Re: Random Balcony grown Pets
 

Speaking about northiana, where can I get course clay?

Cheers

Re: Random Balcony grown Pets
 

where hillsides were cut during road widening works, after a heavy downpour the eroded coarse clay are deposited on the foot of the enbankment. They're yellowish red to brown.

erosion along road bank
http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z...u/DSC_0124.jpg


clay deposits
http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z.../DSCN3842a.jpg


low nutrients content-only pitcher plants, terrestrial orchids,ferns and other plants associated with this soil composition adapt and grow. Pitcher plants are often among the very first to appear. An example here are reinwardtiana ( green and red varieties). There are ampullaria,gracilis, neglecta and kuchingensis found in this location.

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z...u/DSC_0199.jpg

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z...u/DSC_0233.jpg

Re: Random Balcony grown Pets
 

Hi Robert

Nice pics......What do you think about those striking orange ground which are normally found on hills which i saw in a small hill?? There are many ferns growing there but no neps or orchids since its full of condominiums there.That small tiny bump has a power line at the top of it.But do you think those can be used to? No pics of it but i'll try to take some since its nowhere near my place.

Ken

Re: Random Balcony grown Pets
 

Ohhhh.......and I thought i had to buy them.

So is it possible to obtain course clay at construction areas? Basically speaking, areas where house development are being done but the land hasn't been flattened yet.

Cheers

Re: Random Balcony grown Pets
 

Ken, peninsular and Borneo has similar soil structure. The soil you mentioned would be clay. After you have collected rinse them off fine particles.

Edward,you can buy them in nursery, either burnt or unburn form. construction site where soil are clay in nature would be a good place to collect.

Re: Random Balcony grown Pets
 

Guys,
I was thinking if we can use sand for nep mix.Sand is really good drainer.

Re: Random Balcony grown Pets
 

River sand can be used Ali.Avoid those sands with high mineral contents.

Re: Random Balcony grown Pets
 

OK James...thanx for helping;)

Re: Random Balcony grown Pets
 

Ok, thanks for the help, since I have a construction area near my place, might as well go there and collect some course clay.

After all, it is free..........:)

Cheers

Re: Random Balcony grown Pets
 

Yep agreed edward....Careful to not take too much after the whole hill dissapear haha.......

Ken

Re: Random Balcony grown Pets
 

Dear eboat,
I think I have mentioned before in my older Northiana threads how I grew them if you are looking for tips.
They are about 2 years old grown from a cutting.

Re: Random Balcony grown Pets
 

It's not hard to grow, but it requires patience to find the right place and environment to suit it. I'm talking about a plant grown from cutting. However, I noticed my seed grown northiana is less fussy, pithers readily even from small.

I'm using coarse burnt clay from the nursery mixed with some coarse pebbles. Btw, my potting mix was taught by my sifu Robert.

Re: Random Balcony grown Pets
 

This is the biggest Northiana pitcher I have so far, 6" which just opened last week, picture taken this morning.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e1...DSC00566_r.jpg

Re: Random Balcony grown Pets
 

Wow, beautiful. That is a great pitcher.

Re: Random Balcony grown Pets
 

Wow........Anyone can compete for that northiana's size??? Isaac how old is the plant about how tall??? Well they all seem to grow to giant sizes in the wild O.O

Ken

Re: Random Balcony grown Pets
 

Wow, nice northiana. Your peristome looks a bit too elongated, or is it just me??

Cheers

Re: Random Balcony grown Pets
 

Whoops, sorry

Re: Random Balcony grown Pets
 

I'd kill for a N. northiana like yours! :p Lol!

Seriously, that is a very nice plant, and you are growing it very well! Keep up the great work!

:1thumbup:

Re: Random Balcony grown Pets
 

Thanks for all your kind comments.

I'm just happy to see the plant growing steadily. Occasionally, some pitchers are fatter, some are more elongated, this is the first elongated pitchers that I see so far.

Can't wait to see it grow till 1 foot. *just being too greedy*

Re: Random Balcony grown Pets
 

Hehehe.......thats call hope and desperation, isaac. :tongue:

Wish your northiana is healthy!

Cheers

Re: Random Balcony grown Pets
 

OMG!! That is a very gorogeous northiana. I'll get that, lowii and khasiana when CNY comes.

Re: Random Balcony grown Pets
 

Man aaron and edward should have the award for advancing to the difficult neps to cultivate in a couple of months.

Ken

Re: Random Balcony grown Pets
 

Award for attempting to grow N. Lowii in lowland Malaysia? More likely to have a D. cert for the poor plant.

Warning: Lowii = Super Highland Plant, check the altitude where the plant is found.

Re: Random Balcony grown Pets
 

Never mind lah. I'm trying to grow difficult highlanders.

Re: Random Balcony grown Pets
 

LOL

Re: Random Balcony grown Pets
 

I heard Fauzi had succesfully grow lowii in LL conditions and it pitchered too but i never seen one in his nursery though.

Re: Random Balcony grown Pets
 

I think I saw his lowii before, but I am not sure, forgot. I think I will get lowii, burbidgae and other neps. ;)

My terrarium is just superb for such plants.

Cheers

Re: Random Balcony grown Pets
 

Edward just try being cautions ( very caution :D when growing this guys)

Ken

Re: Random Balcony grown Pets
 

Ok, advice taken! Back to the topic, until now, I drool over the northiana!!! Why must God create such magnificence to make us lust???? It seems soooooooo addictive, as if this plant was a drug.........like Helen's Nepenthe............bleahhhhh :)

I shall get a northiana! Is perlite necesarry in northiana's potting soil?

Cheers

Re: Random Balcony grown Pets
 

I like mirabilis x northiana though but the plant is really gorgeous.

Edward,
It's ok as long the media has drainage.

Re: Random Balcony grown Pets
 

Perlite is not necessary for Northiana but it will be useful.

So far, people who used coarse red earth has great success with it. Sphagnum is not desirable for Northiana.

Re: Random Balcony grown Pets
 

Well so is peat moss....Sphag and peat will stunt growth of N northiana.

Ken

Re: Random Balcony grown Pets
 

A top-dressing of sphagnum works well for my small N. northiana, but my mix is composed entirely of aggregates (charcoal, arcillite, and bark). The sphagnum top-dressing encourages pitcher inflation and increases humidity, but I would not recommend sphagnum in the soil mix.

Re: Random Balcony grown Pets
 

there's nothing wrong with spaghnum.... im using it but my north still grows normally... except for the pitchers which is a humidity problem...

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1076/...c90a3a105c.jpg


tendrils that dont land on spaghnum dont inflat or may become deformed.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1166/...30e11e786d.jpg