Re: Salutations from maryland!
I'm no expert in any of this and I grow my nepenthes pretty simply. I decided to go with Alata because its said to be on of the easier tropical pitchers to start with (along with ventricosa). I think the highland-intermediate elevation plants such as these are said to be easier due to needing less heat and humidity.
I honestly grow mine as a windowsill plant. I have it hanging in a west facing window. It gets dim morning light but by mid day once the sun passes to the west side of my home it gets a good bit of ambient light and then by late afternoon it gets a blast of setting sun. It grows slowly but stays pretty healthy and pitchers regularly. The medium its in is the original medium. It seems similar to ABG mix we use for darts, but maybe a bit coarser with bark. I keep the soil moist with distilled water (dissolved minerals/ salts will slowly damage any carnivore) and keep a layer of long fiber sphagnum wet on the surface to retain a bit of humidity around the base of the plant. I mist the plant with distilled as well. They say producing good pitchers depends a bit on humidity so I suppose my humidity is alright. As soon as it gets a bit warmer outside at night I plan to move my orchids to my covered porch and place their HoneyWell cool humidifier in my bedroom where my pitcher is.
I really want to get Nepenthes Bicalcarata but its a bit more delicate and requires a good, constant humidity and heat according to what I've read. Its so neat; the pitchers open and contain two fang-like appendages held symmetrically on the under side of the lid.
CJ, I live on the East side of town on Pangborn near Pangborn Park, which isnt a bad part of town either. You lived here back in 94 so I was only two years old then (I'm 21), but these days I bet town is even worse then when you lived here haha. I plan to escape as well in the next coming years.
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