Some hobby gardeners are unsettled when the pitchers of the pitcher plant suddenly dry up and no longer look beautiful. This is a completely normal process for an otherwise he althy plant. What care do the dried out pitchers need?
How do I care for dried out pitchers of a pitcher plant?
Dried pitchers on pitcher plants are normal. Leave the dried cans on the plant until they are completely dry before cutting them off. To prevent premature drying out, ensure a bright location, sufficient humidity and avoid too much fertilizer or insects.
The pots drying out is normal
With a pitcher plant that has a favorable location and is well cared for, it is completely normal for the pitchers to dry out. Depending on the plants, it can take a few weeks to a year for the pots to dry out.
If the pitchers dry out prematurely or no pitchers form at all, the Nepenthes is too dark or the humidity is too low.
Only cut cans that are completely dry
Even if the dried out cans don't necessarily look nice, you shouldn't cut them straight away. As long as there is still some moisture in it, the plant can get nutrients from it.
To care for dried-out pitchers, it is therefore important to leave them on the plant at first. They are only cut when they are completely dry.
Only cut off the dry pot itself. You must leave the sheet above it.
How to prevent premature drying out
The pitchers of the Nepenthes dry out very quickly and actually too early; several reasons can be responsible for this:
- location too dark
- too much sun
- humidity too low
- Waterlogging
- Digestive fluid missing
- too much fertilizer / insects
Place the pitcher plant in a bright spot where it doesn't get too much direct sun. The plant cannot tolerate more than four hours of sunlight. Make sure the humidity is at least 60 percent.
Too much fertilizer is often responsible for the cans drying out prematurely. Fertilize Nepenthes very carefully. In most cases it is not necessary to fertilize a pitcher plant.
Never remove the liquid from the jugs
If the jugs no longer contain any liquid, they will also dry out. If you accidentally spilled what you thought was water, you can add some rainwater. This can delay drying for a short time.
Tip
The pitchers of Nepenthes contain liquid. This is not water, as is often incorrectly assumed, but rather digestive fluid. It is needed for processing insects caught in the cans.