I've used rooting hormone with no issue, Tommy. When using rooting hormone with most plant cuttings, it seems to be best to just have a light dusting on the cutting. Nancy, I would agree with Tommy that the problem may be that the hydroton might not be staying moist enough. You might try taking one of the cuttings out of the pot, repotting it in the same type of set up BUT then bag it -- pot and all -- in a clear plastic bag. The bag will keep the humidity high. Open the bag once every week or two to check on water and to refresh the air. Keep the bagged potted cutting in a warm (temps in the 70s) brightly lit (but no direct sun) location. It can make a difference whether your Nep is a highland, intermediate, or lowland plant. This pertains both to rooting and general growing culture. Many Neps look very similar if not identical -- especially if only looking at their foliage. The pitchers are where differences -- sometimes very distinct, sometime extremely subtle -- are seen. Those differences are what is often used to get a rough ID of NoID neps. Unfortunately this ID process is made even more challenging by the fact that pitcher form on a particular plant often changes substantially from the pitchers of a young/juvenile plant and those of an older plant (typically referred to by hobbyists as lower and upper pitchers). Best bet would be to contact the seller and see if they know what they sold you. Mike, neps do very well with humid conditions -- dry conditions do them in. Temperature can play a huge role with neps, though, as highlanders verse lowlanders have very different temperature needs. That is why if you are buying a nep, you should inquire whether it is a highland, intermediate, or lowland nep. If the seller does not know, don't by from them. (Unless it is so super cheap that you won't mind it dying if it turns out to need different conditions than you can provide.) Nepenthes can also be grown in orchid bark mix or coconut husk chunk mix. HOWEVER, as you'll be growing it in Florida, I can't vouch for any mix suggestions like mine or Tommy's. Your conditions, Nancy, are simply so radically different than ours. And don't feel too bad, Nancy, I found that even from the same plant in the same media, some cuttings would root easily, others refused.

Hi Jenn, you're welcome! It really isn't all that difficult to wring out the paper. I like using three full sheets. I unfold them, laying them out flat, then put my hand right in the center, wrapping them around my hand and wrist while dunking them into a bucket of water for a few minutes. I pull them out, gently folding them into a twist and wring them out. There is a little tearing some times, but not terribly. If you're careful, you can wring out most of the water with little tearing because of the thickness of the three sheets. If it's more comfortable for you, fold them the best you can and run an old rolling pin from the kitchen over them until they no longer drip, but are thoroughly wet/damp. With the wet paper still twisted from wringing them out, grab the "rope" of wet paper in the center then just gently shake it back and forth. It will begin to loosen and fall open. It makes it easier for you to spread them out as a wet, three layer sheet. Process your cuttings and lay them in the center of the sheet with a label. Once you're finished processing all the cuttings, fold over the top and bottom of the sheet, the ends at the top and bottom of the cuttings, then begin rolling them tightly into the "burrito". Make sense? I've also laid out the three sheets of paper on the deck and thoroughly wet them with the hose, but that uses more water, so I prefer the bucket. My concern is your spray bottle may not sufficiently wet the paper. Dipping or dunking them into a bucket of water does. If the paper tears a bit, don't worry, just spread it out as flat as you can and use it. You'll have several layers of damp paper rolled up encasing the cuttings to provide them sufficient moisture so it isn't a real issue. If you're doing several batches, just put each burrito into a plastic bag to prevent it from drying and add each one to the bag as you complete it. Once you're finished with them all, gently squeeze out the excess air from the bag and tie it shut. I then put this one upside down into another bag and repeat the process. I've usually used three bags together, each one reversed from the other, to provide as much of a seal against moisture loss as possible, then placed them in the dresser drawer in the garage to keep them cool. When the weather is conducive for the work room attached to the garage to remain in the sixties degree range, I've also just laid them on a shelf in that room where they've also worked just fine. I understand what you meant about putting them on the refrigerator now, thank you. As long as the heat from the motor doesn't warm them, and they remain in the approximate temperature range, all should work just fine. I'm excited to follow your progress! Many years ago, very dear friends retired from this area and moved into the mountains north of Los Angeles. She was sad she had to leave the three bushes of Circus she planted at that house shortly after they bought it in the early sixties. After the move, I knocked on the door and introduced myself to the new owners and requested permission to take cuttings, explaining why I wanted them. They were delighted to share them with me. Both Janne and I were excited when I visited and handed her several own root plants of her beloved Circus, propagated from her old plants. She had some of her old garden, where she'd happily lived for thirty plus years and raised her six children, to grace her "retirement" garden. That connection with your old plant is a happy one. Been there many times and plan on many more! Kim

Such an old thread, but it's been fun watching you newer members. Update: Original pot diapers in 2003 because of this thread, then last report on my diapers was 2008. Now in 2015 the story is still exactly the same. When do I declare these vintage pot diapers ? LOL I'm still diapering pots here and there, plus once in awhile I dump our a pretty old pot that's been sitting unloved and forgotten, only to find some of the original diapers ...still in fine shape since those were annual pots. Every time I find one, I just set it over, put in fresh soil and put the diaper right back. Such good shape they stay in, you remember the debates over cloth vs. disposable and which is worse for the environment. Looks to me like when they say these things last in the landfill forever...must be true. Sitting in a pot in soil, undisturbed, years later they look exactly like they did when I put them in there. :( As far as safe or not for veggies, well if your growing for market and advertising organic, you might have a problem since I doubt the manufactures have gone through the process of being organically certified. But they certainly must need to prove these are safe to be in contact with tiny babies bare, vulnerable skin, with the possibility of that baby's bottom skin having terrible diaper rash with open sores. Babies with some allergies have problems this way when exposed to something they react to. The diaper manufactures and consumer oversight is aware of these possibilities, so I would feel safe assuming these are most likely safe. Certainly safer than lots of other things our veggies and our bodies are exposed to everyday. I'm assuming all of you are also aware using an older used pot diaper would only work well as long as the ex-plant was healthy. No bugs or diseases. Died of natural causes, got moved to a bigger pot or such. Shouldn't have to say that, but better to be clear I suppose. Good luck with your pot diapers everyone. : ) ETA: Just realized a baby born when this thread originated will be a teenager this spring :p Have we said it all yet

Remove the plant from the potting material, and remove all the growing medium from the roots. Next comes what is commonly referred to as the sphag and bag method. Put styrofoam packing peanuts (make sure they are the real styro by putting water on them first) or LECA, or stones, or charcoal, or mixtures of the three in the bottom of the pot. This is to improve the drainage in the pot. I then soak high quality long fiber sphagnum moss (hereafter referred to as sphag.) in rooting hormone. The long fiber moss doesnt break down as quickly and plants root well in it. Apparently, there are natural fungicides in it...or something that inhibits fungus and encourages stressed plants to root. I trim the dead roots off the plant with a clean (sterilized) single-edged razor blade or an Exacto knife, pour Physan20 on the roots, then put cinnamon on the cut areas, and rooting hormone everywhere else on whatever roots are left. I then squeeze out the sphag until it is as damp as a well-squeezed sponge. I wrap the roots in the sphag, and place it in the pot, putting more sphag loosely around the roots. Make sure you dont smash it in, as it can be really hard to re-water, or may take forever to dry causing even more rot in your plant. You may need to put a bamboo stake in the pot to keep the plant upright in the sphagnum. I then put the plant and pot in a plastic bag, but I leave the top open. This increases the humidity around the leaves and the roots, if there are any sticking out of the sphag...only usually I don't leave any aerial roots upin the air, but put them in the medium as I want the plant to maximize it's hydration. I don't close the top as I want some air circulation. This is up to what you choose to do. Some people close the bag, and use ziplock (or seal-able) bags. Someone here, and I am sorry, I forgot who, uses the veggie baggies which have little holes in it for air exchange. I have found that sometimes closing the bag is a recipe for disaster. Do not, however, let the leaves touch the plastic as that can encourage rot, not always, but I have had it happen. Blowing up the bag before sealing helps keep the bag sides away from the leaves. I don't spray the plant, as I have had bad experiences doing so. I will, however, spray the top of the medium on occassion. Usually, the plant does just as well without it. I make sure that the plant is in bright, but not direct light (i.e. normal light as the roots and leaves if they are there do undergo photosynthesis), and that the temps are a tad warmer than usual--much like you would care for a seedling. The most important thing to my mind is keeping the humidity up, as the plant has very little to replace moisture since the roots are impaired. I would never cut a leaf off a plant if it isn't yellowing. Phals do not have pseudo-bulbs so all food/moisture is stored in the roots/leaves. If you keep the ambient humidity up, the plant will pull from the air and less so from the leaves--leaves don't give up as much if the humidity is good. Thus, if you are cutting off healthy leaves, you are taking away some of the plants resources. The leaves generally do not ever come back from their leathery state, but you will get new leaves and roots. It will take quite some time for this plant to bloom again, and some folks dont think it is worth it. I am so soft that I can't give the poor little plant every shot at life. New roots will take a while...several weeks, or it can be several months. Some will recover, and some wont.