Nep.Bicalcarata
 

Can bicalcarata be grown in fully shade condition?:confused:
My balcony only has direct sunlight or complete shade.:bored:
Any experienced member?
Thanx for helping.:wub:

Re: Nep.Bicalcarata
 

:smile:Bical I heard It can take Full Sun. Filter Sun it tend to grow not the well.

Re: Nep.Bicalcarata
 

fully shade?:confused: Is the place very dark or bright?:smile:
I have 2 bical. One in full sun and another one about 60% shade. The one under full sun grown smaller leaves.

Re: Nep.Bicalcarata
 

Ali,

From the many photos of bicalcarata in the wild I had seen (check out wistuba website: http://www.heliamphora.de/01b0219314...304/index.html), they like growing in shaded area.

Perhaps, Robert and junglemike with their many encounters can confirm this.

Choong

Re: Nep.Bicalcarata
 

What I heard is that too much light will bleach the color of the pitcher for bical, can someone confirm this? Thanks.

Re: Nep.Bicalcarata
 

all my bicals, 4 plants 1 with 3 basals, are exposed to direct sunlight at least 4 hours each day... all have orange pitchers.... from what i read in 'nepenthes of borneo' 2nd edition it says that some do grow in shaded area and thats why they have big leafs so it could catch more light.... CMIIW

Re: Nep.Bicalcarata
 

Well, some shade is the best, but full sun isn't that bad. How shaded is your area, Ali?

Cheers

Re: Nep.Bicalcarata
 

Well i can't really comment on this since my N bical is only on its way on making its 1st pitcher.....It gets well half full sun and half shaded since some parts of it is covered by my other neps.From what i heard dappled or shaded is the best,

Ken

Re: Nep.Bicalcarata
 

Thanx for your reply guys,
My right handside of my balcony receives sunlight from morning untill about 12.00p.m
and my left handside receives sunlight from 3p.m till the rest of the day.
I'm currently growing mine under my hibiscus.So far it's doing ok but i dont want to disturb it while it grows and i want to set a place up for it permanently.

Re: Nep.Bicalcarata
 

My personal opinion lah:

If you grow plants on balcony, the light intensity is not the same all year round. The best thing you can do is get a bamboo blind for your balcony. In the hotter months, just pull the the blind down to give it some shade and if the sun is not so intense bring the blind up. Also, I think it is best to have a water urn to bring up the moisture content in the balcony area for your neps.

I grow my bical under 20% shade and it is growing well.

Re: Nep.Bicalcarata
 

Hi

Well i also wanted to get a blind but dunnoe when hahaha...........Anways whats a water urn???Does growing neps in saucers with a little water bout 1-2 cm in height give it more moisture or rot it?My bical i realised also suddenly stop or slow down its growth but everything is very healthy looks like making its 1st pitcher.

Ken

Re: Nep.Bicalcarata
 

Thanx Haris but i dont think so my parents will agree to put a blind in my balcony.It will look ugly for my house style.Hope you understand.
Is there any other way.I changed the place where it received morning sun for 3 hours.
Is it ok?

Re: Nep.Bicalcarata
 

I'm curious about the water urn, you just fill it up with water and just leave it near the plants? So that humidity is high but the plants are not touching the water in the urn? If so another idea is to make a small water fountain too, not 100% sure of the benefits in a windy balcony though, but if not much wind then maybe will contribute to humidity.

My vote is for Morning sun! But hopefully not hit by 12pm sun, maybe too harsh! If can't, then maybe afternoon sun might be better.

TTFN
Arvin

Re: Nep.Bicalcarata
 

Hi

Well since the rainy season is here my balcony only gets direct sunlight on really clear skys......Now during this time of the year my neps love it....Agreed with arvin morning sunlight is the best and the most probability won't harm ur bical.Its also good for yourself

Ken

Re: Nep.Bicalcarata
 

hi guys,

yes water urn/vase you just fill it with tap water and leave it there. it will help increase moisture contents in the area. you'll be surprised how often you'll have to fill it! correct me if I'm wrong but i think some pitcher won't produce pither if moisture content in the surroundings are too low. a friend of mine has a collection of moisture loving orchids, and this is what he do to provide the moisture needed. so, the same technique can be applied to neps.

if you think it is ugly, just put some water plant in it and a few guppies to get rid of possible mosquito larvae...

Re: Nep.Bicalcarata
 

Thanx for the help Harris.One more question.Can this method be done in windy places?
Cuz my balcony is very windy but not everytime lah.

Re: Nep.Bicalcarata
 

My house already have awnings and blinds. Planning to get a bical this Monday. So just put a water urn and itr will increase humidity??

Re: Nep.Bicalcarata
 

Well at least now i know what your gonna get from the nursery hahahaha.I was thinking of something medium priced and a cheap priced nepenthes like gracilis

Ken

Re: Nep.Bicalcarata
 

yes, you can use the water urn in windy area. a friend of mine is staying at 16th floor and it is quite windy at that height. the water urn will definetely increase moisture content/humidity in air especially during hot season. The water in the urn will evaporate thus making the surroundings cooler.

try it guys and give me some feedback...

Re: Nep.Bicalcarata
 

Can plates of water work too??

Ken

Re: Nep.Bicalcarata
 

plates of water under your neps pot will help increase the humidity a little bit, but bigger body of water will be better...

Re: Nep.Bicalcarata
 

A big dripping wet towel will do the job even better because of its bigger surface. But you've to wet it quite often ... or put the washed cloth for drying between your neps ;)

Re: Nep.Bicalcarata
 

Well how bout those trays i use for my VFT and i put it under my rack will also help rite?? I use those plastic containers which they store cookies and stuff and i put it half full and i place it right under the burning sun.

Well im trying ur method..........I wet the cloth/towel and hang it by the divider/railings of my balcony.

Ken

Re: Nep.Bicalcarata
 

Ken,

Generally, anything that can hold/retain water will help. The larger the surface area the better. Since water vapour will be circulated through evaporation and convection. But the more pots/vase/urns you have the more chances of getting mosquito larvas. You don't want dengi or health officials come after you.

Try also putting industrial size sponges under the plants as well. Sponges help to trap the water from your watering.

Choong

Re: Nep.Bicalcarata
 

Hi Choong

I see..........so the main concept is just the evaporation and then causing it to be more humid and cooler.....Well now i'm using 1 soak towel and a plastic container...which i fill about half of it.....Dengi or mosquito can only breed on shallower waters..

I bought a thermometer a few days back and yesterday i checked at the peak afternoon with direct sunlight my balcony goes around 37-38C but only for around half an hour or an hour....normally its around 34-36...Nights barely go below 24C.

Oh yeah and i officially report that my N bical has somehow stoped growing!~!!!!........Its not dying healthy leaves it just didn't even move for weeks now anyone know what to do please???

Ken

Re: Nep.Bicalcarata
 

So a water urn works really well? This has just open a new idea to me......I am planning to give one of my about to come nep a LOT of humidity. It wil work on HL species of nep, will it? I shal go to ikano power centre to get a good tray for my coming nep.

Cheers

Re: Nep.Bicalcarata
 

You know what will really work very very very well? A water fountain or if not a water curtain/shower. I just saw one outside a restaurant tonight. One can easily make them out of PVC pipes, and a big water container and a submersible pump. Drill holes on PVC pipe, mount the drilled pipe above the big water container, pump water in it and let excess drain back to the container, the water spray should also end up mostly in the container. This water curtain will surely keep humidity level up in your area for the whole day as long as the pump is operating and that there is enough water. Evaporation will be quite high so you'll probably need to top off every day or every other day, depending on the size of your container.

TTFN
Arvin

Re: Nep.Bicalcarata
 

Arvin: I have done that method long time ago but after few days the water kept becoming dirty.After few times washing it.I got lazy and stopped using it.

Re: Nep.Bicalcarata
 

Ah, acting as a filter did it? In my opinion no need to clean even if the water is dirty, the idea is just to get as much water spraying for extra humidity and I don't think the plants will mind that type of water. If however it clogs up your pump, then that is another story. The water curtain that I saw last night I don't think they clean them regularly, but this was a sizable one though, the pond is around 2 meters by 1 meter in size, the curtain is also 2 meters long.

TTFN
Arvin

Re: Nep.Bicalcarata
 

I didn't even know I was doing this method all along by growing waterlilies and lotus in big pots of water.

Re: Nep.Bicalcarata
 

Well,i didnt use any filter.I should have used it.Usually,those fountain at park's should have their own filter.

Re: Nep.Bicalcarata
 

No problem in fully shaded condition but will result in fewer pitchers, leaves grown longer.

The best result was to grow in the open with direct sunlight,placed the pot with other plants together as they compliment each other for the cool and shade.

In the wild the upper vine of most neps would reach for the open to receive sunlight, scrambling among low shrubs and bushes unless there are taller trees to vine upwards. pitchers formed under the dense shrubs and bushes tend to have attractive red.

Re: Nep.Bicalcarata
 

Thanks Robert for your insight. It's definately very beneficial to be able to observe how neps grow in the wild, one can get a more in depth understanding of the growing requirement and the tolerence, there's always something new to learn from mother nature... :1thumbup:

Re: Nep.Bicalcarata
 

Thanx Robert..maybe i'll grow it full sun.;)