Hi All,
I have a Nepanthes (pitcher plant) growing happily on my bathroom
windowsill. The original 2 vines haven't made any new growth this year and
most of the pitchers on these vines have gone brown. The leaves are still OK
though.
I have 4 other vines which apeared from the base of the old ones which are
very happy and have many new leaves and pitchers.

My question is - what should I do with the 2 old vines? Can I cut them back
a bit, fully, to the root etc? Or can I remove just the dead / dying
pitchers and leave...

Thanks,
Matthew

Matthew,
You can do either, if the leaves are ok but the pitchers are brown,
shrived and unsightly cut them off or if the lower part of the vine is
brown and unsightly but the upper part is green and growing well I cut
mine right back and use the upper portions as cuttings (1-3 node
depending on species) to get new plants. I've done this with a small
hybrid and a Mixta x maxima with good results
You didn't say what variety of nepenthes it was.

Ford.

On Sat, 17 Jul 2004 14:22:02 GMT, "Matthew Durkin"
wrote:

Hi All,
I have a Nepanthes (pitcher plant) growing happily on my bathroom
windowsill. The original 2 vines haven't made any new growth this year and
most of the pitchers on these vines have gone brown. The leaves are still OK
though.
I have 4 other vines which apeared from the base of the old ones which are
very happy and have many new leaves and pitchers.

My question is - what should I do with the 2 old vines? Can I cut them back
a bit, fully, to the root etc? Or can I remove just the dead / dying
pitchers and leave...

Thanks,
Matthew

I'm not sure what variety it is. I bought it at B&Q a year ago - I'd never
seen one for sale up till that point. I don't expect it was being given
rainwater or any other good conditions there but I was so surprised to see
one I bought it right away - the exact type wasn't indicated (Is there any
way to tell). I've since seen loads of different ones for sale, some with
more interesting pitchers. My pitchers are failrly plain, go reddish and
quite often don't grow with lids. Biggest pitcher is about 4 inch long.

I'll have a go and tidy it up soon. Maybe I'll try and take cuttings the way
you describe, though I'm not sure who will want one...!

Thanks,
Matthew

"Ford Prefect " wrote in message
...
Matthew,
You can do either, if the leaves are ok but the pitchers are brown,
shrived and unsightly cut them off or if the lower part of the vine is
brown and unsightly but the upper part is green and growing well I cut
mine right back and use the upper portions as cuttings (1-3 node
depending on species) to get new plants. I've done this with a small
hybrid and a Mixta x maxima with good results
You didn't say what variety of nepenthes it was.

Ford.

On Sat, 17 Jul 2004 14:22:02 GMT, "Matthew Durkin"
wrote:

Hi All,
I have a Nepanthes (pitcher plant) growing happily on my bathroom
windowsill. The original 2 vines haven't made any new growth this year
and
most of the pitchers on these vines have gone brown. The leaves are still
OK
though.
I have 4 other vines which apeared from the base of the old ones which
are
very happy and have many new leaves and pitchers.

My question is - what should I do with the 2 old vines? Can I cut them
back
a bit, fully, to the root etc? Or can I remove just the dead / dying
pitchers and leave...

Thanks,
Matthew

If it's the plant I think it is it's N.coccinea (I might be wrong) but
I'm told they are grown in Holland and shipped to the UK in the
hundreds the 're not that good a starter Nep. I've never had any luck
getting them to pitcher (they grow fine but outside of a terrarium
80-90% humidity no luck) N.alata is probably the best mine gives me
2-3" pitchers just growing on a bathroom windowsill.
If your going to take cuttings make them around 3 or 4 leaves and cut
all but the top two in half (across the leaf not from tip to stem) dip
in rooting power and plant in either the same medium the mother plant
is in probably some sphagnum peat mixture or if the cutting is small
use rock wool blocks and a propagator, not too much for heat (although
it is beneficial) but to keep the humidity up. keep an eye on the
medium so it doesn't get too dry or wet and they should grow fine.
The lack of lids on some pitchers is probably due to low humidity.
I did a quick google and found this site with a smallish picture
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/gl_containe...386014,00.html
A great book to get is Peter D'Amato's "The Savage Garden" it's almost
a CP bible :0)

If you get bitten by the CP bug try
http://www.hampshire-carnivorous-plants.co.uk/ The owner Matthew has
some great plants and is a gold medal winner a Chelsea to boot.

Ford.

On Sat, 17 Jul 2004 18:49:12 GMT, "Matthew Durkin"
wrote:

I'm not sure what variety it is. I bought it at B&Q a year ago - I'd never
seen one for sale up till that point. I don't expect it was being given
rainwater or any other good conditions there but I was so surprised to see
one I bought it right away - the exact type wasn't indicated (Is there any
way to tell). I've since seen loads of different ones for sale, some with
more interesting pitchers. My pitchers are failrly plain, go reddish and
quite often don't grow with lids. Biggest pitcher is about 4 inch long.

I'll have a go and tidy it up soon. Maybe I'll try and take cuttings the way
you describe, though I'm not sure who will want one...!

Thanks,
Matthew

"Ford Prefect " wrote in message
.. .
Matthew,
You can do either, if the leaves are ok but the pitchers are brown,
shrived and unsightly cut them off or if the lower part of the vine is
brown and unsightly but the upper part is green and growing well I cut
mine right back and use the upper portions as cuttings (1-3 node
depending on species) to get new plants. I've done this with a small
hybrid and a Mixta x maxima with good results
You didn't say what variety of nepenthes it was.

Ford.

On Sat, 17 Jul 2004 14:22:02 GMT, "Matthew Durkin"
wrote:

Hi All,
I have a Nepanthes (pitcher plant) growing happily on my bathroom
windowsill. The original 2 vines haven't made any new growth this year
and
most of the pitchers on these vines have gone brown. The leaves are still
OK
though.
I have 4 other vines which apeared from the base of the old ones which
are
very happy and have many new leaves and pitchers.

My question is - what should I do with the 2 old vines? Can I cut them
back
a bit, fully, to the root etc? Or can I remove just the dead / dying
pitchers and leave...

Thanks,
Matthew

I'm not sure what variety it is. I bought it at B&Q a year ago - I'd never
seen one for sale up till that point. I don't expect it was being given
rainwater or any other good conditions there but I was so surprised to see
one I bought it right away - the exact type wasn't indicated (Is there any
way to tell). I've since seen loads of different ones for sale, some with
more interesting pitchers. My pitchers are failrly plain, go reddish and
quite often don't grow with lids. Biggest pitcher is about 4 inch long.

I'll have a go and tidy it up soon. Maybe I'll try and take cuttings the way
you describe, though I'm not sure who will want one...!

Thanks,
Matthew

"Ford Prefect " wrote in message
...
Matthew,
You can do either, if the leaves are ok but the pitchers are brown,
shrived and unsightly cut them off or if the lower part of the vine is
brown and unsightly but the upper part is green and growing well I cut
mine right back and use the upper portions as cuttings (1-3 node
depending on species) to get new plants. I've done this with a small
hybrid and a Mixta x maxima with good results
You didn't say what variety of nepenthes it was.

Ford.

On Sat, 17 Jul 2004 14:22:02 GMT, "Matthew Durkin"
wrote:

Hi All,
I have a Nepanthes (pitcher plant) growing happily on my bathroom
windowsill. The original 2 vines haven't made any new growth this year
and
most of the pitchers on these vines have gone brown. The leaves are still
OK
though.
I have 4 other vines which apeared from the base of the old ones which
are
very happy and have many new leaves and pitchers.

My question is - what should I do with the 2 old vines? Can I cut them
back
a bit, fully, to the root etc? Or can I remove just the dead / dying
pitchers and leave...

Thanks,
Matthew

Matthew,
You can do either, if the leaves are ok but the pitchers are brown,
shrived and unsightly cut them off or if the lower part of the vine is
brown and unsightly but the upper part is green and growing well I cut
mine right back and use the upper portions as cuttings (1-3 node
depending on species) to get new plants. I've done this with a small
hybrid and a Mixta x maxima with good results
You didn't say what variety of nepenthes it was.

Ford.

On Sat, 17 Jul 2004 14:22:02 GMT, "Matthew Durkin"
wrote:

Hi All,
I have a Nepanthes (pitcher plant) growing happily on my bathroom
windowsill. The original 2 vines haven't made any new growth this year and
most of the pitchers on these vines have gone brown. The leaves are still OK
though.
I have 4 other vines which apeared from the base of the old ones which are
very happy and have many new leaves and pitchers.

My question is - what should I do with the 2 old vines? Can I cut them back
a bit, fully, to the root etc? Or can I remove just the dead / dying
pitchers and leave...

Thanks,
Matthew