NECPS new page

Other business:

• There will be plants on display and a silent auction.

New Members

Warm welcome to these new members that signed-up since December!:

Gerard, Graham, and Sheila Hoogeboom
Kelly, Maxwell, Mike, and Nathan Riley
and Dan Downey

CP Tidbit for August

“Get Those Nepenthes Outside!”

Get those Nepenthes outside! It’s been a miserable summer for most of us, a record setting few months for both rain and cold in New England. Yet is has become a good growing season for some of the plants we love to grow. Let’s talk Nepenthes and Outside growing!

The three things Nepenthes really need to grow well are water, humidity and light. We can play games with media, and temperatures when we grow plants inside or out, but over the years I have found that here in New England, the 3 most limiting factors for seasonal growing are water, humidity and light. In winter for example, Nepenthes often slow in growth, fail to pitcher well, or even have all their existing pitchers dry up. This is simply caused by these the three factors, low light, less water, and low humidity.

No matter how well you water plants in the winter, you cannot water as well as a drenching long rain will. Indoor watering often results in an uneven watering of the media in the pot, with some areas not getting enough, and some being soaked as they should be. A soaking rainstorm will usually do a much better job, and if the media is right the excess water will drain away, and the plant will be happier than it would be with an indoor watering. Plus, for those who feel that tap water is not good for a Nepenthes, you get the benefit of free easy pure rainwater, if plants are left outside. This year has been a boon for watering Nepenthes outside! Usually in my garden I have to water the hanging Nepenthes at least once a day every day each week. This season I’ve been able to miss many waterings, as the rain has done it for me. One thing to note, my greenhouse still needs to be watered, even when it is raining!

Humidity in summer outside here in New England is better for growing Nepenthes than most people would suspect. When we read about special places and techniques to grow nepenthes to help increase humidity, remember that these articles are talking to people growing plants all over the world. Arizona would not be a good place to grow Neps outside, not with a desert climate. But here in New England, we are much better off. As I write this, the Hygrometer in my office is telling me that the Humidity inside is about 56% That is inside with the air conditioning running! Outside it is even higher! A quick check of my Favorite weather website, weatherunderground.com says that at the weather station less than a mile away, the dew point is 70F…while the temp is 78 F. HIGH humidity! More than enough humidity to grow and Pitcher nepenthes!

When we bring Nepenthes inside in the fall to grow them, we start to deal with dew points in the 20’s, teens and lower! Last winter we had dew points outside of 3 or 4 degrees F. Nothing short of a terrarium or greenhouse would raise humidity to better growing levels under those conditions. That is a major reason Nepenthes stop pitchering in winter, the low humidity. But now, in August, we can take advantage of that natural humidity and let the plants bask in it is all their glory, and the result is more and better pitchering!

Nepenthes are tropical plants. As such they are used to much higher light intensities than we typically see here for many months in New England. But from mid spring to mid fall, the light is perfect for outside growing of nepenthes. Both the duration and the quality of the light are wonderful for the plants, and especially the quality cannot be duplicated by indoor lighting. Even now a full month after the longest day of the year we are still experiencing a day length of 15 ½ hours. That is high sun and long photoperiods that the nepenthes love to grow in, and the result is wonderfully growing plants.

Here are some observations about plant growth for this year regarding the above conditions, for both nepenthes and general growing.

Last year we did a bog walk the second weekend in July in the Great Swamp, Kingston RI. It was an unbearably hot day, with high humidity and about as rough a hike as could be. The bog we explored had what I call ‘squishy ground’, not enough to soak thru most hiking shoes, but defiantly wet to the touch. On the way in and out of the bog, the group FEASTED on wild blueberries in the swamp. They were everywhere, and we all enjoyed them. A year later almost to the day we were back in the same area, with Michael Szesze and a few other NECPS members. The bog we visited last year was completely flooded with knee deep water or better this time. That was to be expected from the rains we’d had. What might not have been expected was the situation with the blueberries. THERE WERE NONE! All the blueberry bushes had berries, but they were all very immature and green, at least 3 or 4 weeks away from harvest time. The rain had made for good growing conditions, but the low temps and lack of sun had slowed the plants and set them back about a month in growth.

The same could be said about the Nepenthes I grow outside each spring, summer and fall. Usually by early July the nepenthes outside my south facing door will have multiple pitchers and will be trailing a foot or 2 below the hanging pot. This year, at that time the plants had no mature pitchers, but were starting to put out pitchers on every leaf. There had been enough rain that watering had been no trouble this year, but the cold temps and lack of sun had delayed pitchering, as it had delayed berry production in the swamp. In the month or so since that bog walk, when we have had more ‘normal’ temperatures ( close to normal but still a bit low) the plants have taken off pitchering, and are doing well again. While they may not catch up with a ‘normal’ year, the plants and finally growing well and looking good.

Nepenthes have a reputation among many people for being difficult to grow outside. For some species, this may be true. But for many many others, it is possible and even beneficial to grow plants outside in the warmer days of summer. High temps, high humidity, and better water can all contribute to better growth of Nepenthes, when placed outside in summer. So, get those plants outside!

~ John Phillip, Jr.

Note: If anyone has cultivation tips that they’d like to share, please contact Ken Sicard.

Secretary’s Minutes

July 11, 2009 - Attendance (Meeting): 24

Meeting Notes:

• We briefly discussed progress on the website and preparation for the annual show.

• Michael Szesze gave a wonderful Powerpoint presentation on how to create and maintain an outdoor carnivorous plant bog, followed by a hands-on demonstration and bog-building in the greenhouses of the University of Rhode Island. In the end, a magnificent bog was built for URI.

~Ken Sicard

Events of Note

The annual NECPS cookout will be held at BlackJungle’s store on August 30. Please see the accompanying flier for more details.

Nursery / Mail Orders

There are no active nursery orders.
~ Ken Sicard, Nursery Mail Order Coordinator

Library News

Please contact me to suggest books that should be purchased or if you have books to donate.

The NECPS Library inventory and library policy has been attached to the end of the newsletter.

~ Alan Winn, Librarian

Treasurer’s Report

The Treasurer’s Report will be available at the meeting.

Membership dues are due in January for the 2009 year—if you haven’t paid your dues yet, please do so. Dues are $10 for students, $20 for adults, and $25 for families. Dues may be paid in cash or check made out to “NECPS.” A copy of the membership renewal form is attached at the end of the newsletter for your convenience. Remember to complete a membership renewal form and submit it along with dues to the Membership Secretary, Shaun Montminy. Dues may also be paid by mailing a check to:

NECPS
PO Box 606
Saunderstown, RI 02874

~ Dave Sackett, Treasurer

Program Outline for 2009

Meetings are usually held on the second Saturday of each month, except for July when there is no official meeting. We are in the process of finalizing a program outline for 2009. Please contact one of the Officers with questions or if you have a suggestion for a meeting place.

Meeting Date - Location/Program

August 8 - RWP (Show Preparation)

August 30 - Black Jungle Cookout

September 12 RWP Botanical Center - Annual Show Discussion

September 27-28 7th Annual NECPS Show RWP Botanical Center

October 10 RWP Botanical Center - Post-Show Discussion

November 14 RWP Botanical Center - TBA

December 12 RWP Botanical Center - Annual Holiday Party* Cookout date tentative.

NECPS Officers and contacts