Cut back or leave it?
Calling out #NepenthesVentricosaPitcherPlant growers!
Iβve had this guy for about 3 years. He is constantly giving me new, shiny leaves so he is definitely thriving, but i would like for him to start producing pitchers again.
Anyone with experience cutting back Nepenthes? How do i go about it? Will it promote pitcher growth? I feel like he is growing out of control, and i would like to have a fresh start.
Iβve had this guy for about 3 years. He is constantly giving me new, shiny leaves so he is definitely thriving, but i would like for him to start producing pitchers again.
Anyone with experience cutting back Nepenthes? How do i go about it? Will it promote pitcher growth? I feel like he is growing out of control, and i would like to have a fresh start.
11
@alba
Trim your plant once every couple of months: Nepenthes do not grow as fast as other carnivorous plants, such as Venus flytraps. There is no need to trim your plant every single time a leaf starts to wither. Instead, prune your plant in batches. These will prevent your plant from suffering from unwanted stress.
If you are wondering when to prune pitcher plants, understand that trimming pitcher plants is not a daily or weekly task. In fact, pitcher plants can go for a long time without requiring a pruning. Sometimes, however, pruning a pitcher plant will increase its vigor and create a fuller plant, and these are the pitcher plant pruning opportunities you want to take advantage of.
If your pitcher plant has developed long foliage that looks untidy, pitcher plant pruning is in order. To tidy up messy plants, start trimming pitcher plants back with the scissors. Prune back each stem to a reasonable length. If the plant is old and uncared for, it will accept severe pruning. Pruning a pitcher plant encourages new growth to form. If your pitcher plant is a tropical plant known as Nepenthes, or Monkey Cup, you may wonder about pitcher plant pruning for these species. Essentially, the instructions are the same. As pitchers and leaves die back naturally, trim them off to keep the plant vigorous. Prune back the green vine stems to encourage side shoots to grow.
Just make sure you prune back with sterilized scissors or pruners by using rubbing alcohol to sterilize them. Below is a link that should be very helpful for you.
https://venusflytrapworld.com/easy-guide-to-prune-nepenthes-trimming-guide/
Trim your plant once every couple of months: Nepenthes do not grow as fast as other carnivorous plants, such as Venus flytraps. There is no need to trim your plant every single time a leaf starts to wither. Instead, prune your plant in batches. These will prevent your plant from suffering from unwanted stress.
If you are wondering when to prune pitcher plants, understand that trimming pitcher plants is not a daily or weekly task. In fact, pitcher plants can go for a long time without requiring a pruning. Sometimes, however, pruning a pitcher plant will increase its vigor and create a fuller plant, and these are the pitcher plant pruning opportunities you want to take advantage of.
If your pitcher plant has developed long foliage that looks untidy, pitcher plant pruning is in order. To tidy up messy plants, start trimming pitcher plants back with the scissors. Prune back each stem to a reasonable length. If the plant is old and uncared for, it will accept severe pruning. Pruning a pitcher plant encourages new growth to form. If your pitcher plant is a tropical plant known as Nepenthes, or Monkey Cup, you may wonder about pitcher plant pruning for these species. Essentially, the instructions are the same. As pitchers and leaves die back naturally, trim them off to keep the plant vigorous. Prune back the green vine stems to encourage side shoots to grow.
Just make sure you prune back with sterilized scissors or pruners by using rubbing alcohol to sterilize them. Below is a link that should be very helpful for you.
https://venusflytrapworld.com/easy-guide-to-prune-nepenthes-trimming-guide/
@KikiGoldblatt @SirLiquorice Thank you guys so much. Iβve only trimmed this plant 2-3 times in the past (max of 5 leaves) so hopefully itβll respond well to a big trim. Wish me luck!!
And do you have experince propagating the cuttings afterwards? I feel bad tossing beautiful green leaves.
And do you have experince propagating the cuttings afterwards? I feel bad tossing beautiful green leaves.
@sarahsalith I feel like every time i go to water it theres a new leaf. Very fast grower. Such a wonderful plant π₯°
@sdavis2911 I did check YT for tips on propagation! You can apparently do it in water, but I ended up potting a few stem cuttings into soil. In my research i learned that the roots grow just beneath the top surface of soil (or the top node) so i thought it would be better than water propping. So far itβs looking fine, but only four days has passed. I guess itβs a little experiment of mine at this point π Thank you so much for commenting βοΈπΏ
@sdavis2911 Im pretty sure youβre right though!