
Posts:  109
Joined:  Mon Dec 17, 2018 12:41 am
#326736
Hi everyone. I’m brand new here. I’ve searched this and other forums to try to figure out what’s going on but not finding plants with the exact conditions as mine.
Recent history of my nepenthes: I received it as a gift a year ago, it spent the rest of the winter indoors with a small full spectrum grow light. As soon as it warmed up I moved it to a screened/slat glass window porch where it really thrived. I left it on the porch as winter rolled around with the windows closed and a couple weeks ago put it back under the light for 9hrs a day.
The reason I left it on th porch is I thought it needed dormancy just like my VFT’s. I later read it didn’t so I’ve recently brought it back inside hanging near a window. My house is about 70 degrees Fahrenheit and 52% humidity. I don’t know if any of that has a thing to do with the problems it’s having but I figured it wouldn’t hurt to include.
I recently noticed some red/brown spots on the leaves. In a matter of days the lower leaves and stem is almost completely brown and leaves towards the end are really spotted. Tonight I also noticed a black line on the end of the stem. Anyone have any idea what might be going on?

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Last edited by Mpott302 on Tue Jan 08, 2019 4:14 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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By javaliz59
Posts:  132
Joined:  Tue Oct 02, 2018 6:23 am
#326741
Also, is your Nepenthes a Highland or Lowland species? If Highland, it might tolerate a low of 70F but preferably should range 78F high to 72F low give or take a few. If Lowland then maybe 78-80F high to 74F low. Lowlands are more vulnerable to cold.
My kitchen ranges 78F to 72F and while my Highlands love it, it was too chilly for my Lowlands, so I moved them to a terrarium and they are thriving better.
Check out your lighting too. A lot of lights sold on the market are not adequate. I found this out the hard way. After a lot of reading, I upgraded to a T5 LED full spectrum light last summer. My Nepenthes are happy now.

Good luck!

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By Mpott302
Posts:  109
Joined:  Mon Dec 17, 2018 12:41 am
#326750
It probably saw temps as low as 35 degrees on the porch. I’ll try to get it proper lighting inside and hope that cures it. I was just worried it’s too late and already dead
By Mpott302
Posts:  109
Joined:  Mon Dec 17, 2018 12:41 am
#326768
Huntsmanshorn wrote:Your soil is too heavy and you let it get too cold. You might save it but I doubt it.
The soil has compacted over time. Should I repot in long fiber today or is the plant in too much shock to repot right now?
By Hungry Plants
Posts:  1134
Joined:  Mon Nov 28, 2016 2:41 am
#326770
At this point, I don't think you have much to loos. I would do a nice mix of pearlite and LFS something nice and airy. You can also use orchid bark and LFS just as long as there is no fertilizer in it.
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By javaliz59
Posts:  132
Joined:  Tue Oct 02, 2018 6:23 am
#326771
Huntsmanshorn wrote:Your soil is too heavy and you let it get too cold. You might save it but I doubt it.
Agreed. Your Nepenthes should be in Long Fiber Sphagnum moss (LFSM) preferably New Zealand LFSM which you can find online at most reputable Carnivorous plant nurseries. Be careful, not all sphagnum moss is the same so look specifically for New Zealand LFSM.
In addition to LFSM your soil mix needs to contain peat moss/perlite mix, but mostly LFSM. You can find premix CP soils but again get it at good CP nursery.
If I were you I'd repot it. At this point what do you have to lose?
One other thing: you are using distilled or rain water, yes?

Best of luck!

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By javaliz59
Posts:  132
Joined:  Tue Oct 02, 2018 6:23 am
#326772
If you post a few pics of the pitchers maybe I or someone here can help you ID it so you know if it's a Lowland or Highland Nepenthes.

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By SundewWolf
Posts:  2219
Joined:  Fri Mar 08, 2013 2:38 pm
#326777
Looks like a Nepenthes x ventrata. Some say it can tolerate 50*F if acclimated to it but 35*F is way lower than I would keep it at. It does look like it most likely received some frost/cold damage on that porch.

The soil is also a bit more wet and dense then what I would personally use. I like an equal mix of sphagnum, perlite, peat, and orchid bark for Nepenthes so that it's well draining and circulates air down into the substrate better to prevent stagnation. You do have to water more frequently with that mix, but my nepenthes have never grown well kept in heavy constantly wet/muddy peat-based soil.

One thing to also note whether you repot or not: now that a significant foliage mass has been lost you need to reduce your watering considerably otherwise all the roots will rot without all the leaves and their transpiration.

All you can do now is keep it indoors under the light, water less frequently, and hope that it comes back from a side shoot or basal shoot in a few weeks.

I would say there is still a chance it can recover if the conditions are correct.
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By Mpott302
Posts:  109
Joined:  Mon Dec 17, 2018 12:41 am
#326787
I really appreciate all the fast responses. You’ve given be good advice. I’ll keep the thread updated with progress.
Should I cut any of the dead/dying leaves?
By Hungry Plants
Posts:  1134
Joined:  Mon Nov 28, 2016 2:41 am
#326788
As long as there is green on them they can do at least a % of photosynthesis. So I would leave them till they are dead-dead. You wont to get as much as you can out of them. How does the growth point look?

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