What should I do if the pitcher plant withers?
As a star species among carnivorous plants, Nepenthes chinensis's unique insect trap is popular among plant lovers. When the leaves are found to be abnormally yellowing or even withered, it often indicates that there is a deviation in the maintenance process. This paper systematically analyzes five typical yellow leaf symptoms to provide professional solutions to the blight problem of Nepenthes chinensis at different stages. Yellow leaf type diagnosis of water imbalance Yellow leaf water yellow and drought yellow are typical symptoms of extreme water management. Water yellowing is characterized by uniform yellowing and dull new leaves, and long-term accumulation of water in the roots will lead to rotten roots; dry yellowing is characterized by withered old leaves from bottom to top, and in severe cases, the whole plant is dehydrated and wilted. Most of the nutrition-metabolic yellow leaves are caused by too high fertilization concentration, and the new leaves appear abnormally thick and uneven leaf surfaces; hungry yellowing is caused by long-term lack of fertilizer, and the new leaves gradually fade into green and turn yellow; iron-deficient yellow leaves have typical reticular spots. The characteristics are closely related to the imbalance of substrate pH. Targeted treatment plan Water management regulates water yellowing, it is necessary to immediately stop water and replace the breathable substrate, using a mixed medium of tree bark + water moss (2:1); dry yellowing adopts a gradual water replenishment method, and the first watering amount is controlled at 50% of the usual level. Restoration of substrate humidity through dipping basin method. Nutritional control measures Fertilizer yellow is rinsed continuously with clear water for three times, and damaged leaves are cut off; hungry yellow is replenished with 2000 times diluted liquid fertilizer for half a month; iron-deficient yellow leaves are sprayed with 0.1% ferrous sulfate solution, and citric acid is used to adjust the pH of water quality. Environmental control standards for daily maintenance and prevention: Maintain air humidity of 60-80%, control temperature within the range of 18-28℃, and use T5 plant fill light to ensure scattered light for 6 hours a day. Rotate the flowerpot regularly to ensure that the plants receive even light. Scientific maintenance cycle Spray moisture every 3 days in spring and autumn, and once in the morning and evening in summer; fertilization follows the principle of "thin fertilizer and frequent application", and 3000-fold diluted orchid special fertilizer is applied once a month. The dedicated carnivorous plant substrate is replaced every spring.
By accurately identifying the yellow leaf types of Nepenthes japonica and taking corresponding measures, and cooperating with scientific daily maintenance, significant improvements can be seen in about 2-3 weeks. It is recommended to establish a maintenance log to record changes in temperature and humidity, and use EC pens to regularly detect substrate conductivity to reduce the mortality rate of Nepenthes japonica by more than 80%.