FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Hey all,

Something I was curious about, I bought a Nepenthes Ventrata last year, and I've been keeping it indoors under a Yescom 225 grow light and it's been doing really well, but I was wondering, what's it like growing these outdoors? I'd love to take it outside during the spring and summer so it gets tons of free bugs to eat, but are there any things I need to worry about when growing it outside?

I know from everything I've read that you need to keep it in "bright shade" to prevent it from burning, but I'm not sure how to best achieve that. Do Ventrata burn easily? Do I need to acclimate it a few hours every day before fully putting it outside?

I have a south facing patio that gets plenty of sun, and I live in Georgia in a 7b growing zone, if that helps.

I'm in Atlanta and grow mine outside in the summer. It did well last year growing in dappled shade provided by the bean plants. It has also done well on an east facing porch so that it got sun until about 10am. The second picture gives you an idea of where the were growing in the left corner.

Panman wrote: ↑Fri Feb 11, 2022 6:29 pm I'm in Atlanta and grow mine outside in the summer. It did well last year growing in dappled shade provided by the bean plants. It has also done well on an east facing porch so that it got sun until about 10am. The second picture gives you an idea of where the were growing in the left corner.

Ohhhh, I see I see! Thanks again, Panman, your advice is always super helpful!

I guess I'll try and place it under the patio table, or next to some tomato plants so they get some shade and see what happens.

Do you know if you need to acclimate them slowly to outdoors sunlight, or can you just chuck them outside and let them figure it out?

I don't think you have to worry about acclimation if you do it early enough in the season. Of course, acclimation wouldn't hurt but I don't have time enough for that. They got plenty of sunburn as I moved them around to find the right location.

Tennessee here.
I had a ventrata for a couple seasons that I hung under my back porch. It received direct AM sunlight for about two hours, then shade after that. It did develop some color, some minor burn, but adapted to it so the later leaves were less affected. As long as it's not in intensely direct sun, which is most of the day, you're fine. If you can find a happy spot that gets an hour or so of sun beginning at sunrise, the least intense sunlight at the coolest time of day, and indirect light after that, you're golden.
Mine didn't do too much in the way of catching bugs except wasps, they were the biggest percentage of self caught bugs. However, I stuffed every pitcher with Japanese Beetles and June Bugs so much that I had to crush their little skulls so that they wouldn't simply crawl over the carcasses of their brethren and escape. The plant very much appreciated all that natural beetle-y goodness and quadrupled in the time I had it. It's now living it's best life out in the Bay Area.

Panman wrote: ↑Fri Feb 11, 2022 9:58 pm I don't think you have to worry about acclimation if you do it early enough in the season. Of course, acclimation wouldn't hurt but I don't have time enough for that. They got plenty of sunburn as I moved them around to find the right location.

Sounds good! Guess I'll just start moving it outside once it starts warming up.

ChefDean wrote: ↑Fri Feb 11, 2022 10:10 pm Tennessee here.
I had a ventrata for a couple seasons that I hung under my back porch. It received direct AM sunlight for about two hours, then shade after that. It did develop some color, some minor burn, but adapted to it so the later leaves were less affected. As long as it's not in intensely direct sun, which is most of the day, you're fine. If you can find a happy spot that gets an hour or so of sun beginning at sunrise, the least intense sunlight at the coolest time of day, and indirect light after that, you're golden.
Mine didn't do too much in the way of catching bugs except wasps, they were the biggest percentage of self caught bugs. However, I stuffed every pitcher with Japanese Beetles and June Bugs so much that I had to crush their little skulls so that they wouldn't simply crawl over the carcasses of their brethren and escape. The plant very much appreciated all that natural beetle-y goodness and quadrupled in the time I had it. It's now living it's best life out in the Bay Area.

Dannng, that sounds crazy! I'll think about getting a hanging basket then and see if I can hang it under my porch as well.

I recommend the hanging basket. It makes it so much easier. Ventrata gets a little weedy.