FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Hi guys! I know, I know, tl/dr

So I got all excited one night and bought a few different nep seeds. I really just wanted n. reinwardtiana.. but it came in a pack with 3 other types. I thought what the hey, I can try this.

I get the pack and it's (sec, I'm nervous just saying this) n. maxima, n. gymnamphora and n. inermis.

Super easy beginner plants, right? (A LOT of sarcasm happening there)

I've been all over the web trying to figure out how to go about this. I've found guides saying to use 2k Lumens to 20k lumens. Guides saying to use pure LFS and others saying use 30/30/30 LFS/perlite/verm and some saying use peat, or peat/perlite mixes. Temps differ from guide to guide, as well as ways to plant them, humidity, watering techniques, ect.

I haven't found ANYTHING consistent besides the fact that they are not for novice growers. (cry) I haven't found much even on this forum as far as highlanders and ultra highlanders.

I've already planted the seeds. I used pure LFS rinsed and soaked, which I'm nervous about because I have perlite and I could have used a mixture and maybe I should have? Once the LFS had soaked and was moist but not wet I sprinkled the seeds on top and gently misted to get good contact with the LFS. I then covered the pot with saran wrap and it's sitting about an inch under a 2000 lumen 2700k 30 wat CFL for 12 hours a day for now until I can get my reptile/plant room set up. The room stays about 75ish because my tree frogs and turtle live there and will be sharing space with my plants. That being said the room stays pretty humid as is, with the water in the frog tank and the pool in the turtle table, plus I spray the turtles table constantly (he's living in/on LFS also hehe)
I'll be getting bigger fluorescents when I know where I'm mounting them once the room comes together and upgrading the frogs and turtles lights to have more UVB bulbs (are these good for the plants too?) I just moved in here a month ago and am still settling in, and rearranging the furniture and whatnot.

In spring and summer I'll be moving the turtle and whatever plants will thrive outside, I live in Charleston, South Carolina and get tons of sun, heat, and moderate+ humidity. So this set up just needs to get the babes started and get us through to spring.

What should I change about my setup? What would help get the plants going so they can be moved outdoors in a few months without totally disrupting them? If it's too late to change something (like my substrate mixture) what should I do differently next time?

Thanks for taking the time to read all this mess. And for any advice, scolding, ect that you leave here for me.

<3

pretty
you have most of it right , but N. reienwardtiana is a low land specie, N.maxima is all usually but will do well in intermediate and low high land conditions N.gymnamphora and N.inermis are both high land plants not ultra high land ,kind , putting them in LSM is ok , i do some in that as well , have more success with spag peat , fine perlite , fine scilica sand and finely chopped spah moss , and can add some fine grade bark as well but not critical , germination rate is much higher with fresh seed of cause , never know if it is from Asia !! dont think they know about refrigeration or care !!
I find using T8 36 w fluro lights about 10 in to a foot away from the seed works well , 2 or 3 work best ,room temp of 20 c and use clear plastic food containers with clear lids lids , like Chinese takeaway ones , the best for this nep seed germination inside and lids off in the green house if humidity is good.
when putting your seed into the container, you must use a fungicide spray and spry the seed or you will have a load of contamination very soon .I use fongarid , find this the best , but be careful it very potent stuff but any pro fungicide will do , usually they need spraying Evey 3 to 4 weeks and more if fungus shows . take infected seed out when it appears as if infected it will not germinate any how .
as you can see below have most of the species you are talking about germination except the low land which i do not grow here at all . have many many more in germination , as well as my own hybrids , as I said do under lights and in green house as well and spring time for green house and all season inside under lights as long as temps are constant 20 c , as these are still tropical plants and the temps dont change to much in the natural habitat , been and seen all these plants all over Asia as well
hope this helps john

pretty wrote:wow!! thanks so much John!

How long did your plants take to sprout? Do you know how old is too old for the seed storage of these plants??

I love the pix, thank you so much- I know what I'm looking for now!

germination can vary from seed to seed, if there fresh seed can take any where for a few weeks to a few months , this will all so depend on light temps and humidity , , your seed will germinate quicker from my experience if the temps and light are a constant , not a lot of fluctuation , others have had different experiences too using the warm cool cycles for high land seed , usually i put some in the lab and some in Green house just to be sure I get germination of some sort .
a lot of different views on seed storage times , I have found fresh seed to be best if it keep in the fridge in paper packets and a sealed container , less contamination, found seed stored for over 6 - 8 months to have very slow germination and low germination ratio , but a friend has got seed well over 12 months in storage to germinate in T/C , but successes will be determined by the persons experience
in my view , beginners show use the freshest seed possible till you know what and what not to do
J

Under my conditions the neps seeds germination can take from 18 days for the fastes germinated seeds and up to 6 months. I had such case for longes germination seeds. However, the lowland neps seeds have very short live and short period they're viable . Some species even a week. While a highland seeds have rather longer viable period up to 3-4 months. But in any case it is desirable to be used fresh seeds as much as possible and to be sown immediately for good germination rate.