How to Care for a Nepenthes Sanguinea

Plant and grow N. sanguinea in a loose soil mixture, similar to the soil for growing orchids. A mixture of both sphagnum and peat moss, chopped bark, perlite, coarse sand and natural tree or fern fibers, which is also low in fertility, is the best choice for the pitcher plant. Do not use heavy, fertile soil, compost or indoor potting mix. These are far too rich and compact down too much for Nepenthes' liking.

Water your N. sanguinea so the growing medium stays evenly moist, but not soggy or saturated. Use filtered water, distilled water or captured, acid-free rain water when watering your pitcher plant, because it sometimes suffers adverse effects from the chemicals in tap water.

Increase the humidity to between 50 and 80 percent in the room where you grow the pitcher plant, to more closely mimic their natural environment. Run an electric humidifier in the room with the pitcher plant or grow it in a greenhouse. Another way to increase humidity is to group several plants together. Or put your N. sanguinea on a tray covered with pebbles. Add water to the tray to just below the tops of the pebbles. When the water evaporates, it adds humidity to the air around your plant.

Situate your N. sanguinea in bright, indirect light, but do not expose it to direct sunlight. Indoors, place it about 4 to 6 feet away from a south-facing window with a sheer curtain over the window glass. Position grow lights, if desired, so they are 18 to 24 inches away from the pitcher plant. Specimens receiving too little light exhibit slow, spindly new growth.

Keep the room temperature between 55 degrees at night and 85 degrees during the day. Move it outdoors during the summer but only when temperatures are expected to remain above 55 degrees, as it is damaged at lower temperatures.

Do not fertilize any variety of Nepenthes. They grow best in barren, infertile soil, preferring to derive their nutrients from the unfortunate small insects that are trapped in their pitchers. Feed them a few dead flies, cockroaches or other small insects in spring, but otherwise leave them to their own devices.