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Post by artificialive on Mar 26, 2008 10:21:52 GMT 8
Hello all, Since Fauzi is going to bring in N. Campanulata, we will have the chance to grow this once-thought-extinct nep. I'm sure Campanulata is another dream plant for nep growers (besides Clipeata) to have and keep, so it is crucial to make this plant happy in our growing conditions. This thread is intended specifically for N. Campanulata, knowing their behavior, their preferences in terms of light, water, media etc. Hope growers like Lim, Cindy, Hongrui and the others who already have this nep can give some insights, tips and tricks so that new growers will have a happy experience growing this very rare pitcher plant  p/s: Cant wait for the camp to arrive! hihihi |
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Post by hongrui on Mar 26, 2008 10:40:35 GMT 8
Hi Naj, i'm growing my camps in 80% burnt earth and 20% peat/perlite, full sun till 1pm, bright shade thereafter. same amount of watering as my other neps. i have no problems with leaving them out in the open and letting soaked by our monsoon rains. Ifurita is growing them in peat/perlite so media shouldn't be much of an issue. lime is not really needed in their media for them to grow well. N. campanulata is found naturally on limestone cliffs, so full sun shouldn't be a problem. but their media should be very very well draining and not retain too much moisture. happy growing! i know what its like to be waiting for the plant to arrive. hehe  |
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Post by artificialive on Mar 26, 2008 13:23:22 GMT 8
Thanks hongrui From ur experience, this nep seems to be hardy eh? How often do u water ur plants? Hmm thinking of limestone cliffs, u are right that they need very well drained media. Talking about ifurita's media, do u have any idea of what ration he used? |
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Post by hongrui on Mar 26, 2008 14:24:18 GMT 8
N. campanulata is hardy for me but its the acclimatization process that needs to be monitored. once you've got it going and growing, its pretty hardy. i try to water my neps once a day, if not, then its an extra heavy watering the next day.
i believe ifurita uses 1:1 peat/perlite, but better for him to check out this thread. hehe just in case he changes his proportions or something.
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Post by phissionkorps on Mar 26, 2008 15:31:21 GMT 8
I grow mine in 5:2:2 peat/perlite/vermiculite, with horticultural lime mixed in. That actually made the media darker even though it's white....strange. Mine made two smaller leaves but is now making a normal sized one. I attribute that to the shipping/repotting. My conditions are pretty (almost) perfect lowland. Water condenses all over the chamber so humidity has to be at least 80%. Temps are about 85 day, probably 80 night. I don't have a thermometer or hygrometer anymore  I've only had my campanulata for about 2 weeks, but it seems to be settling in nicely. Oh and I water once every 3 days. EDIT: I just walked into my chamber...no freakin way its only 85. Anyone (preferably stateside) know of a cheap hygrometer/thermometer combo? |
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Post by David on Mar 27, 2008 9:09:05 GMT 8
From what everyone say, does this mean camp needs...
- well drain media
- very high humidity
- alot of sunlight
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Post by phissionkorps on Mar 27, 2008 9:51:43 GMT 8
I think that sounds about right David. The person I got mine from grows them in pure sphag, in a tray on top of wet sphag (not sitting in water). His humidity is also very, very high. When I got mine I kept it in a plastic bag for about 10 days slowly acclimating it (usually I just throw plants in my chamber and let them figure things out on their own, but my camp was about 2"). It didn't lose any pitchers at all, but I feel it would've had I not bagged it.
I think hongrui really hit the nail on the head with his post.
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Post by hongrui on Mar 27, 2008 16:30:48 GMT 8
From what everyone say, does this mean camp needs... - well drain media - very high humidity - alot of sunlight David, i think humidity should not be much of an issue for us. our normal outdoors humidity levels should do just fine. the humidity levels in my garden can go down to like 40% on a hot still afternoon. but i certainly will not recommend leaving our neps at 40% humidity level for a prolonged period. if you can maintain maybe 50-60% that should be fine. |
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Post by ifurita on Mar 27, 2008 21:43:42 GMT 8
i believe ifurita uses 1:1 peat/perlite, but better for him to check out this thread. hehe just in case he changes his proportions or something. Yup, I'm using 1:1 peat/perlite. Humidity shouldn't be an issue at all either, not around our zone. My area is very windy, so humidity is relatively low, plus my camp doesn't even have the usual top layer of sphagnum I use for most of my neps and its doing okay. I'm a bit lazy to water everyday, s I only water it once every 2-3 days or so. It seems happy. |
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Post by sunbelle on Mar 28, 2008 1:58:48 GMT 8
We've got several clones growing here in Florida. Lots of humidity and excellent drainage are important. We grow all our plants fairly bright, but the camps are grown a little more shaded. Our media is the same we use for everything else. I have noticed older leaves will turn black sometimes, and I attribute this to a mineral deficiency. Fertilizing with a weak organic helps. We have not really tested this, but suspect it is a problem that can be remedied with something like Peter's Cal-Mag, even though our Neptune's Harvest seems to also work as a remedy.
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Post by David on Mar 28, 2008 8:49:46 GMT 8
I bought a few from MT when I first started this hobby. Placed it in a terrarium with very high humidity. They died on me. Perhaps its the lack of air circulation like what ifurita mentioned and maybe the media was too wet for too long.
sunbelle,
Does it always mean that when the leaves turn black, it is because of mineral deficiency? I have this happening to a few of my neps some time back. Just can't figure out why the leaves turn black. Also what is the media that you are using for all yor neps?
Rob,
If you see this, can you give us some tips on the cultivation conditions for your campanulata since we are getting it from you? I think we will not go wrong if we mimic your growing conditions exactly because that is how the plants have been grown at your place.
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Post by sunbelle on Mar 29, 2008 2:12:18 GMT 8
David,
Our mix is very porous and nutritionally poor. It is shredded cypress mulch mixed with sponge rock. None of our other plants are doing this (were-in the past tense since the app. of fertilizer) leaf blackening.
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Post by David on Mar 31, 2008 9:04:33 GMT 8
Thanks sunbelle for the explaination.
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Post by cindy on Apr 2, 2008 20:07:04 GMT 8
N. campanulata does well and has flowered for me in the following mixes:
1. perlite, LFS, diatomite
2. perlite, LFS, coral chips
3. LFS, some kind of inert clay pebbles
Light - T5 florescent or bright sunlight (direct for part of the day)
Humdity - 45%-90%
Watering - only when the top LFS is near crispy dry, which is about every 2-3 days
I noticed that the species likes stable growing conditions. A sudden change from the rainy season to the hot and dry season causes them to either lose the older pitchers/leaves quickly. Probably because the pitchers are thin to begin with. The humidity at my balcony can fluctuate as much as 40% within a day.
Fertilising is done occasionally. Maybe every 3-4 weeks, with diluted orchid fertiliser.
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dom
Full Member
Posts: 218
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Post by dom on Apr 3, 2008 9:16:47 GMT 8
Hi Cindy,
Why using coral chip? Because of need to maintain the substrate alkaline?
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Post by David on Apr 3, 2008 9:18:48 GMT 8
Thanks Cindy. Glad to hear from you. You've been so quiet nowadays. Kinda miss your posts. |
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Post by isaacgoh on Apr 3, 2008 11:17:42 GMT 8
Hi Cindy, Why using coral chip? Because of need to maintain the substrate alkaline? Dom, I think the assumption is (similar with northiana), this plant grows on limestone hills, therefore they are used to alkaline condition. So, for plants that are from limestone hills condition, people will try to emulate the habitat by adding limestone chips or coral chips. Rgds, Isaac |
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Post by phissionkorps on Apr 3, 2008 11:36:13 GMT 8
As long as you pot in a relatively neutral media, you don't need to add any lime. I added lime, but that's because I use an acidic peat-based mixture. There is more evidence to suggest that species that grow on limestone cliffs do so as an adaptation (to escape competition), not as a necessity.
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Post by akirasama on Apr 3, 2008 11:47:46 GMT 8
actually what is diatomite? LFS? and also lime stone? where can i get those stuff in kuala lumpur? thank you so much  |
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Post by cindy on Apr 3, 2008 11:54:25 GMT 8
The plant did not do well for 2 years so I just placed some coral chips near its roots to see if it helps. The plant did better but I can't be 100% sure if it was the coral chips that did the work because I also cut back on watering and allowed the media to dry out more. The coral chips were in my freshwater tank for 6 months before I used it on the N. campanulata so there is no salt.
The use of limestone, coral chips and diatomite is to leach calcium out into the media and not to increase the pH. Apparently, the cliff growing plants such as N. northiana and N. campanulata grow in acidic media, but surrounded by limestone. The rain will allow some of the minerals to reach the plants but not sufficient to increase the pH to a significant level.
Many growers have got good results without using limestone, coral chips or diatomite. The neutral clay pebbles I use do not release any calcium or alter the pH but the species does very well in it. In fact, my best growing N. campanulata is in LFS mixed with this clay material. Nothing special about it except that it looks like white lava rock which are 1-2cm across. Heavier than perlite but the effect is the same. Porous, holds water and air.
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